Spring is here! It excites me…not only because my birthday is around the corner but because of what this season brings. The blooming of flowers, and birds in the air. It reminds me that God has the perfect timing for everything. 

A season to sow, a season to prune, a season of rest, and a season to reap and just like the seasons we must be good stewards of our lives and prune back when needed in order for our lives to flourish. 

The beginning of spring is the perfect time for that pruning in our spaces so get excited about your spring cleaning as you prepare your spaces to support you to flourish. 

The Minimalists have a saying that goes like this: “Love people and use things because the opposite never works,” When going through your stuff. This is a great perspective to keep in mind. Are your things “serving you”, Are they enhancing your experiences with those you love?

I’m all for clearing the clutter and getting it all OUT and PRONTO. But sometimes we go through seasons where the extra cash flow could really help propel us forward to new heights.

So let’s talk about garage organization and selling some of your items. You’re probably not going to make big-money but if you’ve got several large furniture pieces and lots of random stuff that needs to go. Then a plan is in order, cause I’m all for you reaching your goals. 

So here goes……

Prepping the Garage

The garage is where a lot of things go to get forgotten about. Don’t want it in the house. Put it in the garage kind of thing. But it really is an extension of the inside of the house. 

Don’t forget that your garage should also have an exit strategy for the things that need to leave your house. A section to hold these things until you call for a donation pickup” So everything remains functional even when things no longer belong inside. 

When you set out to organize your garage, it can feel overwhelming at first. But with a plan and teamwork, it definitely can be a lot easier than you think. start by removing everything (and I mean everything) from your garage and begin sorting it in your driveway into different piles. 

Here are the most common categories I find in garages:

1. Kids Toys
2. Sports Equipment
3. Home Improvement (Paint, paint rollers, etc.)
4. Man Toys (Lawnmower, tools, etc.)
5. Holiday
6. Camping
7. Overflow appliances/party/entertainment items.
8. Photos/memorabilia/paper

*VERY IMPORTANT-Don’t go through this last category- as they are a project for another day. This is where many people go wrong. You can’t focus on the heart when your space is chaotic.  

Toward the end of the driveway designate one section of your yard for collecting “items for sale”, one side of the driveway for items to “donate”

And the other side for “trash”.

Next, sweep or use a yard blower and get all the spiderwebs and dust out your garage. This is an important step to making your garage clean and sparkly. 

Organizing the Garage

Now that you have cleared out the garage, swept it, go through each section and sort out everything you are keeping. Now it’s time to organize! 

Things to keep in mind while organizing. 

1)Cardboard boxes take up alot of space. Get rid of it, if possible.

2)Contain identical things together.

3)Keep only what you need.

4) Create zones so that you can find what you need quicker. Ex. Create sports section, holiday section, etc.

The bin choice is up to you. Our go-to bin is clear bins so you can see through them to tell exactly what is in them. These Costco bins are commercial grade and are a great deal at 3 for $15. Call your local store for availability.

I highly recommend labeling your bins even if they are clear, but especially if they are color bins. Remember that a label is your way of communicating to your household members where things are. Don’t expect them to look through the bins. It will save you and your husband loads of time! 

Now let’s talk about racks, there are so many options, and the kind you get depends on:

• The size and space you have available in your garage. 
• Whether you have floor space or want to use your ceiling space. 
• Want Open or closed storage. 

And/Or

• How much stuff you have to store.,etc

For regular floor storage racks, I love the Whalen racks from Costco shown below, priced right at $159, industrial-strength, powder-coated, and measures 77″H x 72″W x 24″ D giving you so much extra space for all your needs. 

Also crazy in love with the Container Store Elfa shelves to help you maximize the vertical space in your garage. They are great for storing shoes, bulk paper towels, and other smaller things that don’t necessarily need to be in containers.

For larger items such as lawnmowers, or children’s battery-powered cars make sure to give them a designated area. Using tape to create boxes or areas of “parking” for these objects is a really good visual reminder for everyone that they have a home and need to return to it once done being used. 

Picture from The Home Edit on Netflix!

Consider the “fasttrack” system for things that need to be hung off the floor. Such as ladders, brooms, shovels, etc.

There’s so much more to organizing a garage but this is a good place to be to get some relief as you find your floor and give you control over your space again.

 By the way, I LOVE it when people say “Oh, my gosh. I can see my floors” The relief in their voice is everything to me.

Once you’ve placed back ONLY items you love, use, and need. The last three piles are trash, donate, and yard sale. Call your local hauler if it doesn’t fit in your trash or for extra brownie points and less work at the end schedule a large trash bin for this day. 

Then load up donatable items into your car (items that aren’t worth the time to post) and bring the remaining items to one corner of the garage and start the “sale” planning. 

Sell Your Items Fast!

So, the garage is clean and it’s time to sell your unused items! There are many ways you could do this but I highly recommend selling them online! 

I find it to be faster and better than spending a whole day out in the sun (unless you get energized by putting together a yard sale).

Best Selling Apps/Platforms

1. Facebook Marketplace! Chances are you already have Facebook which means you’re one step closer to selling your old items. 
2. Offer up/Let Go! An easy app that allows you to showcase your belongings that allows you to indicate “price is firm” when needed.
3. Poshmark! This is the BEST app for selling clothing, accessories, handbags, etc. They do take a hefty 20% of your selling price but its platform is perfect for negotiation on designer items.
4. Thredup! Send in your gently used clothes, shoes, jewelry, glasses or handbags and let them do the selling for you. Just create an account, order a label, send in your products and move on with your day. You’ll get a paid once the items sell and you don’t have to sacrifice your space until it sells.

Prep and Post Your Items

Make sure everything you are going to sell online is clean. You want to showcase your things as nicely as possible. Another thing to consider is lighting! Take the item outside and use natural light in your pictures. This is to avoid shadows that can make your item look dirty.

Be specific in size, colors, brand, blemishes, etc. when describing your item. Leave no surprises for the potential buyers.

Keep in mind if you are going to need to ship the item or if you are going to require local pick up only when setting your prices.

Do a bit of research for similar items to help you with pricing. When items are posted at a good price point they go pretty quickly. *note that an item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. So don’t get too hung up when you get low offers. Just sell to the highest offer, bless someone, let go of the item and add your funds to your bank.

What apps have you used in the past to sell you unwanted items? Tell me in the comments!

Happy Selling!