The garage and basement are the final frontiers of every move — the rooms that get left until the end and then produce an alarming quantity of items that somehow need to be packed, moved, or disposed of. Garages and basements are where decades of accumulated ‘stuff’ lives. Here’s a systematic approach to tackling these challenging spaces for your Twin Cities move.
Start with a Triage Session
Before you pack a single item in the garage or basement, do a full triage: every single item gets sorted into Keep, Donate, Sell, or Discard.
Garages and basements are where the most significant pre-move decluttering opportunities exist. Be ruthless — if you haven’t used a tool or piece of equipment in two years, that’s valuable information.
Garage Organization by Category
Create zones: tools together, sports equipment together, automotive items together, garden tools together.
This category-based approach makes packing more efficient and will make unpacking and organizing the new garage dramatically easier.
Packing Tools and Hardware
Heavy tools (power tools, heavy hand tools) in small boxes only — they become dangerous projectiles in overloaded large boxes.
Small hardware (screws, nails, bolts) in small sealed bags or original containers, then boxed together by category.
Sharp items (saw blades, chisels, utility knife blades) wrapped individually in multiple layers of paper and labeled ‘SHARP.’
Hazardous Materials: Dispose Before Moving
Many garages contain items that professional movers cannot transport: paint (especially oil-based), propane tanks, pesticides, fertilizers, pool chemicals, and flammable liquids.
Hennepin and Ramsey Counties both have household hazardous waste collection programs that accept these items free of charge. Schedule a drop-off before your move.
Basement Storage Areas
Basement storage often contains items not seen in years — the ultimate decluttering opportunity.
Long-term storage items: if they’ve been in storage for more than 2-3 years without being accessed, they deserve hard scrutiny before moving them to a new storage space.
Ready to Move? Let’s Make It Easy.
At Cheep Cheep Movers, we make local moving in the Twin Cities affordable and stress-free. Whether you need a full-service move or just some extra muscle, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us: 612-234-6605
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