There are those of us who keep our cars in the garage, and those of us who turn the extra room into a utilitarian space — be it a mancave, a woodshop, a ceramics studio, you name it. Regardless of how you choose to use your space, we have a few tips that you can employ to ensure that you have space for activities, or for your vehicle. Get that garage organized with these tips from Front Range Raynor, your source for garage door repairs, replacements, and parts.
Clear Out Clutter
First things first, take a fresh look around your garage. Are you holding onto anything that can really be boxed up and donated? Or do you have a multitude of projects that have been resting uncompleted for the last 10 years? Maybe you have boxes of unidentified stuff that you just never bothered to open since you moved into your home (which was 22 years ago). Or maybe you’re just a bit of a hoarder, keeping broken sleds, boxes of twine, and anything else that you’re certain will prove useful at some point. Well, it’s time to let go of these belongings — they’re keeping you from enjoying your garage. Get rid of what you can, and move on with your life. If there are still a few boxes of nostalgia that you simply can’t detach from, you can move them to the attic, or stow them in a storage facility (though you’ll have to shell out extra dough every month).
Build on Those Walls
Your walls shouldn’t go unused. This space is ideal for storing tools, raising up the road bikes, and displaying that 20-inch bass that you caught back in aught six. Install shelving, tool boards, bike hangers, ski hangers, wood racks, you name it. Plus, most garages have their studs exposed or stud lines painted on the drywall, so it will be easy to ensure that your brackets, bracing, nails, and screws hit solid wood.
Get as much stuff off of the ground and onto the walls as possible, but remember, you want to ensure that all of those precious possessions are accessible at a moments notice, so plan accordingly. We recommend placing the least used items (like that dusty drill press you use once a year) in the corners of your garage. Put your favorite tools and equipment (like your chop saw) in accessible, central locations.
Raise (Stuff to) the Roof
If you still have stuff to stow, you can reach for the skies as you install ceiling racks and roof shelving to store seasonal items, boxes of old memorabilia and tchotchkes, and other items that really don’t get much use. Have a canoe? Tie it up to the ceiling with a rope and pulley system. Have snowbikes? Hang them upside down from the rafters or joists. You can find prefabricated shelving that is designed to tack onto your garage’s ceiling, including shelves that can rest below your garage ceiling, yet above your garage door when it’s open — this space would otherwise go completely unused.
Organization With Versatility
When you’re transforming your garage, consider making the space as versatile as possible. What do we mean by versatile? Well, for example, you could build a workbench that is on casters, so that you can move the whole table to the center of your garage while you’re working on projects, or to the wall when you need to park your sedan. You can improve the versatility of your garage by installing workbenches that fold down from your wall, so that they can be tucked away when you need more wiggle room. Or mount all of your power tools on casters that make it possible to stow them all in the corner until they’re needed. Hang an automatically retracting extension cord from the ceiling in the center of the garage to give you easy access to power wherever you need it. You can also install a ceiling-mounted vacuum to make clean-up as easy as possible. Speaking of cleaning…
Clean House
Finally, now that you can see the floor of your garage, it’s time to clean up. Grab a blower, a broom, or the air compressor and clean out your new space. If you want to go above and beyond you can paint the walls or apply an epoxy coat to your floor for added protection from oil spills (and an added touch of class). Feel free to hang up your favorite beer signs and neons at this point. Oh, and put up that collection of license plates which display all of the states where your truck has managed to make it. Plug in the kegerator, kick up your feet, and relax. Or, now that your garage is pristine, you can start making a mess again on that workbench.
Count on Front Range Raynor to Make the Most of Your Garage
Whether you need upgrades, a garage repair, or a few extra parts to make the most of your garage, we can help. Front Range Raynor provides garage door service for folks across the Front Range, and we have garage door parts here in our facility in Fort Collins. Give us a call or stop by our showroom at 3847 South Mason here in Fort Collins!
