Summer is finally here, and this means it’s time to get the outdoor chores done. The nicer weather means that you can rely on it being drier rather than pouring rain, so those jobs that you’ve been putting off – the garden, repainting the house and even re-tiling the roof – these can all get done. Summer is the time to purge all of the old things that are holding you back, so holding lot of outdoor garden sales and getting the attic cleared out are a must. One of the main focuses has to also be the garage, as usually this is the place that holds all the things that you just have no space for in the home.
Before you can truly relax this summer, the garage has got to be redone. You have likely spent months putting off the job given the size of it, but it’s time to get started. You may have booked your annual holiday and have already got the BBQ out and ready for entertaining, but it’s a great idea to redo the garage first so you can fully enjoy your summer season. It’s not always easy to keep a garage organised. It has that uncanny ability to be a great place to dump all the things that you don’t need just yet but may do someday. This is usually because the garage is out of sight, out of mind, and it makes it the obvious place to hide things that you don’t want to have to deal with just yet. So, how can you get your garage organised and overhauled this summer?
The Starting Point
So, before you start booking in your slot for CARRcrete InfinityFloor polished concrete to give the floor a new look, you need to actually empty out the entire garage. You need to get your lawn cleared (and mowed, while you’re at it!) so that you can organise all the stored things in the garage into piles. The first should be what you need to keep stored, then what can be sold, then what can be taken to the local dump site. Garages are great for holding things like snow blowers, ploughs for the winter months and large DIY equipment, but it does need organisation.
Inventory & Organise
The next thing to do is to grab a pen and paper: it’s time to make some lists! There is often a lot of stuff stored in the garage, and you need to know exactly what is in there and how much of each thing you have. Down to the last screwdriver, get it inventoried. Once you’ve done that, you can start thinking about storage solutions, such as tall drawers, lockable cupboards and wall-mounted hooks for the larger items. Anything that you won’t need to use until later in the year can be stored at the back of the garage out of the way, and the things that you could need for the summer months, such as lawn mowing equipment, can be brought to the front. This is just good organisation, as you need to be able to reach certain things before others. Always keep the outdoor items in one particular area to the rest of the garage, as this will make it easier for you when the kids want the paddling pool or the slide out.
Cleaning House
Organising the garage is one thing and cleaning it out is entirely another. You’ve just listed all the places that the stored equipment can go, so the next thing that you need to do is get in there and get it cleaned. Garages can be filthy places – especially if your car lives in there during harsh weather. Use the walls for storage to get the tools and equipment off the floor. This won’t just maximise the floor space, it’ll make the entire garage feel bigger. Pegboards can be used for the smaller tools. Give the entire space a lick of paint if the walls are looking a little dank and make sure that you sweep and clean the floor – especially if it’s newly laid! Use spice jars from the kitchen to store smaller hardware like nails and screws that you find while you’re sorting things out. This keeps them off the floor and off your feet.
Makeover
If you don’t want to use your garage as a dumping space any longer, there are about a million options for you online to choose from. This website can give you hundreds of great ideas for turning your garage into a spare bedroom, extra kitchen, annex for a relative and even as a space for a studio for the budding dancer or artist in your family. There is no reason that you have to use the garage for a car if you don’t want to. You could even choose to turn it into a man cave for the man in your life, keeping it as a space of storage for power tools but adding in a pool table and a small sofa and beer fridge. Whichever you choose to makeover your garage, you won’t be disappointed in the way that you do things because eventually it’ll be a space that you can feel proud of.
Light It Up
A garage should always have good lighting, even if you are using it to store tools, hardware and boxes. Lighting is necessary no matter what you use the space for, because you’re going to need to be able to see what you’re looking for. If you choose to turn your space into a studio, then you’ll need to have decent lighting installed by a professional. You can be the one to choose light shades and bulbs but make sure that you bring in a professional if you’re going to install wiring.
Your garage doesn’t have to be that place that you shut the door and hope disappears: it’s busy, it’s messy, but if you take the time to organise it, it will be the perfect space this summer.
What tips do you have for organising the garage?
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I wish – truely would love to clear out the garage – my elderly dad eould literally go " mad " Ive offered to get a skip – not going to happen anytime soon Great ideas
Very good advice, thank you. I would never have thought of those other ways of using the space.