Gone are the days when the garage served as just a home for your vehicle. Now, it is much more than that. It is no longer realistic for people to just move into a larger home due to rising real estate prices so they are getting creative instead and utilizing every inch of available space in an effective manner.
Whether you decide to use your garage as a tool workshop, a home gym, a multipurpose office and craft space, your garage possibilities are endless. Here is a look at just some things you can do to improve the utility of your garage.
Home Gym
Many people enjoy exercise, but are pressed for time or have obligations that force them to be at home. This makes it very challenging to get to the gym, even one that is open 24 hours a day. But there is a solution. Bring the gym home with you, so to speak. How do you do that? Many choose the basement to house their equipment, but if you move your workout to the garage instead this will free up space in your otherwise crowded home.
In many ways, the garage is an even better place to workout as you can create a more dedicated location for your treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, free weights and any other materials you use. You will often find the garage has better air circulation and is often cooler than the basement as well.
Today, there are many ways to store your exercise equipment, but building your own dedicated storage unit within your garage will help you stay organized and keep things handy when the time comes.
Craft Corner
Whether you build furniture from scratch or enjoy welding on the weekend, creating a special, organized space where you can be as loud as you want is the perfect use for your garage. So, before you get started on your next project, make sure you prioritize the perfect space to get things done.
Invest in, or construct, a wall mount where you can easily store your tools. This will make things simple to locate while keeping them up and away from children or pets that may rummage around in your garage. Shelves for color-coded bins are also a reliable way to sort nails, screws, bolts, and any other smaller pieces that tend to mysteriously disappear.
Overhead Space
It’s likely that your garage is quite tall. Often time due to grading and the construction of the home, there is extra space left above the garage door. This wasted space is relatively easy to turn into functional storage space. Your exact plan will vary depending on the specifics of your house.
For an added level of sophistication and ease of access, construct a pulley system that allows you to raise and lower a platform. This will make storing items throughout the holidays and season to season a breeze.
Home Office
For many people, work does not stop at home. This means you need a quiet place to go and be alone to work on projects or assignments. If you don’t have a place for a home office, and you have plenty of on-street parking, why not convert part of your garage into your new workspace? This way, you can stay up-to-date with all of your work, which leads to a happy boss and maybe even a raise so you can make more upgrades to your home in the future!
Stay Up to Date
Don’t forget to take care of the upkeep when it comes to your garage. We’re not just referring to cleanliness, which is pivotal, but sometimes different parts of your garage just need to be replaced after general wear and tear that takes its toll. Ask yourself this question. When was the last time you replaced your garage door? If you responded by asking yourself how long you’ve lived in the house or maybe the answer was never, it’s probably been too long.
Staying up-to-date not only helps with safety, but it’s pleasing on the eyes as well. Although it could be costly, investing in your garage can provide added safety and an instant and dramatic improvement to your home’s look and curb appeal.
If you are overly concerned about price, you can always do the installation yourself, but you will need to make sure you have the right lumber supplies to get the job done.
Utilize Technology
It’s important to know how the latest advances in technology can be useful in your home, and more specifically, your garage. There are applications on your phone that now assist with simple tasks, such as opening and closing your garage doors from remote locations, which is particularly helpful when your wife or child gets locked out of the house. You can even control the lights inside. There are even more applications that can do anything from controlling the heat or air conditioning within the garage to going on power saving mode to limit the amount of electricity used on a day-to-day basis.
It’s time to advance with the times. Whether that means installing a new garage door, building wall mounts to store your tools or upgrading to the newest apps so you can open your garage from anywhere. Today, there are plenty of ways you can utilize everyday methods and technologies to create a useful, organized environment for both you and your family to enjoy.