Probably the biggest drawback to having a garage is its tendency to become a giant junk drawer of sorts. Garages are super handy for storing things that take up space in the house but without proper care and organization can become an overwhelming mess.
Having a garage where you can’t store things properly, or even park in, it’s a huge hassle. So how do you get your space to be more efficient? Here are 6 tips to get you there!
1. Clean out the garage
This is probably the most labor intensive, most difficult part. But pulling everything out of your garage and being really, really honest with yourself about what you do and do not need is the key to garage functionality.
When you go through the stuff you have
accumulated in your garage, keep in mind whether or not you have though of, or
used the item in a year.
If there is anything that makes you say “Oh! I forgot I even had this!” it can
probably be either donated or thrown away.
Things like old paint should be thrown away after a few years. An unopened gallon of latex or water based paint will be good for about ten years. However, if opened that shelf life is only about two years.
2. Organize
An organized garage door is HUGE to keep
your garage functional. Divide the garage into a few zones to begin with. It
will be way easier to find what you’re looking for when you know at least which
area it’s in.
The zones will be different for each person, but some ideas would be: Outdoor
toys and gear, Gardening equipment and supplies, Tools, and Seasonal
Decorations.
Once you have your zones figured out, getting a good shelving system installed is a huge help. Storing things vertically opens up a huge amount of floor space for parking cars and doing projects.
Whatever can’t be stored on a shelf can probably be stored on a rack or hook. Racks for outdoor equipment like bicycles, and kayaks, and hooks for things like power tools and gardening equipment.
3. Insulate the walls
By insulating your garage, you can make the space useable in the extreme weather. You’ll be able to do projects during months that it would otherwise be too hot or cold to do projects.
If your garage is attached to your home, having insulated walls can greatly increase the efficiency of your heating system.
Even if your garage isn’t attached to your home, and you use the garage more for storage rather than a space to do projects, insulating your garage might still be a good idea. Often times during the wetter months, items that are made of fabric or other porous materials can become moldy or mildew ridden because of the extra moisture in the air. Insulation keeps the garage atmosphere little more regulated, leaving your items at a lesser risk of elemental damage.
4. Get an insulated garage door
Insulated doors help with everything above-mentioned and more! You might wonder what good an insulated door would do if the rest of the garage is insulated. A garage door is such a large part of the garage face, that if your door is not insulated it would be like having a gaping hole in your garage. This essentially lets all of the temperature control gained from your insulated walls, rush out of where the garage door is.
Insulated garage doors are also much stronger than doors that are not insulated. With the added strength of an insulated door, your door will last much longer if taken care of well.
5. Get Regular Maintenance on your Door and Opener
Making sure that your garage door and opener are in good condition is crucial. A garage door isn’t something that you often think about until something goes wrong. Maintaining your door can save you from a big future headache. Call Hung Right Doors if you live in the Washington area and we would be happy to help with any of your garage door needs.
6. Accessorize
Once you have all the basics in place, your garage is free from clutter, is well organized and well insulated then it is time to start accessorizing!
Getting a Mydoor Internet gateway from Liftmaster and Craftsman is a great place to start. This nifty device makes it so that you can control and monitor your opener from anywhere, using the app on your smart phone. The Mydoor device also has several in home add-on’s for things like lights and heating.
Do you have trouble knowing how far to pull into your garage? Hanging a tennis ball on a rope from the ceiling can give you a great marker showing you exactly where to park, every time!
Workbenches are a wonderful thing to have in your garage! Getting a custom built one is a great option for those who can afford it, but there are also tons of great DIY ideas out there.