5 Ways to Reclaim Your Garage Space in Easy Steps[NG1]
The garage is home to your cars. But it sometimes serves as the workshop, store, and hideaway for all the mess accumulating in your home. It gets forgotten often and can become a dangerous pest dwelling. Also, a cluttered space can be hazardous when working. It is vital to work out ways to make your garage accessible, organized, and neat.
What if your visitors stand at your garage door when you open it? Will you be comfortable with its state? Reclaiming the space goes beyond making it tidy. It can be a serene environment to entertain guests or for your children to play. It frees your lounge from the dirt and mess that comes with activities. Also, you can customize the space for whatever occasion – birthdays, barbecues, or a movie night.
Here are five ways to reclaim your garage space and make it functional, admirable, and sustainable.
1. Decluttering
Do you want to get rid of things you do not need before you can rearrange the space? Remember that old engine you put aside for a non-approaching project? That is one thing wasting room in your garage. It has been there for six years, and you have no idea when you will build it up. Yes, it is hard to let it go. That bond you have with vintage or archaic things might make it hard for you to let them go. But decluttering is the first step of 5 Ways to Reclaim Your Garage. It makes more room for current and relevant stuff.
Pick your garbage bin and recycling baskets to sort items. Bring out everything you do not currently use. Now start sorting them into things you would never want and those you can restore or recycle. For instance, a broken saw blade should go in the garbage. However, an old bicycle may need a few repairs to make it manageable. You can sell or donate other accessories.
2. Cleaning and Organizing
You have taken out everything irrelevant and fixed those things that required attention. But you still have something left. Look around for items that do not belong in the garage. Is it that used laptop in the corner or those rusty buckets? Determine whether you need to take it out or if a new home in the garage will suffice.
Cleaning and re-organizing the place will help you create sufficient space to host dinner parties, short meetings, or game nights. Clean out the accumulated dust, debris, and floor or wall stains. The state of the garage will determine the detergent you need for the task. You may even need bleaching agents when working on stubborn stains. Grease, paint spills, and chemical damages may demand specific cleaning agents.
Improved storage will help you organize the space better. You cannot have your hand tools on the floor or the pain tins near your car. Buy storage buckets to keep nails, screws, and other small accessories. Also, invest in racks or shelves to keep tools off the floor and leave it clean. Cabinets and drawers will also be necessary.
3. Lighting Fixtures
Darkness can be the perfect hiding place for bats and rodents. They can be dangerous to your home, damaging walls, roofs, wiring, and other parts. Also, they can transmit diseases like rabies through their droppings or saliva. Do everything possible to keep them off. Installing sufficient light will eliminate that menace.
Sufficient light also makes working in the garage efficient, fast, and comfortable. It will help you locate what you need at a glance. Bright LED lights are the most reliable option for your garage. They may cost more than conventional bulbs but will save you repair and replacement costs. You can also buy motion-sensing lights that switch on when you enter the room.
Windows and skylights save on energy bills and improve overall lighting. Seeing the outside world will make your experience inside the garage worth it. Also, natural lighting creates an inviting atmosphere and enhances ventilation. Do you not like the idea of bringing sunlight directly inside? You can buy window film or tint to diffuse it without blocking it out completely. Curtains can be a better option when you want the light fully and block it when you go out.
4. Insulating the Garage
Heat loss is a significant energy expense in the winter season. It is also a factor of comfort when working inside your garage space. Insulating the walls, ceilings, and floors will make the interior more comfortable by blocking cold air or reflecting heat into the room. It also reduces noise from outside and protects stored items against moisture damage.
The garage door is not a fixed point. But you cannot ignore it either. So, you may have to replace or improve it. Look for an insulation option to enhance the warmth and keep out cold. Floor insulation can use rigid insulation foam. Install it in between the floor joist and use caulk to seal gaps. Do not worry about the car’s weight. Only worry if you did the job perfectly.
5. Expansion and Renovation
Did you acquire a new car and want to get it into the garage? Maybe it has become too small to accommodate two vehicles and leave you space to work? The best solution is to expand the room. You can consult a contractor to know your budget and design options. A car garage lift is another viable option. It allows you to store two cars in the same space – one above the other.
Renovation is part of home maintenance practices. Fix broken sections, remodel the entire garage, or upgrade various features. Paint it to give it a fresh look and create an inviting atmosphere. Also, you can add accessories, like a sink or refrigerator, to make it more functional. Furniture will be necessary to set up a private office or media room in the garage.
Summing Up
Garage space reclamation restores the adoration for the forsaken room. You may need to clear up unwanted stuff to make space or remodel it into a new office or dinner gathering area. Install new light fixtures and insulating materials to make the room more comfortable. Consider expansion when you have more cars or belongings to store. Finally, paint it and add furniture to make it inviting. All these will help you transform your garage into a modern, functional space.
Author Bio
A professionally trained electrician, Rebecca has spent the last decade reading and writing romance novels giving her characters a palpable spark! She also loves to write in her free time and her recent articles on Elite Garage Door & Gate Repair.
