Having a garage is convenient. It provides covered parking for your vehicles and also additional storage space outside your main living areas. However, many garages are often used as dumping grounds for items that cannot be stored elsewhere. It’s also way too easy to let garage clutter build up until lawn equipment, leftover project materials, and sports equipment take over. Here are some items that can be immediately purged.
1. Old Pieces of Fitness and Sports Equipment
The most common causes of garage clutter are pieces of sports and fitness equipment. Maybe it’s time to get rid of those old bats, bikes, dumbbells, rackets, and other pieces of equipment if they are only gathering dust in your garage. One thing you can do is donate them to a community recreation center or any kind of charitable organization that accepts sports equipment.
2. Worn-Out Landscaping Tools
Maybe it’s time to get rid of that rusty shovel, dripping garden house, or malfunctioning lawnmower. You should be honest about what can be repaired, replaced, or needs to go in the trash pile when deciding what to do with such tools that are not frequently used. As a general rule, you can dispose of the old tool if you have already replaced it with a new one. Consider giving any working tools to a charity, community garden, or educational institution.
3. Damaged Holiday Decorations
Holiday decorations are only displayed for a few months. However, there is no need to keep hold of damaged light strings, leaky lawn inflatables, and more. The best option for getting rid of them is to donate them. Before throwing something in the trash, you can call your local recycling center to see if the stuff can be recycled.
4. Old Pieces of Furniture Kept in the Garage
Older pieces of furniture that you no longer have room for might be relegated to the garage as you update your living space with new ones. Be proactive about selling or donating that chair or dresser rather than letting it sit around unused. You can also ask a family member to keep the item if it is a family heirloom and you want to keep it until you free up more storage space elsewhere.
5. Leftover Construction Materials
Purchasing extra construction materials for your project is a good practice. However, if you are still keeping extra materials after a few years, you might want to think about whether there is something you want to store in your garage, other than materials that you might not use. Construction companies are always interested in donated building materials.
6. Kids’ Toys That Are No Longer Used
The toys your children have left behind can surely take up valuable space in your garage. Whether your kids have grown up or they are no longer interested in them, one thing you can do is place anything you want to keep in bins and decide which toys can be donated, given to another family, or even sold. Unfortunately, some toys can be difficult to be recycled because they often contain a wide range of materials and parts that are not easily separated.