Posted on: January 28, 2019 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Garages are among the top neglected spaces in a typical household. In fact, almost 1 in 4 Americans can’t fit their car in a garage due to the accumulation of bulky storage over time. When treated properly, garages are a great tool for creating your own homespace, making a DIY art studio, and other innovative uses. Like other rooms in the house, they need to be treated with maintenance and regular care so that your garage becomes a functional unit of your home.

Rethink Your Structure

The first step to revamping your garage is to de-clutter your extra storage so you can clean and make structural changes to the garage space, if necessary. Once the bulky storage is out of the way, it’s common to discover messes in your garage you may not have noticed before, such as rotting foods or liquid spills. To keep your space clean, you can use auto floor mats to absorb liquid and pad the floor with insulation. It is also a good idea to use a bleaching agent on any mold or grime before returning your items into the garage.

Items To Keep Out of A Garage

Certain items, like propane tanks and canned food, should not be stored in a garage, even if that seems like the most obvious place to put them. Propane tanks run the risk of accidentally exploding if the valve isn’t shut correctly, which is why it’s a good idea to store these in a place removed from the home (like a garden shed). Canned food has a much lower shelf life in garages because of the lack of heat in winter: instead, keep your canned food in a kitchen pantry or other indoor location where it can’t freeze.

Minimize Excess Moisture

Another common issue with garages is the accumulation of moisture (and, by extension, mold) thanks to the lack of indoor heating and/or through insulation. To offset the growth of moisture in garages, run a dehumidifier regularly and open your garage door occasionally when it’s not raining, to keep air circulating. You can also store a bowl of baking soda in a garage to suck up moisture in the air at a low cost (be sure to discard the baking soda when it turns clumpy). 

With the right makeover, your garage will be in pristine condition and ready to be repurposed as a space you can actually use. Even if you need your garage for storage, it’s still a good idea to periodically revamp and clean out the space so that you can actually find the things you need in a pinch.

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