Do you remember when you parked your car in your garage for the first time? Do you remember how clean it looked and that you actually could see the walls and all of the floor?

It is a fact that most of us end up using our garages for storage. The last impression we have when we leave and the first one we get when coming home is one of grime and clutter. The luxurious feeling of space and order has disappeared. I doubt that makes you happy.

Don't despair because I have 7 simple steps that will return your garage into a room you can be proud of.

1. First  get your car or motorcycle out of the garage so you easily can get to your clutter and separate it into general areas of categories. 
2. Go through the piles and discard anything broken or things you have not had any use for within the last year. Be careful with hazardous waste, home and garden fluids, paint or electronics. Check with your town office or go online at http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/hhw.htm and find the proper methods of recycling these items. Paint can be discarded in your household waste if it is dry. You can pour it out on a big sheet of plastic and spread cat litter on it. That will dry it out quickly and will be acceptable as household waste.
3. Once your trash has been discarded you may still have useable stuff left. You may have enough to have a garage sale. If not, you could combine your stuff with neighbors and have a combined garage sale or just donate to a charity. Not only are you doing a good deed but you may also qualify for a tax deduction depending on your tax bracket. Don't forget that your free time has value too!
4. Now is the time to repair the walls if needed. Remove everything attached to the walls, fill in holes with joint compound if you are not planning to use the same locations. A new coat of paint will give your garage an instant fresh look. I recommend you select a bright and neutral color to visually open up the space.
5. Think about storage options for you remaining stuff. For a clean look get cabinets, wall racks or even tubs on shelving. The less you have standing on the floor the less corners you have where dirt can accumulate. Many wall units manufactured today can be suspended from a single rail mounted on the wall and that makes installation a breeze.
6. The garage floor is often overlooked but deserves your attention too. Maybe a good wash is all that is needed, but if you really want a dramatic improvement you have a few options. There are do-it-yourself garage floor epoxy paints but for a longer lasting floor you really need it applied by a professional, since many steps, including handling acid, are required in the proper application. A very easy garage floor do-it-yourself option are interlocking floor tiles. If you go with this option, make sure the product has been manufactured in the USA. Some foreign manufactures have been known to ad fillers in the material to make them cheaper but of course of much lesser quality. Not so with the tiles made in the USA. SnapLock Industries is the industry leader in this type of flooring. Their garage flooring is made from a high impact copolymer and warranted for 15 years. They come in many colors and with different surface textures available. Your garage will be re-floored in a few hours with no prep work needed and without glue or toxic fumes.
7. The last thing you need to do is to keep your "new" garage clean and clutter free.

Completing these steps should not take more than a few evenings or a weekend to complete. Your garage will again be a place where you don't mind spending time and returning to when driving home.