Your garage should be one of the most functional spaces in your home. Where else can you store everything from car parts to sporting gear to Christmas decorations? In what other space could you build furniture, repair small appliances, and grow plants?
If your garage isn’t as functional as you’d like it to be, fixing it might be simpler than you think. Take a look at some signs that your garage is dysfunctional and how you can fix it.
There’s Not Enough Room to Park
For the majority of homeowners, the primary purpose of a garage is to have a safe place to park the car. Sure, not everyone uses their garage for storage (plenty of people convert their garages into some type of living or working space instead), but if your garage is still primarily a garage, there should be room in it for your car.
If there’s not space for your car in your garage, it’s probably a sign that something has gone wrong. If the problem is that the garage is overcrowded and cluttered, it may be time for a garage sale or a major cleaning. If the problem is that you have more vehicles than garage parking spaces, you may want to consider expanding the garage or installing a lift to make sure that all your family’s vehicles can be stored safely inside.
You’re Tripping Over Things As You Walk Through the Garage
Maybe you have enough room in the garage for your car and whatever else you’re storing inside the garage, but you can’t make your way from one end of the space to the other without stubbing your toe or tripping over something.
This could be another sign that your garage is overcluttered and that you need to get rid of something, but maybe not. It could also be a sign of disorganization. You have the room for the things in your garage, but you don’t have them stored in a way that keeps them out of your way.
If this sounds like your garage, it’s time to look into new storage solutions. Slatwall or pegboard on the walls can keep small tools and other objects off of the floor. Shelves, storage cabinets, or a workbench with drawers can also be good solutions for getting stuff off of the garage floor and out of the way in an organized manner.
You Can’t Find What You’re Looking For
You know that you put your hammer away in the garage the last time you used it, but now that you need it again, you can’t seem to put your hands on it. Not being able to find what you’re looking for in your garage can be a sign that it’s disorganized, but if your things are relatively tidy and you have storage solutions in place, not being able to find things could signal another common garage problem – poor lighting.
Garages frequently lack adequate lighting. If your garage is still illuminated by a single bare bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling, it’s no wonder that it’s hard for you to find the things that you need. String lights, spotlighting over task-specific areas like workbenches, and LED lights that are designed to withstand garage conditions are all easy-to-install solutions that can give you a clearer picture of what’s in your garage.
A dysfunctional garage can be a problem, but you don’t have to just live with it. For help redesigning your garage to be more functional, contact us for a free design consultation and estimate.
