Most home buyers covet a good garage space, especially when they live somewhere as outdoors-focused as Eastern Washington. The key to making it as efficient as possible is to get organized. Here are ten improvements you can make to your garage to make the space work for you and your family. Fair warning: your neighbors will be jealous.
- Storage racks or cabinets – Do you prefer a clean and streamlined look with things tucked away? If so, cabinets with doors may be the answer. However, sturdy racks generally cost less, are moveable, and labeled bins will make easy work of finding camping or sporting equipment.
- Overhead storage – If your garage has some height, continue that storage all the way up! You can even get ceiling-mounted shelves and sliders for bins.
- Recreation equipment pulleys – Homeowners are also taking advantage of vertical space by lofting their bikes and kayaks up and above head and car levels with pulleys.
- Tool rack – Regardless of whether you are a gardener in need of a hanging system for your rakes and shovels or a handyperson who needs a place to easily access a hammer, drill, and tape measure, having a peg board (which comes in plastic, metal, and hardboard) with hooks and/or a large tool hanging system is the way to go. You can even get small wire bins for storing things that don’t quite hang on a rack.
- Lighting – If your garage is woefully lit with a few 60W lights, that is no way to light up a workspace. Upgrading your lighting in the garage is easy, can be done by visiting a home improvement store and possibly hiring an electrician.
- Epoxy floor – Once a cement garage floor has been sealed and epoxied, it is much easier to clean and it is less likely to get stained. Plus, it looks great!
- Work space – Do you need a flat surface to take on those tasks that are better suited for a garage than the kitchen table? If so, consider a moveable work cart that allows you to lock the wheels in place for security, and can work both in the garage and in the driveway!
- Ventilation – If you use paint and solvents that need ventilation, make sure you include a fan plan!
- Designated car space – If you park in the garage, mark your car clear areas with heavy reflective tape. Family members will be less likely to leave something where it shouldn’t be.
- Upgrade your garage door – Not only will this really enhance your curb appeal, but a garage door that will let in some light can also make the garage a more enjoyable place to spend time!
If you are short on ideas as to how to implement this or need some visuals for inspiration, just do an online search for garage organization and you will be amazed at what people have come up with (try checking out Pinterest!) If you have a collection of a certain type of item – say fishing poles, a lot of different kinds of tape, or even bats and balls, there are plenty of ingenious ways to corral those items.
In our experience, a well-organized, brightly-lit garage goes a long way when selling. Make this your summer project and you will thank yourself when it is time to sell.