The ultimate guide to cleaning your garage

Garages are often ‘temporary’ dumping grounds for the things we barely use. But the toys, tools and trinkets add up over time, and soon enough a simple spring clean can seem not so simple. To help you get started, we’ve broken this mammoth task down into six easy steps.

1. Go through everything

The first step to properly organising your garage is figuring out what it contains. A good way to do this is to pull everything out into your driveway or a different room. If your garage is very full, you might want to work section by section, or divide and conquer with other members of your household.

2. Keep, donate, ditch or sell?

Now that you can see everything, it’s time to decide what to do with it — keep, donate, ditch or sell? Decide on criteria for determining this, especially if you’re tackling the task as a team.

The simplest way to decide is to keep the things you use often or that spark joy, donate anything you don’t want but someone else might like, ditch anything that’s broken or worthless, and sell the rest.

3. Paint your garage floor

An optional but helpful step in the clean-up process is to paint your garage floor, if it isn’t already painted. Doing so can be a cost-effective and easy way to make it feel like a “real room” and not just a dumping ground. It also makes it easier to sweep and mop, and can give it a more expensive feel.

4. Clean from top to bottom

Once your garage is clear, give it a good clean. Starting at the top and working your way down is a great way to avoid putting dust and dirt on surfaces you’ve already cleaned — there’s no point making this job harder for yourself!

5. Organise, store and label

Now that you’ve sorted through your things and know what you’re keeping, it’s time to get organised. Logically group items — shoes, garden, sports, tools, clothes, etc. — and buy shelves and storage tubs to suit your space. Keep frequently used items accessible, and don’t forget to clearly label everything.

6. Review your home and contents insurance

Home insurance isn’t set and forget; the value of our assets can change as we buy new things, get rid of old ones, and make improvements to our home. A garage clean-up may see you getting rid of valuable items, or perhaps finding some you forgot existed. In either case, it’s a great opportunity to review your Home and Contents Insurance to make sure you’re not over or under-insured.

To find out more, call our friendly team today on 13 10 10 or get a GIO Home and Contents Insurance quote online.

Explore GIO Home and Contents Insurance

Read more:

• Will home and contents insurance cover a home office?
• 4 ways to reduce your home insurance premiums
• What does GIO Home and Contents Insurance cover?

Insurance issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as GIO. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement before making a decision about this insurance. This advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situations or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it.