Take a look around your garage, and you’ll probably find things you forgot you even owned. Maybe it’s a broken chair you’ve been meaning to fix, leftover supplies from a renovation five years ago, or boxes you kept because you thought they’d come in handy someday.
The garage tends to become the place where everything ends up when there’s nowhere else to put it. But some of those things do nothing but take up space. Others may be damaged, outdated, or no longer safe to use. Here are some items you may want to give the boot.
Old Paint
Those half-empty cans of paint from projects years ago may not be worth saving. If the paint has dried out, separated beyond recovery, or you no longer need it for touch-ups, it’s probably time to dispose of it through an appropriate paint recycling or disposal program.
Broken or Damaged Furniture
A broken chair or old dresser has probably sat in the same spot for years, waiting for someone to fix it. If you don’t have a real plan to repair it, consider selling, donating, or getting rid of it instead of letting it take up another corner of the garage.
Related: How to Declutter Your Kitchen: 20 Items You Should Toss
Cardboard Boxes
Saving every box from an online order can get out of hand pretty quickly. Cardboard also attracts pests and absorbs moisture, so recycle the extras unless you have an actual use for them.
Leftover Building Materials
A few extra tiles or pieces of flooring can be useful if something needs replacing down the road. But piles of scrap wood, bricks, shingles, and other leftover materials from projects that ended years ago probably don’t need to stay, especially if there’s no plan to use them.
Related: Don’t Rent a Dumpster Yet—ReStore May Pick Up Your Old Cabinets and Building Materials for Free
Worn-Out Garden Supplies
Leaky hoses, cracked flowerpots, broken sprinklers, and holey gardening gloves tend to collect in garages and sheds. If they’re too damaged to repair or use, there’s little reason to keep moving them around every time you need something.
Non-Functioning Appliances
Old refrigerators, microwaves, and other appliances can sit in the garage for years because getting rid of them takes a little extra effort. If they’re broken and not worth repairing, consider appliance recycling or local pickup services instead of letting them keep taking up space.
Related: 10 Clothing Items People Wish They Had Kept After Decluttering
Old Newspapers and Magazines
Stacks of newspapers and magazines are easy to forget about once they’re packed into boxes. Unless there’s something specific worth keeping, recycle them before moisture, dust, or pests turn them into an even bigger mess.
Old Tires
Old tires from cars, bicycles, or lawn equipment can take up surprising space, especially when stacked in a corner. If they’re no longer usable or needed, check with a tire shop or recycling center about proper disposal.
Baby Items No Longer in Use
Strollers, high chairs, car seats, and other baby gear can take up a lot of space long after the kids have outgrown them. If you’re not saving them for a specific reason, consider passing along items that meet current safety standards and disposing of anything damaged, recalled, or expired.
Paperwork and Old Files
Boxes of old receipts, instruction manuals, and paperwork can sit untouched for years, especially when they’re out of sight. Go through them, shred anything with personal information you no longer need, and move important documents somewhere inside the house where they’ll be better protected.
Rusty or Broken Tools
There’s no reason to keep a screwdriver with a broken handle or a tool that’s so rusted it can barely do its job. If it’s beyond repair or unsafe to use, get rid of it and make room for the tools that actually work.
Unused Clothing
Bags of clothes waiting to be donated can sit in the garage much longer than intended. If they’re still in good condition, take them to a donation center or sell them before moisture, pests, or dust cause damage.
Outdated Electronics
Old televisions, DVD players, computers, and boxes of mystery cords can pile up quickly, especially when nobody remembers what they belong to. If you no longer need the electronics, donate working items or find an electronics recycling location for the rest, and remove any personal data first.
Unused Fitness and Sports Equipment
That exercise bike nobody rides, or the sports equipment from a hobby that didn’t last, may be worth more to someone else than it is sitting in the garage. Consider selling or donating anything that’s still usable, especially if it hasn’t been touched in years.
