Yesterday’s damp, dusky, musty, scary dark space where things go to die is a thing of the past. Instead, today’s modern garage is another space for folks to work on their cars, hobbies, side hustles, home businesses, or even hang with their families and friends.
The modern garage is an extension of the house– it has a big-screen TV, great lighting, clean floors, furniture, cabinets, and more. Some have converted their garages into gaming rooms and luxury car displays complete with garage elevators; others have converted them into swanky bars.
An organized home and garage are always good things, and you can never be too organized or efficient. Being organized improves things, even if you’re just tinkering on your car in your garage.
Making the most of your garage sounds like a fun idea, and it’s something you’ve definitely found yourself daydreaming about from time to time. But before you start organizing your garage, there’s a good chance you’ll need to do a little housekeeping.
If you’re like most Americans, you’ve got too much junk and clutter in your garage to make much use of it as it is, and it can be hard to find the time to do anything about it. Read on for practical tips on cutting down on your garage’s clutter and preparing to make it a fun space.
Begin The Great Purge
Before you start organizing your garage and transforming it into an orderly, clean, fun hobby space or traditional storage area, you must purge all junk. Sort all items into piles and designate them as purging, selling, donating, and keeping heaps.
Many hands make light work—so enlist your family members and try to make this a fun task for everyone, and you’ll be done before you know it.
Make It Clean
Start with decluttering and throwing unwanted things out.
If your garage is like most garages, you’ll first want to start with cleaning the floor. Depending on the construction of your garage, pitch, and drainage, you might want to hose or use a web scrub brush to clean the floors.
Give it a good sweep.
Some folks even use a shop vac for quick, vigorous cleaning. If your garage floor is dirty and has oil, paint, or rust stains, you may need muriatic acid, abrasive cleaner, or TSP.
Wear eye protection, gloves, and a mask when cleaning the garage floor with any chemical or cleaner.
Be careful when moving heavy items and working with cleaners, chemicals, or tools.
Cleaning your garage presents plenty of opportunities to injure yourself if you’re not careful. As the age-old advice goes, lift with your legs, not with your back—that is to say, keep your back straight and bend your knees and hips instead. Don’t twist your back. Hold the load close to your body. Keep it at the level of your belly button, if you can. This method will significantly reduce your risk of back injury.
And when it comes to cleaners, chemicals, and tools, make sure to wear eye protection, thick and durable gloves, and—if you’re using loud power tools—ear protection as well. Use chemical cleaners only as directed, and don’t mix them unless the instructions explicitly allow it. Never mix bleach and ammonia products.
Consider improvements.
If your garage is older, chances are it lacks adequate insulation and may need a new garage door. Depending on where you live and your time, budget, and requirements for a fantastic workspace, making these improvements might be a good investment, especially if you think you’ll use your garage more if it’s improved and better organized.
And, if you want to redo your garage floor, you should consider adding an epoxy coating to the mix. Epoxy garage floor coating adds a durable layer to your bare concrete floor to protect against spills, stains, and other forms of damage. And, on top of that, it looks much nicer than bare concrete.
And to boot, they come in a wide range of colors that, depending on what you’re planning to use your garage for, can add much-needed atmosphere to your new hobby or recreation space to help set the mood.
Make sure to read up on applying epoxy and the tools and supplies you’ll need if you elect this option. Or, if you don’t trust your DIY skills in this area, hire a professional to apply a good, lasting coat to your bare concrete garage floor.
Go Vertical.
One of the simplest ways to get your garage better organized and reclaim more usable space is to consider storing items in the garage ceiling and on your garage walls.
Why Organize Your Garage?
Room to breathe.
You know what it’s like to give any room in your house a long-overdue cleaning or re-organize some shelves and experience a sense of freedom and relief when it’s done.
An organized, clutter-free garage with storage, a workbench, and things stored out of sight or up on the walls reclaims space to roam and enjoy. An organized garage is a thing of beauty and functionality, and knowing that the mess is gone will lift a weight from your shoulders you might not have known had been there.
Make your garage safe.
You can make your garage safe by removing clutter and putting dangerous or sharp items away. By getting things off the floor, you can avoid trips and falls and make things easier for everyone that uses the garage. Life is better when you’re not tripping on things.
Consider improving your lighting with better light bulbs, lamps, and outlets. If you plan on adding new outlets, hire a pro.
Find it fast.
The biggest reason to get organized is it helps you stop wasting time searching for the things you need when you need them. An organized garage helps you spend more time on hobbies, cars, small businesses, or hanging out with friends.
Plus, you’ll be the envy of the neighborhood with your new, improved, and organized garage. Don’t be surprised if you don’t inspire others or lead to some new honey-dos for friends.
Good condition.
By properly storing and organizing all your tools, parts, and supplies, you protect their condition and keep them from getting damaged, dusty, and stepped on. Make sure “built to last” means “built to last” by taking good care of your tools.
Label it.
Instead of fumbling around and trying to remember where you put those screws, label the cabinets, shelves, and other storage areas with the handy wrench, batteries, or parts. Never waste time searching for things again. A label maker is your friend.
Heck, if you want to go crazy, color-code your items and labels and make a corresponding inventory master list. It’s all about being organized and spending less time searching for what you need and more time on rebuilding your engine, painting your model figures, building the next multi-billion dollar start-up, or just making more room for the things you need.
Zone it.
If you want to take your garage organization to the next level, consider creating a color-coded and organized master list and hanging it up in the garage. Consider grouping items by “zones” or categories, i.e., automotive, hobby, business, parts, supplies, electrical, etc.
Get Homak, And Get Organized
Homak is your home of the best rugged, sturdy, reliable, and awesome workbenches, rolling service carts, premium brand garage storage units, cabinets, and a variety of toolboxes, plastic storage organizers, and more. Our collection of the best products and tools can help you organize your garage like a pro.
Make your garage a place where you, your family, or your friends enjoy working and relaxing year-round. You’ve got it made with a plan, some elbow grease, a budget, some organization, and great products from Homak. Enjoy free shipping on orders over $100.00!
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