According to the American Housing Survey, 80% of all United States homeowners have a garage or a carport in their homes. However, despite garages’ popularity, many people consider them the bane of their existence. In fact, according to a study by Gladiator Garage Works, more than a quarter of garages are full of stuff that makes it hard to park a car. And, while staring at a broken garage door, the dirty concrete floor, and piles of items you wanted to throw away, you may want to demolish your garage and start afresh.
However, there’s no reason your garage can’t look as spectacular as your home. This article outlines different strategies to transform your garage and create the space you’ve always envisioned. Keep on reading to learn more about such methods.
1. Get Organized
If your garage is messy, the first step is decluttering all the unwanted items and strategically organizing the valuable ones so that they’re easily accessible and in a suitable storage condition. You can also consider overhead storage systems, which are racks that can support up to 600 pounds and are available in different sizes.
After organizing your garage, avoid leaving your tools scattered across the floor or placing them on the nearest shelves. Instead, have a proper place to store them for easy and faster access.
2. Upgrade Your Garage Door
The garage door is usually one of the first things people see when entering your home. So, it must look spectacular to create a good impression.
There are different ways to upgrade your garage door, like replacing your battered aluminum or vinyl door with a wooden door that looks more polished and attractive. Or, you can retain your current door by filling the dents using a fresh coat of paint. However, you need to thoroughly clean and degrease the door before applying the paint.
Additionally, don’t forget to upgrade your interior garage door. Although it doesn’t draw much attention like your exterior door, you shouldn’t ignore the door between your house and the garage. If it’s in good shape, apply a fresh coat, but have it replaced if it’s in poor condition.
If you want to learn more about garage doors and the available options for your own home, you can visit ogd.com and other similar sites.
3. Introduce Cabinet Systems And Wall Storage
Not everything must hang from the garage walls. Adding cabinets in your garage is a magnificent way to store smaller items in bulk. Fitted cabinets provide more stability, while standing cabinets can be freely moved, allowing you to introduce new layouts in the future. If you find cabinets hard to install, you can create a set of shelves, which reduces items stored on the floor by taking full advantage of your vertical space. The use of shelves is an easy way to double or triple the available space.
Apart from shelves, you can also introduce wall storage hooks for specific items like the bike or just general storage. Both wall storage hooks and shelves provide extra storage that isn’t available on the floor space.
4. Improve The Lighting
The chances are that the original lights of your garage aren’t pleasing. Ideally, you require overhead bright lights, like LEDs, near your working area to provide a safe environment and ensure long-lasting brightness. If you’re doing more delicate tasks, it’s essential to have an inspection light or a torch. Such tools help you direct light to where you need it the most, and, luckily, most of them have different brightness levels and are rechargeable.
It’s also a good idea to install motion sensor lights near the garage door on the outside to provide more light at night and scare away thieves from robbing your garage. The lights also help alert you when visitors are in the driveway. It’s also wise to install solar-powered sensor lights to reduce electricity costs. When installing the lights, don’t forget to put in a few electrical sockets if you need to work with electronic tools. This way, you won’t need to run electric wires from your house.
5. Upgrade Your Floor
The gloomy concrete floor doesn’t make your garage attractive or improve your home value. Therefore, upgrading your garage floor is essential to make it appealing. Different ways to improve your flooring include painting the floor with magnificent colors for a more polished look, tiling the floor to hide imperfections and brightening up the space, or using stone flooring for a firm and rigid working area.
The Bottom Line
The tips discussed above are some of the best ways to transform your garage into a space you’ve always wanted. However, there are some more methods to spruce it up. Others include installing security cameras, insulating your garage, upgrading your lifting equipment, or installing heating and cooling systems.
