The Full A to Z Guide to Garage Improvement Ideas
Garages can sometimes become neglected or underused spaces in our homes. We use them for parking our cars or storing things that we’re not using. That can lead to them becoming cluttered, so we go in them less, and it becomes a vicious cycle.
But there are plenty of creative ways to use this extra space in our homes, whether it’s converting the garage into another room, using it as a workspace, or just making sure it’s well organized, and we can find all the things we need.
To help you see the potential of your garage space, here’s our A to Z of Garage Improvement Ideas!
Apex
While some garages have flat roofs, others have the sloping kind. And up there in the eaves is a whole lot of storage space that you may not be using. There are a couple of ways you can utilize this space; the first would be to attach little-used items to a pulley and raise them up and out of sight.
Garage Storage Pulley
This two-pack of pulleys is a simple way to lift items that weigh up to 125 lbs into the roof space. The hooks are rubber coated, so you won’t get scratches on your kayak, ladder, bike, or any other object you want to lift out of the way. Suitable for ceilings up to 12 feet
Alternatively, you could add in a mezzanine level for storage. Add a collapsible ladder or staircase and use it to keep the things that you only need every now and then, like Christmas lights or Halloween decorations.
Telescoping Ladder
With a maximum reach of 12.5 feet, this telescopic ladder will help you get up to your storage with ease. It has wider steps to help prevent slips, and a no-pinch mechanism so you won’t catch your fingers putting it up or down. It will support weights of up to 330lb, but don’t forget to include the weight of anything you carry in your calculations.
Bicycles
We want to keep our bikes safe and secure, so they get locked in the garage. But unless you’re using them every day, the chances are they are just getting in the way. There are some really great solutions for bike storage, and we’ve included a few here:
Gravity Bike Stand
Available in 2 and four bike models, this stand is a simple and easy way to get your bikes tucked out of the way. There’s no fitting required as the stand simply rests against the wall of your garage. The weight of the bikes will hold it in place once it’s loaded.
Ultrawall Bike Storage Rack
Store up to 6 bikes on just 48 inches of wall space. Made from ultra-strong industrial steel, this rack will support up to 300lbs of weight. The bikes are secured to the stand via J-shaped hooks and suspended at the height you require.
Conversion
If you need space for other things, then converting your garage into another living area might be worth considering. The main issue with garages is that they can be dark, but that makes them perfect for a home movie theatre. Other uses for garages include home-gyms, dens or even a spare room for guests or to earn a little money by renting it out through Airbnb or similar.
Before you think about converting your garage, you should look into the following:
- Check your property deeds for restrictive covenants. Some developers have included clauses which prevent garage spaces being used for other things.
- Planning permission may be required for changing the use; usually, that’s only necessary if you’re extending the garage at the same time, but it is worth checking to make sure.
- Make sure that any conversion you do complies with all necessary building regulations. If you employ someone to do it for you, they should handle this site; however, if you are doing the work yourself, it is your responsibility to comply.
Doors
Garage doors can be pretty boring. But there are a few ways to make them more interesting. If you don’t already have one, then you might consider installing a remote opening device. This will save you getting out of the car to open the garage door on cold or rainy nights.
If you just want a quick and easy upgrade to the look of your garage door, then a decal is the way to go. You can order illusion decals that make it look like you have a sports car, private jet or even a UFO parked in your garage or go for something more mundane to just give a makeover.
MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener
This isn’t just a garage door opener; it’s a smart garage door opener. It will alert you via your smartphone if the door is used, helping you stay on top of your home security. You can also give Amazon access via Key by Amazon, so any parcels you get are delivered safely to your home.
Magnetic Garage Door Windows
Give your garage door a makeover with these magnetic ‘windows.’ From a distance they will give the illusion of a whole new door, adding an expensive-looking finish to an otherwise plain door. Installed in minutes, these are extra-strong magnets which won’t shift even when the door is opened.
