A garage serves not only for cars, but also an important storage place. A garage quickly becomes a junkyard…. So it pays to take a moment to think about a practical layout of your garage. Read here how to organize your garage practically in 3 steps! This is how to organize a garage.
Step 1: Define the purpose of the garage
Before you think about how you want to furnish your garage, it’s best to think about just what it should contain. Would you like to have room for:
- A car (or several)?
- A bicycle (or several)?
- A refrigerator and/or freezer?
- A washer and/or dryer?
- a workbench?
- garden tools?
- storage space for Christmas decorations, winter clothing, ski equipment, etc.?
Or you may want to use your garage as additional living space, whether or not combined with storage for other items. Examples of living spaces include a home office, a home theater, a hobby room, … What do you plan to do with this space? The purpose of the garage determines the further layout. Planning to convert your (entire) garage into a home office? Tips for designing a home office can be found here.
Step 2: Measure and divide the space
A garage in which a car must fit is best at least 3 meters wide and 5 meters deep. The wider and/or deeper the space, the more will fit in. Ceiling height is also a factor. We’ll come back to that in step 3. A small garage that needs to hold a car will most likely only have room for storage. In this case, use tall shelving units. You can store a lot of things in them. Make sure you can get out of the car easily. You don’t want the car door to barely open because the cabinet with garden tools is taking up too much space. When placing a washing machine or refrigerator in the garage, make sure you can use the appliances smoothly. Nothing as awkward as wedging yourself between them with a laundry basket in hand or the refrigerator door bumping into the car mirror. Bumped into your car anyway? Read how to discover your car yourself here. Be realistic in how much you can fit into the available space. Do you have a 3-by-6-foot garage and want to put several bikes, the car and a workbench there? Chances are you can’t get the car out without having to move it and the workbench will be difficult to reach. In that case, a gazebo, carport, basement or attic offers solace.
Step 3: Furnish the garage
When you have a view of what you want to use your garage for and what the space looks like, you are ready for the actual layout. One question is important here: how often do I need something? Do you bike to work every day and use the car mostly on weekends? Then make sure your bike can get out of the garage quickly. Do you need the car daily? Then make sure there are no bikes in the way when you want to ride outside. Keep things you use often, such as cleaning supplies, gardening tools, materials for hobbies, in an open cabinet at eye level. That way you can access them quickly. Christmas decorations, ski slats, etc., on the other hand, store in a closed bin in the highest part of the closet. Then you only need to get the ladder upstairs a few times a year. Do you have a high ceiling in your garage? Then attach shelves to the ceiling for extra storage space. Store your things in there that you don’t need quickly, but want to keep. In terms of storage these days, the options are endless. From potted cabinets to simple shelving units, there is something for every budget. Also think beyond cabinets: hooks on the wall, a peg board, a wall rack, a net on the ceiling, a magnetic board, crates on wheels … At IKEA, you can find storage options for your garage.
By thinking carefully about the layout of the garage, you will find that it is less likely to become a mess. There is a logic to it and the layout is tailored to your needs and habits. Items you use often are quickly accessible. Things you don’t use often but still want to keep are well stored.
Would you like to cite this article as a source? Then use:
Biets, R. (2024, November 2). Furnishing your garage practically in 3 steps. Apartment.com. Accessed on (date XX/XX/202X), from https://www.appartement.be/praktisch-ingerichte-garage/
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