An interesting irony exists in Australia's residential property sector. Many home buyers are hesitant to purchase a property without a garage or some form of parking space, however it is not unusual for those who already own a residence with a garage to have crammed in so many possessions in need of storage that it no longer functions effectively as a space to park a car.
For those in this predicament, what can be done? Over the years I have come to realise that with some clever storage techniques, a garage can work pretty well as a space to both park a car and to store household goods.
The first step to getting the most out of your garage space is to conduct a large-scale cleanout. This will help you to identify what things can be tossed and will set you up to store certain items more effectively. I blogged last week about how to conduct a successful garage sale; put these skills to use and sell off the items long buried in the depths of your garage that are no longer needed.
Before you simply return the remaining items back to their original positions, stand back and take a good long look at your garage space. I always find it quite amazing how much bigger areas turn out to be once everything is removed. Considering your empty garage should give you some perspective around how you can best use the space.
Remember, storage does not have to be at ground level only. In fact, if you are using your garage to store your car and it only just fits in, an effective means of storage could be to utilise the wall space and even ceiling space above your vehicle.
Equipment such as bikes and kayaks can be attached to the ceiling of your garage simply by installing ceiling hooks or other appropriate storage implements. Your local hardware store should have all the necessary tools.
The walls of your garage are also prime space for attaching storage solutions such as shelving, cabinets or even heavy duty netting (in which you can store sporting goods etc, shoes etc).
It goes without saying that care should be taken when fitting storage implements onto the walls and ceiling of your garage. It not done properly, either the storage implement or the item being stored (or both), could become dislodged, causing damage to the stored item, your car, or even a person standing nearby.
It is amazing how much can be kept in a garage when it is cleaned and organised efficiently. A few innovative solutions will improve the ease with which you can drive into your garage, locate stored items and ensure the safety of your possessions.