What's in your garage?

This article is reprinted from Wine Country Real Estate, a special advertising section of The Press Democrat.

These days it seems like people, especially in California, have forgotten the original purpose of a garage; a place to park our cars. Perhaps it is the nice weather or cost per square foot, but whatever the reason hardly anyone seems to park one, let alone two cars in their garage anymore. It's an epidemic! While using a garage for storage can be useful, what are you supposed to do when it is time to move or sell your house?

A garage stuffed full of everything from barbeques to baby strollers is not a selling point or is it something you want to move. So what is the solution? Step one is reading this article by someone who has helped numerous people transform those stuffed rooms into manageable, organized spaces. Step two is to follow our expert advice and create the garage you deserve.

Getting Started

Regardless on if you are simply trying to clean up the garage to better show your house or clean out your garage before you move there are a few things you need to do first:

Clear it all out. Grab some tarps or old sheets and start pulling everything out the garage and place it on your lawn or driveway.

Time to sort. As you are pulling things out place them in piles for either keeping, donating or selling, or garbage. This can be a difficult step as the garage is often the last bastion of junk, but be brutally honest with yourself; when was the last time you used this stuff? Do you love it, use it, or really need it? If you don't, then it is time for that item to go.

Place similar items together. As you purge and sort, keep similar items in the same piles like tools, sports equipment, etc. This makes it easier to see duplicates and extras you can then purge.

Get rid of non-save items. Drop things off for donation and at the local garbage dump. Utilize Craigslist or other venues for items that have some value.

Assess Your Space

What is your primary goal with this garage cleaning? Do you want to get rid of excess? Create a space to park a car or two? Or is it just to make it more appealing for buyers? No matter what you are going to do, before you start putting things back in the garage, you need to plan out how you want it to look. Also keep in mind, an organized garage will make life simpler even if you are planning to move.

Organize by zones. If you want to park a car in the garage, or leave space for a car for potential buyers, map out that space first. Next consider where you are going to put tools, lawn care items, camping supplies, etc. By putting things in zones you can then decided what type of organizers, if any, you will need. Consider location and use such as keeping lawn care tools near the door.

Inventory supplies. So what do you have to work with? Trash cans, shelves, hooks, wall racks and so many other items can be useful to help create order from chaos. Be inventive or consider buying items from yard sales, second hand stores or even a big box store if you don't currently have enough on hand.

Put things away. This should be the very last step, so if your aim is to showcase your garage for resale value, make sure to follow some of the tips below first. Once you are ready, start putting things away in their proper zones and don't forget to label! Label bins, boxes, tubs and everything else clearly and neatly. Not only is this important to help you remember what is where, it also creates a cleaner, organized look for the garage and helps speed of packing for moving time!

Tips to show off your garage

Here are some tips for turning drab into fab quickly and inexpensively!

Paint. Nothing cheers up a garage faster than a new coat of paint. A nice light grey works well and can really define a space. Conversely if you have a grey floor and organizers, an off-white is the perfect compliment.

Stain the floor. Going one step further is to stain the concrete floor. Most buyers are impressed with a stained floor because it tends to be a cool, unique feature.

Buy organizers. Matching work bench, cabinets and wall organizers help make a space usable for buyers. You can spend a few hundred dollars and put everything together yourself to really add some value to the space and it makes it easier to organize and hide your own possessions for showings.

Use floor mats. A nice (inexpensive) new door mat and floor mats in high traffic areas is a great way to create clean lines on the floor and help a more outdoor space like a garage feel like an indoor space.

A neat and clean garage should be functional, efficient, and a source of pride every time that garage door goes up. By taking the time to properly organize your space you will not only live more efficiently but you will also making moving easier and add value to your home for resale.