Floor
Garage Floors are often concrete and can easily get stained and begin to look unattractive. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can protect them with floor mats or give them a protective covering with some floor paint.
ArmorAll Garage Floor Mat
This mat has a waterproof backing to prevent rain or melted snow from getting through to your floor. It’s also absorbent enough to catch any oil or fluid spills from your car. It’s long-lasting and can just be power-washed or hosed off when it needs a clean.
Seal Krete Epoxy-Seal
Three times more durable than regular floor paint, this epoxy resin sealant will waterproof your garage floor and help keep it stain resistant; messes can be cleaned right off it.
You can even decorate your garage floor using decorative chips combined with the paint. Choose to match your aesthetic or your favorite sports team.
Green Roof
Do you want to do more for the environment but without turning your back garden into a wilderness? Well, how about letting your garage roof be home to a wildlife area.
You could do this by planting tubs with bee and butterfly-friendly plants and putting them on the roof, or you could go the whole hog and have a green roof.
Not only do these roofs add insulation, but they also help deal with surface water and help the environment!
Green Roof Construction and Maintenance
This book by Kelly Luckett is the result of his experience in building more than 50 roofs in public buildings. You can learn more about the benefits of these structures and how you can implement one for yourself inside.
Hinges
If you want to give a vintage look to your property, then adding cast iron hinges is a great way to do it. You can instantly create a look that will mesh with a Victorian property and blend well with the mock Tudor look too. But if you can’t upgrade your fittings, you can still fake it.
Magnetic Decorative Garage Door Accents
Like the faux windows we mentioned earlier, these ‘hinges’ are magnetic, allowing you to position them anywhere you like on your garage door. And if you move home, you can just take them with you!
Insulation
Keeping your garage warm and dry can expand its use for storage and make it a cozy work area even during winter. Adding insulation to your garage door is a relatively simple job and will bring a lot of benefits.
NASA Tech Foam Core Insulation
This foam attaches to the rear of your garage door to help keep frost and cold at bay. It comes with full instructions and all the tape and tools you need to make this improvement.
Jars
This idea will apply to the recyclers among you. If you want to have a screw and nail storage solution that lets you find the right size easily, then you can simply keep the items in recycled glass jars.
But. Rather than having a shelf full of jars to shuffle through, make use of storage space by screwing the lids of the jars to the top of shelves or even to the rafters of your garage. When you need, then, you can just unscrew the jars and take them to your workbench.
Keys
Where do you keep your car keys? If you hang them on a hook inside your garage, then you might want to look for a more secure solution.
Upgrading to a key cabinet can let you store not just car keys, but also spare house shed mower, or other keys that you might need when you’re in the garage.
Sterling Combination Cabinet
With a combination lock, this key cabinet is accessible to anyone who knows the numbers. You can store up to 36 different keys inside, and there’s a color-coded system to help you keep all the key straight.
Light
Whether it’s light outside to see you safely into your garage, or one located inside to help welcome you inside, lights are an important part of garage design.
When thinking about lights, you need to consider which parts of your garage you use most often. It might be a good idea to plan multiple switches so you can turn the light on no matter where you come from.
60W Motion Activated Garage Light
You don’t need to worry about switches with this motion-activated light. As soon as the sensors pick up movement, they’ll turn the light on for you. There are three ultra-bright LED lights which you can adjust to make sure the light gets just where you need it to.
LEPOWER Flood Lights
There’s no need to wire these floodlights in; you can simply plug them in and put them wherever you need them. That makes them ideal for lighting a garage that is used for a variety of purposes. Move them near your car when you’re doing maintenance or put them by your workbench when you’re there.
Mice
Unfortunately, there are all sorts of creatures looking to make a home in your garage. Mice and rats are perhaps the least welcomes because they can be destructive. The best way to manage this is with the prevention, making sure that there are no small gaps that these creatures can get through.
