Empty the garage completely — really everything, including the shelving. Put it on the driveway or in another room so you get an overview and can clean the floor. No space or bad weather? Then push everything to one side and work through the garage side by side.

Group by category: tools and DIY gear, garden things, bikes, sports, seasonal and holiday decorations, and car items. Decide per category what you keep and how much space you give it. You quickly spot the duplicates — how many rolls of tape, old paint tins or half-empty bottles do you really need?

Now that the garage is empty, this is the moment: clear cobwebs and dust, vacuum the concrete floor and walls, and mop with soapy water. Let everything dry well before putting things back. A clean, dry floor instantly makes it a nicer space to work in.

Decide where things go and give each category a fixed spot: a DIY corner with a workbench, a garden zone, a sports corner and seasonal storage. Related items together, heavy boxes at the bottom and light ones on top. That way you find everything quickly and the space stays usable.

Paint and paint residue, petrol, gas bottles, batteries, chemicals, old lamps and motor oil are small chemical waste. Hand them in separately at your municipality's chemical-waste depot — never in the regular bin or down the drain. Transport tins and liquids leak-free in a bin lined with newspaper.

Give usable tools and items a second life via a charity shop or by selling them. Broken tools, old electronics and building leftovers go to the recycling centre, and worn-out clothing or shoes in the textile container. Keep only genuine residual waste for the general bin.

If you can't decide on an item — often something with sentimental value — put it in a separate maybe-box and date it. If you don't miss it after a few months, you can take the box to the charity shop unopened. A photo of a cherished object preserves the memory just as well.

The hardest part comes after clearing: stop the garage filling up again. Give everything a fixed spot, put it straight back, and schedule a short check each quarter. Apply the rule 'something out before something comes in' — that's how your car keeps fitting.