How to Make More Room in the Garage

Learning how to make room in the garage enables you to store a larger quantity of items in a highly organized manner. This process allows you to use the space to park your vehicle inside during bad weather, and create additional parking for guests. This is a task that can easily be completed by any person, and will only have positive results for the family living in the home.

The first thing you want to do is separate all of your belongings into categories. Several home owners use their garage area to store seasonal items such as plastic Christmas trees, lawn ornaments, and camping equipment. Determine which items are most commonly used, because these are items you need to access throughout the entire year. Some recommended categories would be tools, lawn care equipment, summer seasonal, winter seasonal, and sports equipment.

Once you have separated your belongings, begin the storage plan process. Several home improvement companies offer easy-to-assemble storage solution shelving and organizers. These organizers are designed to maximize space, although they may be more expensive than creating your own storage solution.

The most important thing to remember when developing the perfect storage solution for your garage, is to take advantage of all the space inside. Consider purchasing overhead storage bars and racks to store some larger items. Some things that are best stored overhead are skis, Christmas trees, golfing equipment, or any item that has a great length. These items can easily be stored in a relatively flat space, which makes them perfect candidates for overhead storage.

Establish a working area in your garage. The work area is where individuals go to use power tools or hand tools in order to fix or create an item. The work area needs to be a table top surface. Consider using ground level storage cabinets with a solid wood or steel counter top. This allows you to have a workable surface, without wasting the space below. These cabinets are great for storing small screws, nuts, bolts, wiring, or any other item that fits inside. Some people even choose these cabinets because they can lock large hand saws and dangerous equipment inside, which stops children from accessing them and potentially causing damage. Ground level cabinets come with a lot of storage options such as a variety of drawer sizes, which allow you to have as much storage as you need, all in one location.

There are several paths you can take to maximize wall storage space. The first thing you can do is place wall cabinets. Like base cabinets, these cabinets can be customized for your usage, which makes them a great choice for hiding away items. Wall shelving is another approach, which allows open storage for items. This is a great option because all of your items are easily accessed, or you can choose to fill the shelves with storage baskets. Whether you choose shelving or cabinets, allow enough headroom between the countertop and the first unit you place directly above the counter, so you are able to work comfortably at your work table when you are in your garage. If you choose wall cabinets, you are also able to place baskets on top of the shelves for additional head storage.

In the space between your cabinets or shelves and your counter top, install peg board. This can run the entire length of the wall, which allows you to hang hand tools. Peg board is a great option because you can plug in pegs and remove them easily to reorganize the items it holds. On walls that do not contain a work bench, consider placing full length cabinets. These are great for mops and brooms, jackets or winter clothing, and a large variety of other items you need to store. If you do not want to install a peg board, simply nail directly into the wall to hang tools.

Remember, the garage is still a room in your home. It definitely deserves a little tender loving care and organization every now and then. Having an organized garage gives you peace of mind that allows you to enjoy the space rather than panic every time you walk in.