If they do get in, you can make them feel unwelcome with these repellents.
Ultrasonic Repeller
Just plug these devices into sockets in your garage, and they will emit ultrasonic frequencies that will discourage insects and rodents from making their homes there. If they already live in your garage, they will become uncomfortable and want to make their homes somewhere else!
Numbers
While we traditionally think of putting our house number by our front door, it can be helpful also to include it on your garage. Think about it; your front door is usually at least partly obscured by your garden whereas your drive leads straight up to your garage door. Adding a number, there can really help friends and delivery drivers to get to the right place.
Solar House Number
No need for complicated wiring to add this house number to your garage door. It’s charged by a solar panel and automatically lights up when daylight begins to fade. Add the stickers to create a custom house number sign.
Overhead Storage
The rafters are an often-overlooked part of the garage. But if the roof is high enough you can add in some runners and simply slot storage containers up there.
The beauty of this solution is its low price, the runners are made easily for bits of wood, and the storage containers can be bought at your local big-box store.
Parking
As cars have got bigger, it can be more of a problem to get them into garages that were built some years ago. But even if you have a small car and a big garage, accidents can happen. But with these useful products, you can help make bumps and scratches a thing of the past.
Safe-Light Parking System
Can you ask for a simpler system to understand than this? Using a light series that you already know, the sensor on this unit will guide you into the right position. When you’re over 5 meters away, the light will be green.
Under 1.5 and you’ll see amber and under half a meter and the red light displays. Not only that, but there is a single sound alert for each light phase too.
Parking Mats
If light and sound is too high tech for you, how about these adhesive rubber floor mats? You place them in the spot you want to park, and they’ll guide you into place. You drive in until you feel the bump, and you’re in the right spot.
Quads
Biceps, triceps, hamstrings, and quads – your garage can be a great location for a home gym. It’s hard to come up with excuses to skip leg day when you only have to go out to the garage to work out.
Depending on the size of your car and garage you might only be able to fit in a set of dumbbells, but if you’re fortunate, then you can add in a whole home gym setup.
SYL Fitness Pull Down Lat System
This pull-down exerciser is a great example of a piece of gym kit that can be simply and easily put into your garage. As it’s hung from the ceiling, it doesn’t need to take up floor space, and you can quickly move from garage to gym.
Recycling
We all want to help reduce waste and the burden it places on the planet. But there is an issue with recycling; where do you put it all while you’re waiting for it to be collected (or delivered). The answer is often in the garage. That’s why we love these neat recycling storage solutions.
18 Gallon Recycling Containers
This handy set of recycling containers allows you to separate your recyclables into three separate bins. With three different colors to act as a guide for what to put where you’ll find recycling a lot more pleasant with these storage bins which offer a total of 18 gallons of storage space.
Shelves
Speaking of storage, this is one thing that garages are almost universally used for. We’ve already explored some of the options, but this section is dedicated to shelving.
Shelves are a great way to pack tools, paint, toys, and all the other bits and pieces you keep in your garage up off the ground and easy to access.
Topeakmart 3-pack of heavy-duty shelving
Measuring just over 59 inches in height, these shelves give you plenty of storage space for your garage. The extra-deep shelves make them perfect for storing containers and boxes. They’re easy to assemble, and you can choose the height of each shelf for customization.
Tools
Whether you tinker with your car, use your garage as a woodwork shop or just like to DIY your home refurbishments the chances are that you have a good range of tools.
And where do they live? In your garage. Organizing your tools makes working with them that much easier, and there are some great options available.
VonHaus Garage Wall Tool Organiser
Look at all that storage space! From the peg-board style backing with movable hooks to the lower racks, there’s a ton of options for keeping everything just where you need it. This is a modular design, with two separate panels and two shelf units so you can arrange everything just where you need it.
Utility Sink
Adding an outside sink is a great way to keep the mess out of your home. Use it for filling and emptying buckets and watering cans, or for cleaning tools and outdoor toys.
