The longer you live in your house, you will naturally acquire more and more stuff as time passes by. If your house has a basement, then you are lucky to have the much-needed extra space for storage. But what if you don’t have a basement? The next possible option is to store it in your garage.
Excessive hoarding of unimportant stuff is one of the most common reasons why cars are not parked inside the garage. A car parked outside will naturally be exposed to the changing weather and other harsh elements, which will eventually damage your car. Without the protection of a garage, your car’s longevity will be half as long when compared to a similar car that is parked inside.
An off-site storage unit may be your next option, but before you decide to rent one, here is a better solution, you can convert your garage into a multi-purpose shed.
Benefits of having a garage shed
- A shed can free up living space inside your home. Things you don’t regularly use can be kept there to reduce the clutter. By doing this, things you will need to keep inside your house will be limited to only those you frequently use.
- Additionally, if your garage has also become cluttered with all your gardening tools and other stuff cramped inside leaving no space for the car, utilizing your garage space to fit everything in without taking up your car space is essential. By converting it into shed, you will open up more potential for your garage space to become useful.
- Organizing your garage into a shed means you will be able to keep track of all your belongings and know where everything is kept. This will save you the time and effort when looking for something you’ll need.
- With everything organized, parking your car inside the garage will never be a hassle. You have to remember that a car is one of the most expensive personal investments, and, by safely securing it inside your garage, you will be able to keep it in shape for longer which will also benefit your financial welfare in the long run.
- A separate garage and shed may require separate use of electricity or a generator for the stand-alone shed but, if your garage and shed are combined, the use of electricity will be lessened.
- Another benefit is the convenience of having everything you need under one roof. If you need to repair something inside your house, you don’t have to go out and leave just to get your tools from a separate shed. This could be a hassle especially if you have a large property.
Although there are many benefits in combining your garage and shed there are also disadvantages, which include
- With your shed and garage in one place, you may have limited space for your car with all the other stuff stored inside. This will also pose a problem if you have a big car.
- Your garage can easily accumulate dirt and yard debris from your garden equipment.
- Also, if you are going to use it as your work space for minor construction or repair projects, you can also create a lot of dust inside your garage.
- Because your shed and garage are combined, chemicals and other hazardous liquids that you use for your garden and other things that you used to put away in a separate shed, can now be accidentally accessed by children if you are not careful in storing them out of their reach.
Now that you will be combining different stuff – the things from the shed and the things that are already in your garage, you may find yourself getting frustrated with all the clutter surrounding you and organizing may seem like a hassle. To help you achieve your goal, here are some tips that you may want to consider:
Get rid of what’s not useful and important
Although it’s easier to keep things you can’t seem to decide what to use for, eventually, you will not benefit from this habit of hoarding. Unnecessary hoarding will take up precious space intended for more important things. Instead of storing old but useful possessions where they will only collect dirt and dust, why not donate them so others can use them?
Evaluate your things
After deciding what is staying, evaluate and make an inventory of the items that you now have on hand. This will be your basis for the kind of storage solution you will be applying. If you have small things, putting them all on shelves is not appropriate.
There are functional but creative ways of shelving and storing, but this will all depend on the things that you have. The best way to organize is to choose your shelving appropriately so everything has a place of its own.
Utilize vertical space
Instead of just storing your broom, rake, shovels, mop, etc. cramped up behind your door or just beside cabinets, use a hook and hang them individually. This way, it’s easier for you to clean the floor and prevent dirt from collecting at the bottom of your broom or mop.
Utilize as much space as possible
Depending on how your garage shed was constructed, you may have enough ceiling space where additional items can be secured above cabinets or shelves. Rarely used items can be stored above. If you know how to make cabinets, you can also add some shelves for more storage.
Safety and Security
Many people store valuable items in their garage, these include your car, tools, etc. Your garage is also a common spot that would-be thieves target to gain access to inside your house, since it is usually more isolated than the main entrance. Ensure that your garage door can be locked and secured properly, it should also be sturdy enough to be difficult to break into.
Always remember that your safety and security is the primary consideration.
