Spring has sprung, and with it comes a fresh start for you and your home. Cabin fever and the winter blues may have gotten you down, but with warm weather upon us, a home pick-me-up is just what you need to enter the season right. Decorations, spring clothing, and other odds and ends may have piled up in your basement, but fortunately the idea of organizing your clutter does not need to be overwhelming! A few simple tips can help get the job done and leave you refreshed, accomplished, and ready to take on the sunshine.

Set the Stage for Your Junk

You will want a clear space to begin organizing. Don’t think too hard! Just push some stuff aside so you have an empty area on your floor. This will make organizing your garage easier when you only have to focus on one small space. Methodically bring items over to categorize and determine what will go where. Know what is junk and what is not. If you’ll be having a lot of things that you’ll be throwing out, it might be best to get a skip bin before following through with the rest of these points.

Deal with Large Items First

Bulky items get in the way and they will make maneuvering around your garage that more difficult, so focus on those first. Recycle, toss, or give away big items you have not used for a year and put the rest aside so once there is more room, they can find a proper home.

Categorize Your Belongings

Follow this system, and watch your garage get organized. Dedicate a box to each of the following: Keep in garage, keep in another room, donate, sell, throw out, and recycle. Follow this categorization for every single item, no matter how sentimental it once was.

Be Creative with Storage

Use a sliding system on your ceiling for containers. Make wall racks for bikes or tools. Use bungee cords to keep toys and loose items close to the walls. Design shelving around the perimeter of the garage to keep the floor clear of clutter. Use your imagination!

Declutter in Increments

Do not attempt to declutter your garage in a single day or you are sure to burn out and abandon the project completely. Set a Pomodoro timer and work in half hour increments or dedicate two hours on the weekends. Slow and steady progress will ensure that the project will get done.

Implementing these simple rules will make a seemingly impossible task easy to conquer. Furthermore, the care and easygoing approach to decluttering your basement will prevent burnout, ensuring that you get that task done. Good luck and happy organizing!