Your garage can be one of the most versatile areas of your home—if used effectively. So, how do you keep your garage useful, organized and free of clutter? We've put together some of our favorite DIY garage improvements to help you take the first step toward breathing new life into your old garage.
Check out these six unique garage improvements to inspire your next DIY project.
1. Tidy Up Tools
The simplest way to improve your garage is to make sure everything has a place to be put away. Avoid storing things on the floor or leaning them up against a wall. This adds to the clutter of the space. Instead, consider adding peg boards and other panelized wall-hanging systems to transform a seemingly chaotic garage into a well-organized space. If you genuinely don't have enough space for all your stuff, you may have outgrown your home. Check out our blog on how to tell when you've outgrown your starter home to learn more.
MORE: This Old House - Read This Before You Organize Your Garage
2. SECURE YOUR STUFF
You may think that your garage is impenetrable once the door is down, but it’s important to secure your valuable items. Secure the stuff you have stored in your garage by investing in a garage door lock. In a pinch, you can run a padlock through a hole in your garage door's vertical tracks. Remember, the first step in preventing theft is to close your garage door. If you have a manual garage door, consider adding an electronic opener to make it easier to close once your car is out.
3. Tuck Away Toys
Whether it's a bicycle, a kayak or a bunch of basketballs, most people have toys that need storing in their garages. Vertical space is a great way to store these things. If you have a kayak, consider suspending it from the ceiling of the garage when it's not in use. For bicycles, you can purchase a pulley mount to raise and lower them from the ceiling as needed. Storing balls can be difficult, but try building a bungee bin like this one from Rockwell Tools:
4. POWER YOUR PROJECTS
For many people, their garages double as workstations for weekend projects. If your workstation is lacking sufficient, convenient power sources, you may want to consider suspending a retractable extension cord from your ceiling or mounting a permanent power strip to the back of your workbench to avoid needing an extension cord for every project. Making weekend projects more convenient will make them more likely to get done.
5. Hold In Heat
Garages are notoriously bad at holding in heat. Save energy (and money) by installing insulation on your garage door. Insulation can be installed after market on most garage doors, will keep your garage a comfortable temperature and shouldn't take long to set up. If you're looking for help installing garage-door insulation, check out this guide from the Home Depot: How to Install Owens Corning Garage Door Insulation Kit - The Home Depot.
Check out our blog on how to make your home more energy-efficient for more energy-saving tips.
6. Coat Your Concrete Floor
Between your vehicles, weekend projects and everyday wear and tear, your garage floor takes a beating. One of the most common and practical DIY projects we've seen is giving your garage floor new life with a durable epoxy coating. Epoxy floors are a longer-term flooring solution that make your garage look clean and professional, all while resisting chemical stains and protecting your concrete floor from water and damage.
Having a garage is one of the biggest benefits of home ownership. It can be easy to forget the benefits of having a garage when yours is cluttered, cold and inefficient. Start thinking about what you want to do with your garage and what weekend DIY projects you can plan to make that happen. Check out our blog on budgeting for home improvements projects to learn more.
