When it comes to maintaining a house and keeping it in order, most of us tend to focus on the areas that friends and family visit. The living room and dining room are usually kept relatively clean, as an example. Other areas, however, stereotypically suffer from a serious lack of organization. The garage is one such area. So how do you go about keeping it clean and tidy?

Clean the Floors

The floor is arguably the dirtiest part of any garage. This is mostly because the garage is a space between the outside world and the interior of the home. Typically after a day walking outdoors, you’re worried about all the dirt on your shoes making it into the rest of the house, not the garage. One of the other main factors is because cars are even dirtier than your shoe soles. They even leak oil at times, which can then get tracked around the floor. Cleaning oil off your garage floor can help you keep the rest of your garage a lot cleaner, including everything that touches the ground.

Keep It Organized

A lack of organization is one of the major problems when it comes to keeping a garage tidy. Garages are often used as a sort of catch-all place for anything from lawncare equipment to hobby supplies. It’s especially easy for tools to become disorganized. The good news is that there are plenty of organizers and shelves made specifically for garage space. Foam tool boxes help you organize your tools so they don’t get lost. Having specific areas set aside for specific types of items can also help you keep things organized. Last, cleaning tools right away before storing them in the garage makes it much more likely that you’ll put them away.

Maximize Your Storage Space

A lot of the mess that happens in a garage happens when there is a lack of storage space. Things don’t have a specific place where they belong, so they just get put anywhere and everywhere. Maximize your storage space by installing ceiling storage options, hanging peg boards that you can use for various tools, and getting bins or cubbies that you can use for sports equipment, shoes, and more.

Keeping your garage clean and tidy can be easier said than done if you don’t work to set yourself up for success. Take some time to clean everything out, and then create an organization system. Find ways to maximize the storage space you have available as well. All this will help you have a much easier time keeping your garage clean!

Read this next: Tricks That Help Make Your Spaces Look Bigger