25 things in your garage that a professional organiser would throw out

We’ve all done it: We go on a cleaning binge because people are coming over, and at some point, we run out of time and just start tossing stuff into the garage (or attic, shed, spare room, basement or wherever our designated ‘storage space’ is). Or we’re tired of seeing clutter around the house but don’t know what to do with it, so we shove it in the garage, swearing we’ll deal with it properly soon. The problem is that it’s all too easy to forget about that stuff once it’s there, and then your garage starts resembling a giant storage closet. Believe it or not, your garage is not meant to be a long-term storage spot for dried-up paint cans, mildewed cardboard boxes, and ancient electronics. As a professional organiser, I have a few ideas about which items you can throw out right now – without regret. It’s not as difficult as you think.

Once your garage is in tip-top shape, here are another 17 things in your house that you should throw out asap.

Most of us are in the habit of hanging onto the packaging from expensive appliances or electronics, just in case they need to go back. But if a cardboard box has been hanging out in your garage for months, it’s time to let it go. Especially if the product is past its warranty period, you can feel confident about recycling it. Breaking down a big stack of boxes will give you an instant sense of accomplishment. And it frees up space, so you’ll have room to move around while you find more things to throw out.

Is it even a garage if you don’t have a console television or a broken VCR sitting down there? Yes – and no, they’re not worth keeping because they’re “vintage.” Stop rationalisng and start getting rid of your unusable things. Not knowing how to properly dispose of old and broken electronics might account for the fact that you’ve accumulated such a big pile of them. Check with your council about junk days, or find out how to recycle or donate your outdated tech devices.

Garages tend to be a repository for hazardous materials – everything from mostly empty cans of house paint to expired batteries, insecticides, weed killers, and maybe even a random car tyre. Just like old electronics, these items that you no longer need, expired or not, should be disposed of properly. And that doesn’t mean just tossing them in the bin. In fact, it could be illegal to throw away these things. So, what should you do? Most councils offer a hazardous-waste disposal option; if yours doesn’t, search online for other options.

Maybe it’s a waffle iron or a bread machine you received as a wedding gift and never unboxed. Or an old coffee maker you’re keeping just in case the good one breaks. Benchtop appliances that never see the light of day need to go. This also goes for that ice cream maker and pasta maker you were so excited about but never found the time to use. Trust me – you’ll never miss them.

Here are 26 more things in your home a professional organiser would throw out. 

Seriously, when was the last time you used those dusty dumbbells? Did you even remember they were down there? And if you’re using your treadmill as a drying rack, it’s time to toss it and any other exercise equipment you’re not using. The good news is that dragging it up out of the garage counts as exercise!

While you’re on a decluttering kick, these are the 14 things feng shui experts want you to throw out right now.

Almost every garage contains at least one broken strand of holiday lights. Give up the dream that you’ll ever get them to work again and throw them out. This is also the time to toss the popped inflatable holiday lawn decorations and that pre-lit reindeer whose left leg has gone missing. Pare down to only the working decorations.

Are you hanging onto a few floor tiles from a bathroom renovation, two renovations ago? Or a mostly empty can of house paint that doesn’t look like it matches any room in your home? These home improvement leftovers, including scraps of carpeting, must go.

Before your next big project, find out the truth behind these 15 home improvement myths.

Putting together a 1,000-piece puzzle only to realize you only have 999 pieces isn’t much fun. Sure, you could colour in a tiny piece of paper to complete the puzzle, but will you really? And what about that Monopoly set that’s now missing the top hat and the race car? It’s time to say buh-bye to that set and any other board games that are missing essential pieces.

At some point, we’ve all experienced the mystery box. It’s the one unlabelled box that’s been sitting in the garage for years. You may have moved in with it and just never unpacked it – possibly more than once. No one knows what’s inside, yet you keep the box. Anything that’s been left untouched for that long isn’t needed and therefore can be tossed immediately.