As a true car enthusiast, your garage is your inner sanctum. It’s the place where you keep your favorite cars and work on your passion projects. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be a surprise if you find yourself wanting to upgrade your garage. As a company focused on helping you build your dream garage from the ground up, we have your back in more ways than one. We know that a garage you’ve improved is a garage you’re proud of and happy to use on a regular basis.
Here are 10 easy ways to take your garage to the next level:
1. Clean garage walls, windows, and floor
Nothing makes you feel a lot better by taking some time to get rid of that dust, dirt, and grime buildup in your garage. Set aside at least two hours to get your garage spotless. Here are a few practical tips to clean your windows, walls, and garage floor:
- Windows: Yes, you need to clean the inside and outside of your windows! A little window cleaner and a cleaning rag will get the job done. Depending on how dirty your windows are, you might have to get rid of loose dirt and dust first before going to town with a window cleaning solution. Windex now makes a great exterior window cleaner you simply attach to your hose and spray away!
- Walls: To start, use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the cobwebs. Don’t forget to get the corners and crevices since they tend to gather more dust. After you’ve gone to work with the vacuum cleaner, use a cleaning rag and water mixed with dish soap to clean your walls. Go through your walls twice if needed. You will be very happy you took the time to do so.
- Floor: Just like your garage walls, get rid of the dust and dirt on your garage floor. You can also use a broom to sweep up your floor. It won’t be surprising if you find leaves and other things from outside that might have blown in every time you’ve opened your garage door. After you’re done with sweeping/vacuuming, mop up your garage floor. You can use two gallons of warm water and a few drops of dish washing liquid to get the job done. Now that you’ve mopped your garage floor with soapy water, rinse out your mop and mop your floor again but this time with clean water. Once you’ve finished these steps, your garage floor will be a lot cleaner.
2. Add a security system
Your garage is responsible for storing everything from your cars to other items that could potentially be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Installing a security system will give you greater peace of mind. Here are two things you should put to work for you to make your garage safer and protect your belongings:
- Cameras: Consider an exterior camera and an interior camera. Some might say having cameras to secure your garage is like having a babysitter on site. An exterior camera will provide you with the chance to see what’s going on outside of your garage. You can check any outdoor activity without having to step outside. Installing an interior camera adds another layer of security and protection to your garage. You’ll be able to see what’s going on inside your garage should you suspect something is going on. There are plenty of reasonably priced cameras on the market now and most connect to an app on your phone which can alert you with any unexpected motion or sound.
- Motion-sensor exterior lights: This tip will not only improve the security of your garage but it’ll also make the surrounding areas of your garage safer as well. Motion-sensor exterior lights are an effective deterrent to crime since they will illuminate the outside of your garage. This makes it easy to see what’s happening if someone with bad intentions might be snooping around. You will also make it safer for you if you’re doing things outside at night like taking out the trash or shoveling snow. After all, wouldn’t you like to be able to see where you’re going and not have to find your way around in the dark?
Putting a security system to work for you will cost you money, but you can’t put a price on increased safety and greater peace of mind you will receive from doing so. It’ll help you protect your physical belongings in your garage and your family as well.
3. Donate unwanted items
Like most people in the United States with a garage, you probably have things you’ve been keeping but don’t actually want or need. A solution you can use is to donate these unwanted items to a thrift store. Sort through everything in your garage to make sure that you’re not holding onto anything that is taking up precious space. To help you not miss anything, here are some categories of items you should go through when separating old belongings for donation:
- Clothing: Do you have bags of old clothes that have been in your garage for more than a year? If you haven’t touched them in more than 365 days, you don’t need them at all. They’re just taking up valuable space that doesn’t need to be used. Old articles of clothing are a no-brainer contribution to your donation pile.
- Furniture: Included in this category are camping chairs you don’t use, tables, dressers, nightstands, coffee tables. If you have any unwanted furniture, take them out of your garage to clear up more space. It could be worth trying to sell old furniture if they’re still in good shape. Whatever you’re not able to sell, take them to your local thrift store.
- Toys and athletic equipment: Everything from rusty bicycles to children’s toys can go as well. Go through all of your sports accessories and equipment like your weights, basketballs, soccer gear, and yoga mats. Sift through and separate everything that still works but throw away everything else that is unsalvageable. Give away the working fitness/sports gear to an organization that will get these items in the hands of people who’d benefit from them.
