How To Create The Best Storage Spots In Your Garage
Having a two-car garage is every apartment dweller’s dream. Unfortunately, garages also make perfect storage spaces. If there’s anything you don’t want in your home, you can just toss it in the garage and forget about it. Unfortunately, the more things you put in your garage, the less room you have for your vehicle.
Having a two-car garage is every apartment dweller’s dream. Unfortunately, garages also make perfect storage spaces. If there’s anything you don’t want in your home, you can just toss it in the garage and forget about it. Unfortunately, the more things you put in your garage, the less room you have for your vehicle.
Don’t worry, though; you can still use your garage as storage and for protecting your car from the elements. Here’s how to create the best storage spots in your garage.
Create A Floor Plan
A floor plan allows you to visualize how your garage will look and function once you’ve added storage spots. It also allows you to determine which items can be stored where so you don’t make a detrimental mistake. For example, incorrectly storing large items such as bicycles means you might not have enough space to get out of your car.
Get Rid of Clutter
Before you can start creating storage spots in your garage, you’ll need to get rid of all of the unnecessary clutter. Look at the items you stored many years ago first. Do you think you’ll need to use them again? If items in your garage are covered in years’ worth of dust, then the odds are they’re not necessary. Instead of keeping junk stored in your garage, look for items you can sell, donate, or simply throw out.
Unfortunately, you’re not done once you start getting rid of things. If you need to visualize your garage and where the best places are for storage, you’ll need to move everything out of the garage, including your cars, lawn care equipment, and old bicycles. You can hire a moving company to help you move things in and out of your garage to make the process easier for yourself. You can also contact the local donation center to see if they have pickups for the items you’re donating.
You want to see what kind of storage solution may be helpful in your layout to maximize your use of space. Some items will need added protection since garages can be less insulated, so you want to properly protect items like electronics, laptops, tools and anything you don’t want to weather while being stored.
Install Shelves
Now that your garage is completely empty, you can start maximizing your storage. The first thing you’ll want to do is install shelves. Depending on what will go on the shelves, you may need heavy-duty shelves that can hold a lot of weight. Typically, metal shelves are the way to go for garages because they’re cheap and sturdy.
However, if you want your garage to look just as good as the rest of your house, you can try wood shelving. If you’re using wood, you can build your shelves to make them look nice. Unfortunately, wood shelving is not as sturdy as metal, so ensure you’re conscious of what you’ll be putting on the shelves to avoid a dangerous situation.
If you can’t install shelves, you can use metal shelving units instead. A large metal shelving unit might be a larger investment than installing shelves yourself, but they’re sturdier than plastic so you can keep all of your essential garage tools and equipment organized without worrying about them falling.
Use the Walls
Walls without shelves can also be storage spaces for your garage. You can hang anything from old tools to your bicycle to keep them out of the way. If you want to hang tools, install a pegboard first so you can use the predrilled holes for hooks.
Be careful of what you put on your garage’s walls, though. Anything bulky can take up more space when it’s hung. The whole purpose of using the wall is to maximize storage space, not minimize it.
Use the Ceiling
You can use your garage ceiling for overhead storage by creating a suspended hanging where you can put items you don’t use often. You can store anything from an old snowboard you just can’t give up to seasonal clothing in totes by creating storage rails.
If you’re not an experienced builder, consider calling a local contractor to help you safely create overhead storage. Making a mistake can result in your storage coming down on top of your cars, so you’ll need to make sure it’s sturdy and safe. After your overhead section has been installed, you can find many organziation and storage container options on Amazon to help you maximize the use of space and keep things organized.
Get A Tower Rack
A tower rack is ideal for lawn care equipment, such as rake and shovels, and it can fit anywhere in your garage so your equipment can be easily accessible.
Use A Workbench
A workbench gives you somewhere to work on projects, but it’s also a great place to store all of your tools. If you don’t know how to build a workbench, you can buy one, or you might be able to find one on Craigslist for free. Workbenches can be bulky, but if you buy the correct size based on the square footage of your garage, you should still have enough room left over for your car.
Get Locks
When you’re creating your perfect garage storage zone, it’s important to ensure that the space is safe as well. Make sure you check the door fits properly and securely and if necessary employ Christian Garage Doors to ensure the door and its mechanisms are solid and will keep unwanted people out.
Part of this process is then making sure you get locks that are suitable for the type of door you have. Even your car can be stolen out of your garage when you’re not home, so you should already have some security system in place.
All of the doors in your garage, especially the one to your house, should have deadbolts you can use when you’re away. Or, if the garage is part of your rental agreement, you must have locks to ensure the safekeeping of your cars, motorcycle, or belongings.
If the items in your garage are really expensive or hold a lot of sentimental value you might also think about adding some smart home security devices so you can keep an eye on your gear whether your at home or out and about.
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Add Hooks by the Door
If your family takes off their shoes before entering your home through the garage and you don’t have a mudroom, you can easily store shoes in the garage with hooks by the door to the home. Hooks can also help store sports bags and gym equipment so your kids won’t have to bring their lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, or baseball bats into the house.
Creating Storage In Your Garage
If you’ve already started storing things in your garage, it’s time to consider how effective your solutions have been. For example, if you have to get out of your vehicle in the driveway to move something in the garage before you can park and close the door, something isn’t right. Of course, using the garage for storage is something every homeowner does, but some do it more effectively than others with these tips.
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