When we moved to our new house, we learned that our neighborhood enforces strict rules that require that all cars must be parked in the garage and not on the street. I knew we were in trouble because we had stashed a lot of stuff in the garage at the home we had recently left, and I had no idea how we’d ever fit it all in at the new house alongside our two cars.

In hindsight, I now know that a well-organized garage is a critical component to an organized home. However, we frequently make the garage the last place we organize, even though it should be one of the first.

Here’s how we get into trouble. First, of all, our garages are overflowing with mystery items and boxes of “stuff” that we aren’t sure what to do with or don’t want to investigate further. This approach leaves no room in the house for things that should really go in the garage, and the hall closets and bedrooms quickly fill with items that really should be stowed away in the garage.

So, here’s how you get the mystery behind door No. 3 under control.

De-clutter. Set a date to clean the garage and commit to it. Schedule a reward for afterwards (like going out to dinner or a movie) to motivate yourself and your family members. We did this once on New Year’s Day and our neighbors thought we were moving when they saw our driveway piled high with boxes and junk. It was embarrassing to see how much stuff we had packed into our little garage. During our cleaning fest, strangers rolled up and made offers on our rollerblades because they thought we were hosting a yard sale.

Sort it out. Begin by sorting through what you have and put it in three categories: 1) items to keep, 2) items to give away, or 3) items to throw away. Keep the vision of your clean and neat garage in mind as you try to part with the majority of your items. Remember, you only have the space to keep what you really need and use. If it’s hard to part with certain items, think about other people that might benefit from having these items you no longer need or use.

Create zones. Create zones in your garage with the items that you have decided you can’t live without. Our garage has areas for the cars, sporting goods, canned food, gift wrap, holiday items, kids clothing and extra toys. We’ve labeled our large, plastic storage bins on two sides to keep like items together and to be able to easily access everything.

Maximize every bit of space. We needed every inch of space we have, so we’ve installed overhead storage bins, wall shelving, bike storage systems, and hooks in our garage. Check out any hardware store, or even Target, for ideas on products that help you bring order to a once chaotic and crowded space.

Keep it clean. Maintaining order is the trickiest part of keeping the garage organized. It can easily become a dumping ground for random items because it’s the last place you’d clean up when you’re expecting guests. Resist the urge to turn a blind eye to the start of garage clutter or it will ooze into all other organizational systems in your home. On a regular basis, tidy up by sweeping the floor, replacing misplaced items to their proper place, and sifting through boxes, looking for items to give away that you no longer need or use. You might be surprised to see how much stuff you end up tossing out or donating during a quick tidy-up of your garage.

Spruce it up. Throwing a fun paint color onto your garage wall or hanging posters or artwork can make a dreary garage seem like an extension of your home. You may also want to add epoxy coating to your floors. It makes project clean-ups easy as well as provides a non-slip surface. Some people even use their garages for entertaining or as teenager haven. Regardless of what you use your garage for you may want to consider giving it a cosmetic makeover once you’ve completed your organizational overhaul.

Question:  On a scale of 1 to 10, how much to dread the idea of cleaning out your garage?