Ways to clear out a garage so you can make more profitable use of the space.
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As urban areas become more crowded and plots get smaller, more people are realising the real, potential value of the space in their garages.
It’s good to have somewhere secure to park your car, but a garage can be used for plenty of other valuable purposes too. Especially if your garage has become a dumping ground for unnecessary clutter, it’s worth considering how you could put it to better use.
Clever uses for a reclaimed garage
Just some possible uses of a reclaimed garage include:
- a flat that you can rent out
This will require some investment in remodelling but is a great way to supplement your income. It may also add significantly to the value of your property.
- an addition to your living space
Depending on the location of your garage, it’s possible you could knock out the dividing wall to expand your living area.
- a children’s play area/ space for teens
If you have children, you could convert your garage into a playroom, with attractive décor and space for a chalk board, children’s furniture, craft supplies and toys. Once your kids are teens, you can redecorate and they’ll appreciate having somewhere separate from the rest of the house to watch TV and hang out with friends.
- a home office
If you don’t have a study, consider turning your garage into a home office. Ideally, add windows to let in light and invest in suitable carpeting – but even if you have to make do at first, a garage could give you the space and quiet you need to get your work done.
- an arts and crafts studio or workshop
If you like to paint, do woodwork or metal work, create mosaics or spend time on any other art or craft projects, you can transform your garage into a dedicated area for this purpose.
- a site for band practices
If you or your children are musically inclined, clear your garage so that it can be used for storing and playing instruments. You could also sound-proof it.
- a home theatre
It’s possible to convert a garage into a home theatre by adding carpeting, some comfy chairs, the odd bit of funky décor and a flat-screen TV or a screen and projector.
Clearing out the clutter
Before you can convert or remodel a garage, you need to clear out any existing clutter. Of course, that’s easier said than done – especially if a garage has been accumulating a varied assortment of goods over several years.
These are always good rules of thumb for clearing clutter:
- sort everything into one of four piles – keep, sell, donate or toss
- if you haven’t used it in the past year, it probably doesn’t belong in the “keep” pile.
Once you know what you plan to keep, you can start to find alternative storage spaces for these items. Walk through your home and check for any storage space that’s unused or can be reorganised to accommodate some of the items.
This is a good time to reassess all of your storage areas – you’ll likely be surprised at how much space you can clear if you’re ruthless when it comes to tackling clutter.
If you don’t have enough space in the rest of your house, consider how you can incorporate clever storage into your repurposed garage. For example, you could opt for a bench, coffee table or bed with built-in storage compartments.
Or you can contact XtraSpace to arrange for convenient off-site storage of your stuff.