Let’s face it: owning a garage is a major perk! When the winter comes, your car and other important items will be safe under a sturdy roof. Regardless of the current temperature and weather, a warm and dry vehicle is always going to wait for you when you set off for work! Additionally, this part of your house also offers plenty of room for storage; perfect whenever you need to get something out of the way.
Your lock-up shouldn’t only be a space that you visit every so often, though. With a few simple steps and a touch of imagination, this structure can become much more central to your daily life. In today’s article, we’ll see how to claim back a garage and turn it into an exciting side-project.
Whether you need a place to escape reality or always wanted your very own man-cave, stick with us and we’ll give you just what you need to turn those dreams into reality!
Hmm, It’s a Bit Cramped In Here!
Unless you’re okay with parking your car outside, you’ll soon get familiar with a bitter piece of truth: in most garages, space is a luxury. Especially if you drive an SUV or own more than one vehicle, movements can feel somewhat restricted.
Before you continue with your projects, a thorough clean-up might be in order. The next time you stumble across a slow day, consider spending a few hours to take an inventory of your belongings. Is there anything in those boxes that you likely won’t be using again? The time might have come to give your old stuff away, sell it on E-Bay or bring it to the nearest recycling center!
Virtualization is another great way to free some room while you still keep everything within reach. Most people underestimate the potential storage space that walls are able to offer. Especially when the right kind of infrastructure is installed, your tools and items can be organized to exploit surfaces that would otherwise serve no purpose.
Racks and shelves – commonly found in most home improvement stores – are a great solution to your problems. If you are the kind of person who works a lot with their hands, remember that power tools and folding workbenches can also be bolted to a wall.
Build It Once, Use It Whenever You Want!
Making your garage habitable is going to be a challenging endeavor. Car sheds and storage rooms weren’t built for long-time permanence and usually lack some basic commodities. At this stage, you should try to be as patient as you can. There’s a lot of work ahead of you and rushing things is never a good idea.
The first step is to make sure that the place is bright enough. The lights in your garage must allow you to see clearly but shouldn’t put a strain on your eyes. LED strips are the best solution to this particular issue. Cheap, easy to install, sturdy, and relatively eco-friendly, these produce a powerful but natural glow. If you are looking for something fancier, it costs around $160-$300 to ask an electrician to install some switches and lighting fixtures.
Ventilation should also be one of your top priorities. There’s nothing worse for your concentration than having to breathe the same stale air for hours. Some high-end garages come equipped with windows, but a majority won’t sport such features. In those cases, investing some money in a fan that connects your new workspace to the outside world is not a bad idea at all!
Finally, you should try to keep the temperature under control. Shutting your garage doors might suffice in the winter, but the whole area is going to heat up fast from April to October. If you have a sizable amount of disposable income to spend, you could easily solve the problem with an air conditioning system. For those on a budget, though, ceiling fans remain a viable and effective alternative!
Imagination Is Your Only Boundary!
Now that your personal space is about to be ready, you can start indulging in further projects and complex planning. Believe it or not, a garage-based work area is perfectly suited for a large array of tasks; from car maintenance to creative hobbies. To help kick-start our readers’ imagination, we decided to dedicate our last paragraph to the ideas that we like the most!
Whether you are artistically or musically inclined, your former shed can easily transform into a practical and original atelier. Easels are designed to fit the majority of walls, while the rest of your free space could be used to hang your masterpieces for the world to see. Need to get into the right mood? Dim fluorescent lights are always particularly effective in those cases!
If – instead – what you’re after is more akin to a rehearsal room than a studio, try to be mindful of your neighbors and family. Acoustic foam panels are a cheap but extremely effective form of isolation. Cover your walls and doors with this materials and you’ll be able to raise the volume as much as you want!
Lastly, a garage can also be a great place to catch your breath and relax. Away from stress and responsibilities, you’ll be able to spend some time doing whatever you enjoy the most. No matter your passions, a few hours in this personal nest will send you back to the chaos of your daily routine with a smile on your face!
In Conclusion
Turning a rundown car shed into a space that reflects your personality is a lot simpler than it seems. Before you start tearing down walls and throwing boxes into the fire, though, remember to take this and any other DIY projects for the pastime that they are!
If you want your efforts to bear fruits, you’ll also need to work at your own pace. Plan everything carefully, try to be as innovative and as possible, see it as a long-time game, and you’ll soon struggle to believe in what you’re actually capable of!