While some of us are good about keeping our garages clutter free and reserve the space solely for our cars, most of us end up using our garages as spaces to store all that which we have no idea what to do with. More often than not, our garages become so inundated with stuff that we are forced to give up a parking space inside. However, this problem can be solved by simply enforcing better storage practices, and in just a few minutes of reading, find out how you can do so with an online furniture store.
Buying cupboards from an online furniture store
As one might imagine, having ample storage space in a garage is of the utmost importance when attempting to organise your area. Cupboards are one of the most sought after and supplied pieces of furniture, exhibited when you peruse your chosen online furniture store. Because cupboards come in all shapes and sizes, you have your work cut out for you. Below are some pointers that may assist you in choosing the right cupboard.
- Take into consideration the available space: Most of us do not have large amounts of space available in our garages, especially if there is more than one car parked inside, as is the usual setup. In these circumstances, there will only be space for cupboards along the side or front of the garage, which may be a tighter squeeze if your garage has a door that leads into the home.
- In the instance of space along the side of the cars or parking spots, consider long, reasonably tall cupboard types, with multiple shelves. Stray from those with doors that need to open widely, since it is likely that you will not have the space to open them fully when your car is parked inside.
- If you decide to use the space in front of your vehicle, you will need a smaller cupboard in its width, but its height may increase to your heart’s content. Many families choose to use this cupboard space for extra books or filing that cannot find a place inside the house.
Looking for shelves on an online furniture store for your garage
Like cupboards, shelves alone are great ways to ensure your garage remains neat, and they are arguably the most common form of storage in garages across the world. Whether floating or fixed in brackets, shelves are great facilities when it comes to easy storage.
Some designers advocate strongly for the use of shelves, since they eliminate (or encourage the elimination) of our desire to messily throw things out of sight, as we are prone to doing when closed cabinets are in the picture. Out of sight, out of mind, which is why open shelves can do a lot for one’s own discipline and the formation of effective organisational strategies.
Create an upper space
One great way to make extra space in your garage is to build an upper level. This sounds more complicated than it is, yet requires some good power tools, building resources and perhaps a friendly handy-man if you are not proficient in the former. However, with enough research and confidence (that your upper level won’t come crashing down onto your cars) you can create an overhead oasis that will assist you in creating a spacious bottom layer for your most important storage and access needs.
When you decide to build an upper level, you are faced to decide which side it will predominately be on. It is ill advised to try to create an upper level that spans across the entirety of your garage ceiling, unless you are an experienced builder, DIY buff or ready to hire a contractor. This would call for certain structural advice or support beams that may be out of most of our skill leagues.
If you launch into building mode on your own (powered by in-depth research before of course) make extra sure that there is ample space for the roof of your car, and visiting cars, to fit underneath with room to spare.
How to begin cleaning out your garage
Organising buffs recommend setting aside at least one weekend to complete the arduous task of cleaning out your garage. There is only so much that buying furniture from an online furniture store can do to help you organise your space – the rest depends on you getting your hands dirty and making sure the space is spick and span.
Decluttering does not have to be a lonely and lifeless job. Sometimes going through old boxes and files yield the most interesting treasures amongst the trash, and the process can actually be made into a family project.
To avoid hoarding all that you find, consider sorting out your findings into three piles: trash, donate or keep. This is a great method to ensure that you get yourself into gear once all the cleaning is completed and to help you avoid placing everything back where it came from after the exhausting process.
The do-nots of garage storage
Safety is an important concern, especially if you live with pets and children. Many people are quick to store that which they do not want in the house within the garage, often forgetting that some of these items should not be within a space with limited periods of airflow.
The following items should not be stored in your garage:
Papers and files
This may come as a surprise. But paper of any kind functions like a magnet when it comes to bugs and critters. Rather find an airtight cabinet within the home interior to store important papers and files.
Fridges
Many garage owners are guilty of this one. Deep freezers and larger fridges are difficult to place inside the home due to their size and space requirements. However, experts argue that these large appliances suck a whole lot more energy when functioning in a room that is warmer (as garages tend to be, especially during a South African summer) with limited airflow.
Paint cans
Because garages maintain warmer or cooler temperatures than the interior of the home, depending on the season, paint is more likely to become spoiled and unusable than if stored in a more temperate space. This can save you another trip to your nearest home store.
Generators
This is by far the most important warning. In South Africa, loadshedding and power cuts are frequent occurrences, and many store and operate their generators inside their garages. This can have deadly results on pets and even people if they become trapped in the garage and the door happens to be closed.
Quick tips to help you clean your garage
Have you ever heard the famous quote, “the best laid-out plans… often go awry?” Well, in the case of cleaning out and organising your garage, this is certainly not the case. Taking the time to draw up or think out a basic plan of what you want your garage to look like after you are finished with your rigorous organising and cleaning is a great way to ensure you are not disappointed in the end.
Having a set-out vision can also assist you in delegating tasks as well as keeping you on track and preventing distraction in the form of finding old dress-up costumes from your childhood that you would like to try on again.
Create a floor plan
Drafting a floor plan can help you visualise where and how you would like to store your items that you need to keep accessible. If you know that you need to buy new items (especially if you will be implementing any Do it Yourself elements while you sort out your garage) it will benefit you to imagine and plan out a space where you will keep them.
Tools can be stored on special tool-boards for easy access and a decluttered feel. It is also easier to keep track of, find and clean your tools if you store them in this manner. At the same time, of course, you are adding to or establishing the neat and professional aesthetic of your garage.
Birds of a feather
Bulky items such as lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners and leaf blowers should be stored together in the corner(s) of your garage so as to keep the clutter to a minimum and at the same time promote organisation. Keeping them tightly together in one corner is likely to prevent knocking them over with your car, much to the dismay of your insurance company
Keep things off the floor
Where at all possible, and whatever the (reasonable) cost, strive to keep items off of the garage floor. This can be done by installing hooks in the walls where there is space available to hang up large equipment and items such as bicycles. This can prevent injury and general frustration in the long run. When you shop at an online furniture store, look out for similar storage tools and hooks.
Cool things to look out for when you shop from an online furniture store for your garage
While our garages primarily serve the purpose of storage and protection of our cars and other items from the weather conditions, there is no harm in making the space look aesthetically pleasing. The following are some ideas to think about when you embark on your shopping journey from an online furniture store with your garage space in mind:
- Clear jars in different sizes are a wonderful way to store non-perishables and other items that are not too hard on the eyes. While glass is preferable in terms of aesthetics, plastic is naturally less prone to breaking and easier to clean without the fear of shattering it in the process.
- Sourcing a label maker, although not a typical item that will show up when you buy furniture online, is an exciting appliance for anyone to have in their garage. Think endless fun, organisation as well as labelling stationary to stop your nosy co-worker from stealing your pens throughout the work day.
The last resort : create another storage space elsewhere
Sometimes, we are left with no other choice than to create space for items that cannot fit in the garage. There is only so much that buying storage facilities from an online furniture store can do. Finding alternative space is often necessary when one thinks of the primary function of a garage : to safely store vehicles.
Keeping your car out of the direct sunlight and UV rays, as well as general weather related damage can go a long way in prolonging the lifespan of your car as well as its physical appearance. Where safety is concerned, keeping your car out of sight and safely tucked away in your garage is always a good thing. This can deter any wandering eyes and potential robbers (in the worst case scenario) from damaging or even stealing your car while you sleep.
Setting up a small shed in your garden may be a solution for those items that simply take up too much space, and can be completed as a family project on a budget if you source the right material and follow suitable DIY guides.