25 things in your garage that a professional organiser would throw out

Most of us have a coffee can, or ten, filled to the brim with rusty nails and screws. Pare down the ridiculous quantity of hardware – you can’t possibly have a need for every nut and bolt, especially ones that aren’t even in good shape. Also toss dried-out super glue and cheap clamps that don’t align properly.

Your garage may have inadvertently become a storage unit for someone else’s stuff. Maybe that person left it behind when they moved out. Or someone asked you to hold onto something with the intention of coming back for it. If it’s been awhile, ask them to come collect their clutter so you can clear out space in your garage.

Unless you are opening a florist shop, you don’t need to keep more than a few vases and pots. Toss the cobweb-filled flowerpots, crumbling florist foam, and cracked vases. If you’ve amassed quite the collection, donate the ones that are still in good condition or call a local florist to ask if they want them.

Don’t miss these tips from the Handyman community on how to get a cleaner, more organised garage today. 

It doesn’t take long to accrue enough balls and bats to be able to outfit a whole team. You may have also accumulated equipment for sports you no longer participate in, like skiing or snowboarding. Or maybe the items were for kids who’ve now outgrown them. (Think: cleats, knee pads, and helmets.) Pass along the items to a friend or donate them.

You already did the hard part: While decluttering other rooms in your home, you decided to give away certain items. The only problem is, you never got them out the door. They’re not doing anyone any good stuck in the garage, so schedule a pickup by a charitable organisation. Do it now (yes, right now) so the items actually leave your house this time around.

Storing unused books, including textbooks, is a waste of space. Books do not store well in dark, damp spaces, like many garages and shed. Many local libraries accept book donations, which they, in turn, sell to benefit the library. Of course, recycle any books that can’t be salvaged.

If it isn’t on the wall now, there is most likely a reason. If you aren’t displaying that canvas painting, poster, or piece of metal art, then out it should go!

For the pictures you do want to hang, here’s some guidance on how to hang a picture on the wall. 

The time has come to toss the things you’ve been saving for a future garage sale that’s never going to happen. The truth is, letting that stuff sit in the garage and get dusty for months hasn’t made it more valuable. You’ll find great value in reclaiming space in your garage by letting it go.

These organisational tricks can save you a ton of money. 

Unfinished craft projects tend to be cast aside, left to collect dust in the basement. Unfortunately, starting a craft project is usually much more fun than finishing it, and you certainly won’t be more inclined to complete that needlepoint, cross-stitch, or quilt by hiding it in the garage. Craft a clutter-free garage by throwing away these forgotten items.

You may have inherited furniture, upgraded but kept the old one, or picked up a piece kerbside with plans to refinish it. And now your garage looks like a furniture store. These pieces tend to degrade in storage. Sell, donate, or pass them along to someone who needs the pieces you have to share.

Here are more genius ways to clean up your garage.