Your garage is your haven. Why? It’s where you keep the cars that you’re proud of.
As a car enthusiast, you like to keep your garage in great shape. Your garage needs to be organized and designed in a way that helps you know where everything is at all times.
With designing and organizing your garage, there are a few common mistakes. We’ve separated these into two categories: Organization and aesthetics. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re guilty of anything listed below–you’re not the only one, and most of these problems are easily remedied!
Problem: Your garage is cluttered and unorganized
One area you may be having trouble with is organizing your garage and keeping it free of clutter. Clutter is a real issue if you can’t even use your garage to park your cars. Having a garage full of broken and unneeded things can be embarrassing and stressful to look at. Here is a list of items you may have but no longer need:
- Broken tools: Example: a weed whacker that hasn’t worked in three years and you keep saying you’ll fix it but never have. Broken drills and that unsalvageable air compressor you keep just in case (in case what? You need a broken air compressor?) fit in this category as well.
- Unused sports equipment: Were you an avid tennis player in your past life and have rackets laying around? What about that dusty weight set you haven’t touched in years that prevents you from parking in your garage? Any fitness equipment you no longer use contributes to clutter and frustration with your garage.
- Old holiday decorations: That decrepit Frosty the Snowman you used to put on your front porch when your oldest kid was in kindergarten probably needs to go. You’d be surprised how easy it is to allow tired holiday decorations to take up space in your garage.
- Useless baby clothes: Do you still hold onto infant and toddler clothes despite no longer having kids who need them? Sure, they’d be great to keep for memories, but old children’s clothing just takes up space at the end of the day. Children’s clothing really only benefits children, so keep that in mind.
- Unwanted furniture: It’s not uncommon to store items such as extra chairs and tables in your garage. Unwanted furniture takes up valuable space and you could definitely do without it.
Solution: Declutter with a minimalist mindset
Now that we’ve identified five categories of items you may have but no longer need, here are solutions to help you regain control of your garage. It’ll require somewhat of a minimalist mindset that will help you feel empowered through organizing your garage. A minimalist mindset doesn’t mean you should get rid of absolutely everything. Rather, you’re focusing heavily on what you actually need and use on a regular basis. By following the tips below, your garage won’t feel overwhelming and your significant other will thank you.
- Tools: The first step to getting your tools organized is to separate the broken/defective tools from the ones that still work. Once you’ve separated your tools into two different categories, throw away the tools you can’t use. For the tools that still work, consider selling the tools you no longer need and find homes for the tools you still use. This might mean installing hooks on a wall in your garage to hang things like brooms, rakes, and shovels. Tool boxes and other storage equipment are also handy in organizing your garage.
- Sports equipment: It might be difficult for you to part with unused sports equipment due to the money you’ve invested in them, as well as positive memories associated with the equipment, but it’s still in your best interest to part with them. If you have athletic items that are still in good shape, consider trying to sell them on Facebook Marketplace or eBay to get some money back. For the sporting goods and fitness equipment that you still use, store them in bins to keep them contained and out of the way. A garage sale is also another way to blow out some old items and earn some quick cash to put toward organizing your garage.
- Holiday decorations: Yes, you do need to get rid of that decrepit Frosty the Snowman. The same goes for any holiday decorations just laying around your garage you no longer use or want. It’ll take you some time to sort through everything but you’ll be glad you did. For the holiday items that are still in working condition but you don’t use, consider donating them to a thrift store.
- Baby clothes: This category of items might be the most difficult to deal with, depending on how nostalgic you are. If you can’t bring yourself to donate old children’s clothing to a thrift store or throw them away, give them to family members who are expecting a newborn. You’ll be able to create more space in your garage by doing this. For the outfits you especially feel attached to, limit yourself to ten articles of clothing. This will help you free up space while still holding onto clothing that brings back positive memories.
- Furniture: It’s not uncommon for people to have aging furniture in their garage. This includes chairs, tables, and maybe even couches. Yes, that old card table you’ve had since 2002 and haven’t used since then makes this list as well. The obvious thing to do at the start is to either donate or sell furniture you haven’t used in more than a year. Selling furniture hardly ever gets you your money back, but at least you will earn some cash while purging your garage. You will instantly clear significant space in your garage and rid the overwhelming feeling that comes from clutter.
