What do you use your garage for? If, like most people, your garage is a dumping ground for all kinds of random items, you probably despair of ever having a usable space where you can work on DIY projects, park your vehicle, or even workout.
Kit Garages are incredibly useful, but most of us fail to make the most of the space. While garages are intended to be a place where we can park cars and other vehicles, they usually function as an area where overspill from the house ends up. Anything from Christmas decorations, old toys, exercise equipment, and paint cans usually find a home in the garage. There is nothing wrong with this, but unless you create a functional storage system, there is a danger that you won’t be able to find anything, let alone have space to work on projects.
Here are some tips to help you transform your garage from a catch-all dumping ground into a workspace you can actually use.
De-clutter
Firstly, go through everything in your garage like a dose of salts. Pick a nice, fine day and drag everything out into the yard or driveway so you can sift through it all. Sort it out into separate piles: keep, resell, throw away. If the ‘throw away’ pile is huge, consider hiring a skip to expedite the process.
Once this step is done, you should end up with a pile of items that are actually useful.
Create Storage Solutions
Storage is essential in a garage. Without shelving and stacking systems, it is impossible to locate essential items and there is no logical way to store anything. Look at ways to maximise your space, such as installing a full garage shelving system. You could buy cheap plastic or metal shelving from your local DIY retailer, or you could pay a company to design a bespoke storage system. It really depends on how much money you have in your budget, and what you need to store. If all you end up with is some paint cans and tools, a simple off-the-peg shelving system is likely to be fine, but if you have a lot of tools or other specialist equipment, it makes sense to invest in a bespoke storage solution.
Label Cupboards and Boxes
There is nothing worse than heading to your garage to find a critical tool, only to end up searching for an hour in vain. Be organised when storing items. Use clear plastic crates to store smaller items, and label them to make life easier. Hang tools on wall pegs and use tray dividers in drawers. The more logical your storage system is, the more useful it will be.
Divide the Garage into Separate Zones
If your garage needs to be a multi-purpose area, mark out separate zones. For example, you might need space to park your car, but you also need storage for tools. You can use the end of the garage as a tool zone but mark the walls in a different colour, so you know where to stop the car. Paint is useful in this regard. check out this blog from a garage door repair company
With a fully-functional garage space, your life will be much easier!
