Have you been neglecting your garage? It could be time to treat this space to a makeover. Not everyone has a garage and they can be very useful additional spaces in a home. Unfortunately, these spaces often end up being nothing more than clutter dumping grounds. This doesn’t have to be the case forever: with a few nips and tucks, you can turn your garage into a more functional and attractive space.
Upgrade your garage door
Let’s start by considering your garage door. Does it still work and does it look good from the outside? If the answer is no, consider giving your garage a facelift by installing a new garage door. If you’ve currently got a manual door, you could consider upgrading to an automatic garage door. Roller garage doors can maximize space, while sectional doors may offer better insulation. Consider a colored garage door to add curb appeal (this could be matched to the color of your front door).
Fix the flooring
Has your garage got cracked or stained flooring? Resurfacing this flooring could help to make it look smooth and clean again. You can use concrete (the affordable option) or an epoxy coating (shinier and more durable). More serious cracks could be signs of foundation problems, which may require more expensive repairs. Fixing the flooring can help keep ants and other pests out of your space and also make the space more comfortable to work in.
Add organized storage
Your garage can still be a space for storing things, but instead of just piling items in there, you could consider creating an organized storage system. This could include adding shelving on the walls or even cabinets for storing tools. Add labels to give everything its own home.
For example, the outer part of my garage (near the garage door) is storage for our sporting gear. One wall holds the bike rack for our seven bikes. The other wall has a rack for our downhill skis and a shelving unit for ski boots, helmets, and skates. I love how everything has a place and is neatly organized and out of the way when we aren’t using it. The organization ensures that it’s easy both to get out gear and put it away again when we are done.
The inner part of my garage is more storage; here, we have three metal shelving units with plastic storage bins. This is where we store our tools, home repair supplies, camping gear, seasonal wear, bulk foods, and more. The plastic bins are all labeled but are also clear to make it easy to see what’s inside. The middle of this room remains open space for working or dumping things when we’re in the middle of a project, whether that project is bike cleaning or bedroom painting.
Insulate the walls
If your garage gets cold quickly or experiences drafts, consider looking into insulation. Start by filling any cracks or gaps with a foam sealant. Then consider the option of adding rigid foam boards or fiberglass insulation, which could then be covered with plasterboard or timber panels. This will trap in heat — which could be useful if you plan to use your garage as a functional room.
Improve lighting
Don’t settle for a dimly lit garage. Adding track lighting or recessed lights across the ceiling can brighten the whole space up. If you want to use your garage as a workshop, consider adding task lighting to specific areas such as above a workbench (or you could just use a desktop anglepoise lamp).
Install more outlets
For using power tools, appliances, radios or even gym machinery in your garage, consider whether you need to install more outlets. An electrician can help you to install these in key areas where you may need them. This is highly recommended if you’re currently trailing an extension cable into your garage to power tools and appliances (which could be potentially dangerous).
Repurpose your garage
Your garage doesn’t have to be a storage unit. It could be a workshop, an art studio, a home office, a home gym, a recording studio, a home bar or even a guest bedroom. For example, one ski condo in Panorama uses the garage area as a place to put on and take off ski gear, with comfortable chairs, carpeted flooring, and space for ski storage and maintenance too. You can even use your garage for its intended purpose — parking your car in it. Just make sure that it’s going to good use.
No Responses Yet