3 steps to a practical garage layout!

Do you have a garage you’d like to convert into a workshop, bedroom, or storage space? Lucky you! Not everyone has a garage at their disposal. However, garages are often used as a dumping ground for clutter—a place where anything you don’t need or rarely use gets thrown. Read on to discover how to make your garage layout as practical as possible in 3 easy steps!

1. Decide what you want to do with your garage

The first step is to figure out exactly what you want to use your garage for. Do you want to set it up as a workshop, turn it into a man cave (like a media room or game room), or do you simply want a convenient layout where you can access everything without losing overview? Read on to learn how to create these spaces!

2. Clear space so you can design the garage to your liking

With a pile of belongings in your garage, it becomes difficult to achieve the goals above. If you want to renovate the garage into a video room or game room, you’ll have to remove almost everything. After all, you don’t want tools, bicycles, or a workbench in a man cave.

If you want to use the garage as a workshop, you’ll need to clear enough room so you have all the space you need to work and store your tools. You don’t want to be tripping over random items while sawing or grinding! 😉

Clearing space is a breeze:

Divide all your garage items into three groups:

• Items you want to keep and use frequently

• Items you want to keep, but rarely use

• Items you no longer use or that are broken and can be tossed

Did you know that you only use 80% of your belongings once or a few times a year? That means you hardly ever touch 80% of the stuff in your garage! Think of Christmas decorations, suitcases, leaf blowers, lawnmowers (in winter), old bikes, planters, patio furniture, old toys, and paperwork. A shame to get rid of, but it definitely gets in the way!

That’s why many people rent a storage unit at a nearby ALLSAFE Mini Storage facility to store these items. Starting from just €6 a month, you can get a space that fits 10 moving boxes!

3. Create a practical garage layout

When designing your garage, keep your goal in mind: what is its new purpose? If you want to convert the garage into a video room or game room, you’ll first need to insulate it so you can chill out comfortably 😉

Setting up your garage as a video room or game room: the ultimate man cave!

Your own place in the house to retreat to, or where you can drink a beer with friends, watch sports, or game as loudly as you want—without disturbing your wife or girlfriend. We’ve written a blog post about this before, so be sure to check it out here!

Setting up your garage as a workshop

If you want a workspace in your garage, you’ll need a few essentials:

• A good, sturdy workbench. A workbench needs to be strong because you’ll need to attach a vise to it and hold heavy power tools like saws.

• A tool wall. It’s actually quite easy to make your own tool wall. Home improvement stores sell prefabricated pegboards where you can attach hooks, slots, or loops to hang all your tools. Just make sure to hang heavier tools lower down to prevent damage or injury if something comes loose!

• Shelves for loose items like tape, glue, wire, and other items that can’t hang on the tool wall.

• A hanging system for garden tools. Items like shovels, rakes, and hoes stay in top condition when kept off the ground. You can neatly hang them up using short pieces of PVC pipe.

Setting up your garage as an organized storage space

Of course, you’ll always have items you use daily that need to be stored in the garage. Here are a few tips to maximize space and maintain an overview. You can create an overview by utilizing the walls and ceiling:

• You could build a loft (or overhead rack) to make use of the space near the ceiling. This keeps floor space clear while still giving you plenty of storage.

• Bikes can be hung on a special bike rack (as seen on the side) so they take up less space.

• Wall-mounted shelves offer plenty of storage space. Storing your items on them in waterproof and airtight storage boxes makes everything look much more organized.

• Specialized garage cabinets can be found at many hardware stores and usually come in ideal dimensions for holding lots of gear. You can also set up shelving units so everything stays off the floor.

Now you have all the information you need to convert your garage into a useful space. Good luck! Want to stay updated on other home and storage tips, discount offers on storage units, and other home goods? Sign up here for our monthly dose of home inspiration!