We’re a little embarrassed to share this, but honesty seems like the best motivator. Like many busy people, some tasks around our home occasionally slide down the priority list until they’re nearly forgotten. Our detached two-car garage has been one of those neglected spaces. Because it’s separate from the house, it’s easy not to see it every day—and out of sight became out of mind.
Before we get into the plan for fixing it, we want to be clear: these photos and this confession are all authentic. We didn’t move a single thing before taking the pictures, because we wanted to capture the real, unedited condition. Boxes, yard equipment, and clutter have claimed every inch of usable space, leaving no room to actually park a car—let alone two.
We haven’t done meaningful maintenance since last summer’s first major clean-up, and that’s part of why it looks the way it does now. That initial effort helped, but without consistent follow-up, the clutter slowly crept back. If you’ve ever set a project aside and told yourself “I’ll get to it next weekend,” you know exactly how this happened.
We’re sharing these before photos for two reasons. First, to hold ourselves accountable and stop procrastinating. Second, to invite you to join us. If your garage looks like ours—overstuffed and underused—or if another part of your home has been neglected (a shed, attic, basement, closet, or even a junk drawer), now is a perfect time to tackle it.
This weekend, we plan to give our garage some much-needed attention: sorting, purging, and organizing so the space becomes functional again. We’ll go through every box, assess what we actually need, and properly store or donate the rest. Our aim is to create a system that’s maintainable so that the space stays usable and doesn’t fall back into chaos.
Want to participate? Start by taking a clear “before” photo of your neglected area. Set a manageable goal for the weekend—whether it’s clearing one shelf, organizing tools, or reclaiming one parking spot—and then stick to it. Take your time, make decisions objectively (if you haven’t used it in a year, consider whether it’s worth keeping), and sort items into keep, donate, recycle, or discard piles. Small steps add up quickly, and seeing progress in photos can be very motivating.
When you finish, take an “after” photo to celebrate the transformation. We’d love to see what you accomplish. You can share your results on our Facebook page or send images to john [at] younghouselove [dot] com. Seeing other people’s progress is inspiring and helps keep momentum going for everyone involved.
We’re committed to following through and will post our after photos next week to show the results of this weekend’s efforts. This is as much about creating a functional garage as it is about building a habit of regular maintenance. A one-time purge is great, but establishing a simple system for returning things to their designated spots will prevent clutter from building up again.
So, are you in? Take those before pictures, set aside a couple of focused hours this weekend, and join us in reclaiming a neglected space in your home. We can’t wait to see your afters—and we’re honestly excited to finally reclaim our own garage. Stay tuned for the reveal.