After you have gone through the process of donating unwanted items, take a moment to appreciate how much better you feel. Reducing clutter in your garage will always result in a breath of fresh air.
4. Add ceiling storage racks
Get the items that you still want but don’t use very often up and off the floor. You can accomplish this by installing racks that are above the floor and hang from the ceiling of your garage. This is a great way to get your boxes and bins off the floor and out of the way by using space that would be unused otherwise. You can use this storage method to keep seasonal things safe and available when you actually need them such as Christmas lights. Ceiling storage racks are also an effective way to store keepsakes such as family memorabilia you can’t throw away or donate.
5. Use cabinets as additional storage
Cabinets are an easy way to help you stay organized and keep items out of sight. They tend to be a classier option you can use to create a sense of order in your garage. Items you’d store in your cabinets will be things that you would use on a more regular basis compared to holiday decorations. Here’s a quick list of things you can keep in your garage cabinets:
- Car detailing equipment
- Extension cords and power strips
- Extra paper towels
- Paintbrushes
- Power tools
- Sporting equipment
Keep in mind that the items on the list right above aren’t the only things you can store in your garage cabinets. The list is purely here to give you some ideas and serve as storage inspiration. To make your life even easier, consider labeling your cabinet shelves. By labeling your cabinet shelves, you will be able to easily find anything you need.
6. Hang up tools on your wall
Sure, cabinets allow you to easily store things you don’t need all the time but what about the tools you might use more often like rakes and brooms? Use wall hooks to hang those tools on your garage wall. You will always know where to find them when you need them whether you’re in need of a hammer or a handsaw. Using wall hooks will allow you to keep them off the floor and prevent your tools from becoming tripping hazards. This solution will also help you stay organized and prevent the chaos and frustration that comes from not knowing where your tools are
7. Secure chemicals, paints, power tools, etc.
To increase the safety of your garage, lock up any dangerous chemicals and tools. It’s still a great thing to do even if you don’t have kids at home. Remember those cabinets from tip #5? Cabinets are a great way to secure anything that would result in a less than desirable event should those items get in the hands of a child. Put a lock on the doors of the cabinets you’re using to store anything toxic or sharp. This will reduce any stress that might come from your children or grandchildren playing in your garage. Locking up your things will also reduce the chances of theft in the event of someone breaking into your garage with the intent to steal from you.
8. Schedule out time to organize and clean every three months
Don’t just organize your garage once and call it good. Set a date in your calendar on a quarterly basis to clean and organize your garage. While you were able to purge your garage of old, unwanted things by following the earlier tips, you’ll find that you still have more junk you can get rid of. You will find that it’s easier to feel content with the state your garage is in because you’re maintaining it on a consistent basis. Take time to do everything from sweeping up dust to donating old belongings throughout the year. It’ll help you have a sense of control over your life and prevent you from having to do a major clean up in the future.
9. Paint your garage walls
Since you’ve followed tip #1 on this list and cleaned your garage walls, one of the top ways to take your garage to the next level is to add a fresh paint job to your garage. Painting your garage walls breathes new life in your garage and gives it a more welcoming feel. It’ll make you feel more energized and comfortable every time you walk into your garage. A quality paint job will also increase the value of your home if you’re thinking about putting your home up for sale. Remember that you don’t need to power through painting your garage on your own. Ask for help or consider hiring a professional painter to get the job done.
10. Next level garage floors thanks to RaceDeck
After you’ve done some serious cleaning and organization, now is your time to really level up your garage game. The icing on the cake or the cherry on top will be installing RaceDeck garage flooring! RaceDeck flooring is easy to install and use while turning your garage into a showplace for your awesome cars. You don’t need any tools to install it and the whole process can be completed in just a few hours. Choosing RaceDeck to help you take care of your garage flooring needs means you receive a 20-year limited warranty and added protection to your garage floor. RaceDeck flooring gives you the opportunity to customize your flooring color to do everything from matching your car color to rep your favorite sports team.
The ten tips you just read might feel like a lot to take in, but they don’t need to be stressful. Take each bit of advice one at a time and you’ll be able to have the perfect garage you and your cars deserve. All of the tips are tried and tested which, if followed, will provide you with greater satisfaction at home.
Since you’ve taken the time to deep clean and organize, you’ll have an incredible space you can enjoy. Your garage will be taken to the next level and will be a sweet spot you can be proud of!
