This series of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA tackles the garage. If you're getting your home ready to sell, don't forget the garage. Getting the garage cleaned and ready may not be so scary if you do it systematically. 
The garage is supposed to be used for parking your vehicles. Do they fit in there? If not, you have some work to do.
Gather some empty boxes. Label the boxes for:
- trash
- donate
- recycle
- sell
Be ruthless. If you're not brave enough to do it, get a trusted friend or family member to help.
Ask yourself, if you haven't used it in years why do you still have it?
If you have a collection of car washing items and you haven't washed the car yourself in years, it's time to get rid of it.
If you have half empty cans of paint, move ‘em out. Dispose of them, properly. Check your local guidelines. In DeKalb County, GA you cannot put your paint in the landfill or throw it in the trash. You can solidify it by adding kitty litter or shredded paper from your paper shredder. Then you can toss it.
Sports equipment or toys that no one uses - donate or sell it. Play it Again Sports will buy good used sports equipment.
Broken tools, are you really ever going to get around to fixing them?
If you have things you're not using you can put it out on the Yahoo group Freecycle, there's one for Decatur and another one for Atlanta.That's the group for giving things away and keeping them out of the landfill. Freecycle groups are all over the country. Check your local area. You can also sell items on Craigslist or have a yard sale. Many local charities will pick up your unwanted items for donation.
Clean the cobwebs out. Sweep the floors. Organize the tools. Home Sellers often overlook their garages when it comes time to sell the house, but if the garage looks clean and well maintained it gives an overall better impression.
Stay tuned for the next post in this series of Getting your Home Ready to Sell!
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in or around Decatur, GA contact local expert and Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.
View more of the Georgia Real Estate Voice. Search Decatur GA homes for Sale
See Part 1 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA - Kitchens
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Realtor Jen Bowman has been featured on HGTV's My First Place, HGTV's Buying and Selling 20 Best Kept Secrets & Inman News - where real estate and technology connect. She is a proud member of Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners Agent Leadership Council. Jen is also a member of Keller Williams Realty Luxury Home Division, catering to luxury home buyers and sellers. Call or text 404-456-5024 today to get started buying your dream home in Dekalb or Cobb, selling your current home in Dekalb or Cobb, or learning more about an awesome career in real estate.
Whether selling a home or not I love a clean house. Nice tips Jen!
Hmmm, this strikes a little close to home. Of course, the worst part is I just moved. Very good tips.
Thanks Bill, I like a clean house too. I always have a donate box ready to go. At least once a month a charity calls to say they'll be in the area doing pickups. I can always find something that I no longer need.
Erik, I'm glad it strikes close to home! :) If you're like me and move every few years, these tips make it very easy. Whether you're moving or not, having less "stuff" makes our lives easier to manage.
By the way, that's my garage in the picture. You can see some real estate directional signs hanging on the left. I actually keep an old vacuum in the garage that is just used for the garage. There's large rubber floor mats that help keep the garage cleaner too.
Jen Your garage looks better than many homes - excellent advice about clean out Karen
Thanks Karen! A garage is an extension of our homes.
Hi Jen -- Great topic and one that seems to almost always get overlooked by agents and owners alike. I remember once wanting to buy a home where the garage has so many organized storage devices and was super clean, it made a huge impact to me and I remember it 12 years later.
Guys always want to see the garage
Nice reminder post
Scott