SQL Server Shrink – Maintenance

Does not always work straight off bat:

1. Need to backup both database and transaction log regularly and possibly before shrink
2. Try shrinking Database
3. Try shrinking Database File and Transaction Log File
4. Repeat above sequences until files shrink

There may be something blocking the shrink. Try the following query. Should return NOTHING in the second column.
If LOG_BACKUP then the space may not be released until a log backup is done.

SELECT name,log_reuse_wait_desc FROM sys.databases ORDER BY name