How to Get Your Garage Ready for Show

When prospective buyers visit your for-sale home, they’re going to inspect every room in the house—even the garage. It’s not exactly a glamorous space, but if your garage is a mess, it’s going to send a bad signal and turn off visitors. Therefore, it’s helpful to spend a little time in your garage and make it look its best.

Clear it out. The first step to making your garage presentable is to clear everything out of it. You may be surprised to discover just how much stuff you have that you don’t use anymore. Garages tend to become the home of old toys and sports equipment, broken things and boxes filled with unused items. Determine what you want to keep, what can be donated and what should be thrown away.

Getting rid of some things may take a little effort. Your neighborhood may have rules regarding discarding things like old lawnmowers and other equipment, containers with oil, and fertilizer. Do your research and get rid of stuff the safe and proper way.

Another tip: Consider packing up things you don’t want to throw way but which you don’t think you’ll be using any time soon. Put them in a storage facility. This will give you a head start on packing and clearing your garage’s clutter.

Sweep it clean. Now that everything is out of your garage, you have a perfect opportunity to sweep it. Sweep away all the dirt and leaves that often find their way to the garage. Clear out corners and pick up larger, forgotten things that can’t be swept up. Also, take a look at the walls and shelves, and clear and clean those as well.

Get your garage organized. Now that the garage is swept clean, it’s time to put everything back. Do so in an orderly and neat way. This will show visitors that you put a lot of care into your home and will also make your life easier. Designate spots for the lawnmower and other items, such as tools, rakes, hoes, brooms, shovels, etc. Set aside another area for sports items: golf clubs, balls and your kids’ equipment.

The trick is to keep it maintained. As you use items in your garage, be sure to put them back in their proper spot. Also, be sure to sweep it regularly because your garage has become a room to be proud of.