There’s one room in your house that tends to get overlooked the most – the garage. Clutter and chaos are on full display multiple times a day. It's high time to update your garage and give it a well-deserved makeover.
Here are some great garage update ideas you will want to implement in order to:
- Make a Clean Sweep
- Conquer The Chaos
- Get in The Zone
- Hide and Seek
- Reach New Heights
- Pave The Way
- Repurpose With A Purpose
Keep reading to discover some incredibly helpful suggestions on how to update your garage and turn it into a space you can be proud of.
Make A Clean Sweep
The best way to start any organizing project is with a clean slate. In this particular case, you will want to empty everything out of your cluttered garage so you can see the space you're working with and all that you need to fit in it.
Once your garage is empty, give it a good sweep or vacuum it with a shop-vac. It’s nice to get rid of all the dirt and grime that has accumulated over time before you invest time and money into updating it.
Conquer The Chaos
With everything out of the garage, take advantage of this moment and sort through all of your stuff. Only after you thoroughly assess what you have – or, rather, what you need – can you figure out the best way to store it all. Ideally, you should do this every few months.
Try to time your clean-ups so they coincide with the changing seasons or big holiday celebrations. After all, there is no reason that your holiday decorations should be taking up prime real estate in your garage in the middle of summer. Your box of Christmas ornaments can – and should – sit on the top shelf when not in use, making room for the things you utilize on a more regular basis.
Get in The Zone
Now that you've determined exactly what you're keeping, it’s time to organize all of your stuff. The best way to do that is by creating zones within your garage. You should tackle this the same way you would your closet, by separating work from play. In the garage, this means creating a space to stash all sports equipment, another area for gardening and lawn care supplies, and so on.
Whether you are handy or not, it is nice to have a dedicated space to complete small projects. While you can certainly create a full-blown workshop that would make Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor from the TV show Home Improvement jealous, most homeowners do not need something so elaborate. Best Life suggests building a fold-down workbench by using hinges to mount a piece of wood about the size of a desktop to the garage wall.
Another suggestion if you're a pro at gardening is to create an indoor gardening shed by installing hooks and pegs to hold rakes, shovels, and other gardening tools. Take it a step further and add some cubbies to store potting soil and weed killer. If you have small children or pets, be sure to keep toxic products out of reach for their safety. Speaking of safety, check out this list of items that should never be stored in a garage.
Here's another trick for organizing gardening supplies. The Family Handyman upcycles shipping pallets to store "long-handled" lawn and garden tools. This simple storage project could easily be adapted to secure long sports equipment such as hockey sticks, fishing rods, and skis.
One other clever idea is to steal a space for a makeshift mudroom. You could repurpose some old-school lockers, purchase a ready-made piece of furniture that offers a place to hang up jackets and stash your dirty shoes, or better yet, create your own.
It's simple! All you need is a small bench, some storage baskets or bins -- wire ones tend to work best for this purpose -- to tuck underneath to hold shoes or backpacks, and a few wall hooks to hang up coats and tote bags. This makeshift mudroom doesn't need to take up much space but it will certainly help keep you and your family organized and your house clean.
Hide and Seek
To truly update your garage, you might want to consider adding cabinetry. Made of sturdy materials in a variety of finishes – including woodgrain and metallic – custom cabinetry can transform your garage into a showplace.
While the aesthetics are certainly nice, cabinets also allow you to keep clutter out of sight and are a superb way to maximize space. They can be custom designed to include enclosed shelves and drawers, perfectly sized to store all of your stuff. Oversized cupboards can hold bulkier items while smaller cabinets can secure tools, sports gear, and much more.
Slatwall racks are another great storage solution, according to the pros at Built-In Closet and Garage Designs. You can hang everything from garden hoses and tools to tennis rackets and bicycles. It’s all easily accessible and attractive. To learn more about taking advantage of wall space, take some time to read How to Maximize Wall Space in Your Garage.
Reach New Heights
Why not take advantage of the high ceiling and install overhead storage racks? It’s the perfect balance of form and function. They can safely stow bins, boxes, and other items you don’t need to access frequently. After all, there’s no need to take up precious space in your garage with a tent that only gets used once a year for the Boy Scout camping trip.
Pave The Way
When it comes to updating your bedroom or living room, you would never paint the walls and buy new furniture only to leave the dirty old carpet in place. So why would you do that when upgrading your garage? Cover your stained concrete floor with an epoxy floor coating. Epoxy floors are not only good-looking, but they're also stain-resistant.
Repurpose With A Purpose
Lastly, you can update your garage by repurposing other products that you might have otherwise thrown away. For example, create extra storage for your fishing rods using a PVC pipe and a pool noodle. It's that easy!
Another option to help reduce plastic waste and create a clever storage solution is upcycling laundry detergent jugs. All you need to do is cut a hole in the container and place whatever small items you like in there. Just be sure to label everything when all is said and done! Your eyes will thank you later!
The home design experts at HGTV are always willing to share their simple storage solutions. They recommend using old coffee cans to store string. Simply run it through a slit in the plastic lid and you will never need to worry about it getting tangled again. This trick is also great for ribbon storage in the craft room. Another of their favorite tricks is to repurpose soup cans for storage. Clean them out, paint them or cover them with contact paper or wrapping paper, and voila, the perfect place to store everything from screwdrivers to pairs of gardening gloves.
Conclusion
For most homeowners, a garage pulls double duty. Not only is it a safe place to park your car(s), but it's also the place to store the stuff you would not want inside your house. This includes tools, lawn care items, sports equipment, and more. With that said, it is easy to see why garages can quickly succumb to chaos.
This article offers some great suggestions on how to get organized and update your garage into a space you're proud to show off. From custom-built cabinets and Slatwall systems to DIY projects, there are plenty of fantastic options to transform an otherwise disastrous space into a fully-functional part of your home.
Sources
- https://bestlifeonline.com/garage-makeover/
- https://www.closetandgaragedesigns.com/garage-wall-space
- https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/garage-makeover/
- https://www.geico.com/living/home/home-improvement/garage-upgrades/
- https://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/clever-uses-for-everyday-items-in-the-garage-pictures