Garage Update Ideas

Automating The Door

The garage door is one of the most prominent (and arguably one of the most important) features of your garage. It is the main threshold that welcomes you home and the first line of defense when protecting what you keep inside it. You'll want to ensure that your garage door is operating at full efficiency.

If your garage door can only be opened manually, that's a surefire sign you need to update it. While it can be costly to upgrade to a remote-operated door, it does save you a lot of time and effort when you need to take your car in and out.

On the other hand, if your door is automated but is unreliable or faulty, it's time to upgrade the mechanism. A non-functional door is as good as a wall, so take note of how efficiently and reliably your garage door responds when you’re opening and closing it. 

If you’d like an even easier way of using automated doors, add a device that will allow you to operate it using your smartphone. This guide by the Family Handyman shows how to do so using only a door sensor, a Wi-Fi signal, and a mobile app.

Opening Up More Ventilation

Some garages get stuffy because the HVAC system in that area isn't on par with the rest of the house. Fixing your garage’s ventilation is the answer to such an issue. There are several approaches you can take to keep air flowing inside to make it more comfortable. 

First, add a fan to your garage. Standing fans aren’t that costly, but they do take up some floor space and come with a cord that you'll want to avoid driving on and tripping over. Ceiling fans require an installation job, but they will save you quite a bit of floor space. The trouble with fans is that they need to be turned on and off manually—which some people may forget to do.

Instead, you could add an exhaust fan. This will help ventilate your garage, but it will require some wiring installation. If done properly, they can be wired to turn on whenever the lights in the garage are on, making it less likely you'll forget to turn it off when you're done.

Finally, you can add vents or windows to your garage. These will require some extensive renovations, but the pay-off might be worth the cost and effort. This type of investment requires minimal upkeep, doesn't use electricity, and also adds some natural light to your garage during the day.

Adding More Light

More often than not, a garage is equipped with one overhead light fixture. The garage door might also have a row of lights. While this is enough if all you use it for is to park your car, you will find that it’s barely sufficient if you use it for anything else. 

Adding light to your garage can be done in a variety of ways. The first and simplest way is to change the bulb of the main overhead fixture. If you use a fluorescent bulb, switching to LED is your best bet. Not only will it be brighter but it will be a lot more cost-efficient in the long run.

Another option is to add additional light fixtures. You can add some desk or standing lamps if you have extra space and enough outlets in your garage. Better yet, install canister lights on your ceiling to illuminate more of your floor space—although this may require you to hire a skilled electrician to install the wiring.

Optimizing Your Storage

Garages are used to store a lot of extra items, ranging from small things, like extra nuts and bolts, to larger items, like a kayak or a lawnmower. Given that, it’s important to make use of all the space available to keep things organized and avoid clutter at the same time.

The most easy-to-forget space in your garage is the walls. These large surface areas can be used for hanging and organizing a lot of things—but it’s often too tedious to drill numerous holes and install hooks and shelves. To get around that, you can have a Slatwall system installed. Use the racks for attaching hooks and baskets—all without breaking a sweat!

You can also upscale your organization by assigning dedicated sections for what you keep in your garage. One section can be dedicated to all gardening equipment, for example, while another is solely dedicated to storing recreational gear. Or, you can stack clear vertical bins for easy categorization and access. 

Conclusion

Updating your garage doesn’t require heavy renovations. You can improve certain key aspects of your garage to make it cleaner and more efficient. Try some of the suggestions listed above in your next garage upgrade project.

Sources

• https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/control-your-garage-door-with-your-phone/