This just in; houses have been shrinking since the 1970s, and are now at their smallest for decades. This, coupled with our capitalism fuelled, ever more obsessive desire to accumulate ‘stuff’, has led to something of a surplus space deficiency. The end result of this is dangerous forays into lofts not fit for purpose, expensive third party storage solutions and a general sense of clutter not conducive to clear thinking and clean living.
The answer? Well, it might lie somewhere very close to home. Indeed, for many homeowners, garage spaces are highly under-utilised but incredibly useful if their power is harnessed. In doing so, value can be added to a home and clarity to a mind. So, should be lucky enough to have one, here are 4 IDEAL ways to utilise your garage space.
FIRST, DECLUTTER
Before you can fully maximise your garage’s storage potential, you first need to declutter. Be ruthless – cruel, even – in your approach; this is, after all, about freeing up space. De-cluttering is your strongest weapon in the fight against mess. ‘Tidy home, tidy mind’ as the old saying goes, and there’s certainly a modicum of truth to be found there.
Having a clean, organised place can help you feel rested and productive, and that’s what we’re after here right? So, it bears repeating, and with gusto; be ruthless and declutter wherever possible. Any items left remaining in the clearout should be neatly boxed and labelled to prevent them turning into junk later down the line.
SIMPLE STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Next, you should consider simple but innovative ways to store objects in your garage that allow you to maximise the space you have. After all, you don’t want this space to simply be a dumping ground, and in creating simple storage solutions, you’ll free up room in the garage for other more fruitful purposes.
Racking and shelving are great starting points for organising your garage, so invest a little in durable storage units in order to cope with the strain of heavy items; you wouldn’t want to sustain an injury due to shoddy structural concerns, now would you? This can help to increase the floor space in your garage and keep your possessions easily accessible, too.
Also consider investing in ceiling storage units or garage storage lifts, as these can maximise the vertical space in your garage. These forms of structures are particularly effective for larger items like bicycles, kayaks, or even seasonal decorations, keeping them off the ground while still within reach. Additionally, overhead systems are perfect for hobbyists who need to store specialised gear like fishing rods or surfboards, making the most out of your available space.
You should also consider investing in ceiling storage units as these can maximise the space in your garage, and offer storage solutions which don’t take up any prime floor real estate; an excellent system to store large equipment such as canoes, skis and other hobby items.
Finally, cabinets can be effective if you are thinking of converting your garage as these hide the items that the cabinets contain from view, making your room look neater and cleaner.
DIY ORGANISATION TECHNIQUES
Also available to you are myriad DIY organisational techniques to help you to utilise your garage space and make sure that you’re optimising the space available to you. This can include making wire tool holders from scratch to help you store small equipment for work or hobbies, or fashioning hooks and hangers to hold items on the wall, but out the way.
CONSIDER A CONVERSION
If the aforementioned space is going unused, you should consider renovating or converting your garage for a different purpose. For instance, garages can make great entertainment or play rooms (nope, we can’t bring ourselves to say ‘man cave’) or home offices as they are separate from the rest of the house and so will be quieter and more private.
If you have a hobby that requires workshop, garage conversions can also work well as one as they will have the storage facilities needed and will stop the rest of your house from becoming dirty or damaged by practicalities like woodwork or soldering. for instance. Garages will most likely be under permitted development for planning permission, but always check the necessities and apply to get any conditions removed should this be the case.