You may already have a water supply into your garage, but if you don’t, you’ll need a plumber to install some pipes and hook you up to your house supply.
Black Utility Tub
The makers of this tub claim it is virtually indestructible, and it’s certainly perfect for washing out muddy boots or equipment. The faucet pulls out to create a steam or shower spray, helping you to get pretty much anything sparkling clean.
Vacuum
If you want to make clean-up in your garage a breeze, then consider having a vacuum cleaner that is kept out there just for wood shavings or cleaning out the car. It will make it much easier to keep things neat and tidy.
Bissell Garage Pro Wall Mounted Vacuum
Bissell is an established name in cleaning, which is why they’ve put together a really outstanding garage vacuum. It’s wall-mounted and comes with a range of accessories to help with the detail cleaning your car and just keeping the garage in order. But it doesn’t just suck, it also blows. Perfect for handling sawdust or leaf debris.
Workbench
We’ve talked about working in your garage a few times, but one thing that makes that much easier is a good workbench. If you have space, then a permanent installation is a great option for the dedicated worker, but even if you’re short on square inches, you can find space for a fold-down workbench.
Keter Fold-Down Workbench
This workbench can support an impressive 1000 lbs and comes with two clamps that will hold items if up to 12 inches. It has a unique folding mechanism that allows the workbench, made of heavy-duty resin and aluminum to fold down and be tucked into a corner simply.
(e)Xhaust Fan
Ventilation can be an issue in any garage. While you want to enable enough air to flow around to keep the temperature stable, you don’t want to leave gaps for rain or rodents to get through. The answer to this conundrum is an exhaust fan that will help keep the environment stable inside your garage.
AC Infinity Ventilation Fan
This ventilation fan doesn’t just control the temperature; it also helps with humidity, really important if you are using your garage to store things. There’s an LCD display to help make setting a breeze, and it is fully programmable so you can determine the conditions under which it will run.
Yard Tools
Many of us keep our yard tools in our garage, to keep them accessible when we’re working on the front and rear of our properties. It makes sense, but they can take up valuable space if you don’t have a suitable storage solution.
FitTool Adjustable Storage System
Get your garden tools up off the ground with this wall-mounted storage. It comes as four 12-inch pieces, which you can either use as separate stores or combine to make one 48-inch bar to support your outdoor tools. Rakes, shovels, brooms, and more can all be kept neat and tidy and not get under your feet.
Zapper
Are bugs an issue in your garage? Let’s face it; if you’re working out there in the summertime, you might end up with some annoying buzzing or biting company.
But one way to keep your garage to yourself is to install a bug zapper. It attracts annoying pests, and with one zap, they’re not around to bug you anymore.
Gogoyu Electric Bug Zapper
Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, this bug zapper uses UV light to attract bugs that are completely safe for humans and pets. It will attract insects in an area of up to 20 square meters, and they are then quickly electrocuted.
FAQs About Garage Improvement
What can I do to make my garage better?
First of all, cleaning it thoroughly it’s a place to start. If you want to organize your tools and bikes, it’s best to purchase a bike stand and tool organizers that will help you get that equipment in one place. Also, if you want the place to be cozy, you should add some insulation, repaint and change the floors.
How can I organize my garage cheaply?Many people throw away their furniture and don’t think of repurposing it for the basement. In fact, you can brush it a bit, apply some paint and get a brand new space you can use for your man cave. Also, the best way to do this cheaply is to thoroughly think where would you want to put things, and then go buy in bulk all the organizers you need.
Should I insulate my garage floor?If you plan on spending too much time in the winter there, it’s best if you add some insulation, as it will make the place more comfortable for long staying.
Now You Know Your ABCs
That concludes our A to Z of garage improvement ideas. We’ve tried to include ideas to suit a range of uses, styles, and budgets. We hope you find it inspirational!