An estate cleanout usually starts small. You go in to find a few papers, maybe clear one closet, and pretty soon the whole place feels like it is asking questions at once. What needs to be saved? What can go? Who is deciding?

Garages have a funny way of turning into a holding zone for everything that does not have a better home. It starts innocently enough. A couple of bikes by the wall. A camping bin in the corner.

Earth Day has a funny way of making people look around and think, “Wow, where did all this stuff come from?” A garage fills up. Leftover remodeling debris hangs around for months. Cardboard stacks up in a corner like it pays rent. 

If you are planning a cleanup, a little sorting up front can make the whole job easier, cleaner, and a lot more responsible.