I recently transformed my hot mess of a garage into an organized garage and extension of my home. Check out this full post for garage makeover tips and suggestions.
My two car garage was literally a dumping ground for unwanted items, toys, and trash. Although I was able to park my vehicle in the garage, there was so much wasted space. I wanted to reclaim my garage. It was so embarrassing to look at. I always wanted to park and enter my house as soon as possible. I didn’t want my neighbors to see how horrible m garage was. As an interior design and professional organizer, sometimes I’m my worst client.
Clean Your Garage
Before I could organize my garage, I needed to completely clean the garage. With the help of my son and three of his friends, we completely emptied out the garage. I used chalk to write on the concrete in the driveway to sort through all items. I had a section for tools, trash, design, donate, and Christmas decor. We literally emptied out the entire garage and put everything in sections. It was very hard to get rid of many items. I had to keep telling myself that I was never going to use the item so it was time to let it go.
Finish the Walls
When my home was built in 2003, the contractors did not finish the walls. They only completed the tape and bed. Due to the garage being almost 20 years old, I needed to redo the walls. My new contractor finished, textured, and painted the walls. I opted for a neutral gray color because I didn’t want a color that would limit my decorating. I highly recommend finishing your garage walls in any circumstance. In addition to finishing the walls, I also added trim/moulding to the bottom on the walls.
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Utilizing Shelves & Storage
One of my garage goals was to make sure nothing was sitting on the floor. A few years ago, a frog hopped in my garage and of course I never seen it again. The idea that a frog could be trapped and or dying in my space was simply horrible. Fortunately for me, I believe it escaped because I never seen it or it’s body again. For this project, I opted to reuse my existing shelves that were originally purchased from Home Depot. I also purchased plastic storage bins from Home Depot. I wanted to make sure everything was contained and in matching bins.
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Update Flooring
Prior to my project, I didn’t know the various flooring options for the garage. I initially considered those DIY epoxy kits. Upon doing my research, I discovered a much better option. Flooring has options such a kitchen countertops. You can go with a less expensive option like laminate or peel and stick or you can opt for something like marble. I wanted something that was going to keep the beautiful high end look and last a long time.
After interviewing several flooring companies, I decided to hire Hello Garage of DFW. The sales manager arrived and gave me all of the information I needed. I made my flooring and color selection. I decided to go with polyaspartic. Polyaspartic has a much stronger bond to concrete. It will not fade, flake, or turn yellow. Unlike other flooring options, it is not slippery. It cures fast and you can have full access to your garage in 24 hours. I am super satisfied with my selection.
Learn the various flooring options available prior to your home project. This can save money and time. Click To TweetBe Creative with Garage Decor
Who says you can’t be creative and decorate your garage? I used real life license plates for my wall of license plates. I also found some great vintage garage pin up girl signs and vintage gas station signs. These items created the desired look I was going for. I also added the street map I received from Mapiful. I named my home “Divine Manor.” This map is a map of the city and the year Divine Manor was built.
Add New Lights & TV
If you know me, you know I believe a smart TV belongs in every room of your home. A smart tv can be used to watch tv, movies, and also listen to music. I wanted to add the TV to the garage so I could listen to music while the girls rode their bikes or cars. In addition to the TV, I needed a better light source. The led lights I selected are perfect. They are visually appealing and provides the needed light I required.
Make a Comfortable Seating Area
Although my garage is a traditional area to store my car, hot water heater, and tools, it is also a living space and transition from the outside into my home. I wanted to make a small area where I can sit down while my little ones play. I decided on using outdoor patio furniture because it could hold up in the outdoor elements and easy to move around. The set I purchased from At Home was absolutely fabulous. Not only is is comfortable, but looks great and matches my garage.
I hope you found this post informative. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments in the comment selection below.
As always, if you need help getting your home and life organized, register for my free “5 Days to an Organized Home & Life” email course. Each day you will receive strategies for keeping your home & life organized and having a “company ready” home at all time. You can register for the free course at www.decoratorsvoice.com/free5daycourse.
For information about my Full Home & Life Organizational Strategies course, please visit www.decoratorsvoice.com/homestrategiescourse. In this course, you’ll receive tons of useful information, a one on one private consultation, access to my private Facebook group, and a physical organizational kit.
Thanks for stopping by. If you have any organizational or decorating questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I would love to hear from you. For information concerning our decorating services and products, please visit www.divineelementsofdesign.net
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