Problem: Lack of garage aesthetics
If your garage is hard to look at, or if other people have cared enough to tell you that, it’s time to put the work in. You will enhance the overall aesthetics of your garage with time and effort. Here are some common problems that prevent your garage from becoming something you are proud to show off. After all, your garage is more than just a place where you store your favorite cars.
- Poorly done paint job/no paint job: Adding the right type and color of paint to your garage can quickly breathe new life into your garage. When your garage walls are unpainted or are covered in poor quality paint, your garage isn’t very inviting. This is especially true if the wall paint color does not match the rest of your home.
- Bare garage flooring: Is your garage floor just concrete with nothing else on it? There are different issues that arise from an unfinished garage floor. One of the problems includes a higher chance of slips and falls when the flooring is wet. Another problem is that your garage may not be able to resist any spills or stains. Not to mention unsightly cracks and imperfections that appear in concrete.
- Terrible lighting: If it’s difficult to see in your garage even when you turn on the lights, it’s time to consider new lighting. Lighting greatly affects your mood and how you view everything around you. Yellow fluorescent lights are good to get rid of since they don’t add to the overall aesthetic of your garage. There are also negative health effects to consider that are related to fluorescent lights like eye strain, sleeping problems, migraines, and higher levels of anxiety. Who knew the type of lighting you used could have such a big impact on your mental and physical health?
Solution: Transform your garage with these easy improvements
Now that we’ve identified some of the common things that contribute to your garage’s lack of aesthetics, here are the solutions to those problems. Your garage is part of your home so it’s definitely worth your time and energy to improve your garage.
- New paint job: Adding a fresh coat of paint is one of the most proven ways to increase your home value. It also provides an incredible return-on-investment (ROI) for your work. In fact, a brand-new paint job can give you a 55% ROI. Painting the interior of your garage will breathe new life into it and will make it a more inviting place. Here are a few tips to make sure you don’t waste your garage painting efforts:
- Clean your garage walls: It’s not uncommon for garage walls to be dusty and dirty. Anytime you open your garage door, you allow a wide variety of particles into your garage. Cleaning your garage walls will prevent your paint job from going to waste. You can use a shop vac to suck up loose particles. After vacuuming, use a rag with dish soap and water to remove dust and grime from your walls.
- A primer on unpainted drywall: Primer will prevent your paint from absorbing into your drywall. Your paint job will be able to dry evenly and give you the results you expect from new paint.
- Consider interior latex paint: You won’t need exterior paint for the inside of your garage because the inside of your garage isn’t directly exposed to the elements. Interior latex paint will look great and give you the vibe you want in your garage.
- RaceDeck flooring: One of the easiest ways to protect your garage floor while improving the safety of your garage is to install RaceDeck flooring. There are multiple benefits to choosing RaceDeck flooring such as the hiding damaged concrete and adding more traction. You can use self-draining RaceDeck flooring to receive the benefits just mentioned. Self-draining RaceDeck flooring’s advanced design allows air and moisture to escape which prevents odor from building up in your garage. RaceDeck’s patented design also helps prevent slip and falls in the event you spill liquids such as water and car oil on your garage floor.
- Better lighting: To improve your mood and overall health, take some time to invest in better lighting for your garage. If you have a large budget, consider adding a skylight or more windows to your garage. These increase the amount of natural light that comes in. Natural lighting will quickly boost your mood and not take a toll on your eyesight. If adding a skylight or new windows isn’t an option, consider upgrading the lightbulbs in your garage to incandescent lights. They won’t flicker as much as fluorescents so you should be able to reduce your chances of eye strain. While incandescent bulbs aren’t as energy-efficient as LED lights, they won’t disrupt your sleep patterns or damage your vision like LED light can in the long-term.
If you couldn’t relate to any of the organizational problems or aesthetic issues we’ve shared above, well done! If you could identify with the problems we’ve shared, these solutions can help you in designing and organizing your garage, creating the ideal space for you and your favorite cars!
What are the next steps to getting the garage you deserve?
Taking the time and energy for organizing your garage doesn’t need to be an overwhelming experience. Identify your goals, then break them down into smaller projects that you can tackle one weekend at a time. For example, spend one Saturday afternoon listing items for sale on social media that you no longer use. The next Saturday afternoon, set aside two hours to clean your garage walls, then paint your walls the week after. Once you’re done organizing your garage and completing everything listed above, like installing RaceDeck flooring, take a picture to showcase all of your hard work and tag us on social media @RaceDeck! We’re looking forward to seeing your awesome garage!
