Garages in New York: 4 Tips to Make Them Work Better

When a garage or outdoor shed is used for hobbies, manual work, or physical labor like car repair, carpentry, lawn care, or landscaping, the space needs to be well-appointed and organized for the job. Here are a few ways to make this happen in any garage in New York, whether large, small, or in-between.

4 Tips to Keep Garages in New York Ship-Shape

1. Know the Purpose of the Space.

Homeowners need to know exactly what they will be doing in their garage in order to get the best use out of it. Will it be used for car repair? There should be an open area where cars can sit and be worked on, as well as tool chests, a work bench, and possibly some extra storage for parts. Or, perhaps the garage will be used for carpentry. There needs to be room for saw horses and large machinery for cutting and routing wood, as well as a work bench or surface and plenty of storage for scrap wood and tools. Garage owners should carefully consider the hobbies they want to do in their garage as well as its practical uses (like parking a car and storing seasonal tools and equipment) in order to figure out how to best organize the space.

2. Install Plenty of Power Outlets

It’s better to have more power outlets available in a garage than needed. Homeowners do a lot of work and play in these spaces that require electricity. Outlets should be at convenient locations for plugging in power tools and equipment. This is another instance where garage owners should think about all the activities they will be completing in their space, and plan accordingly. A good general rule of thumb to follow is to have a power outlet available every 6 feet or so.

3. Think About All Usable Space

Garage owners need to literally “think outside the box” in regard to their space. They should think in 3 dimensions, not 2. This means looking up and around at all the unused space and figuring out how to use it. For instance, hanging storage is a great way to utilize empty space above – hang bikes, sports equipment, or rope from the ceiling. Along the walls, continue to go vertical. Install shelves up to the ceiling, and store infrequently used items up high.

4. Don’t Just Store Stuff on the Floor or Along Walls

Tools and equipment strewn about the garage floor not only looks messy; it’s inefficient. Instead of haphazard organization (or lack thereof), invest in bins, racks, shelves, hooks, cabinets, and drawers to store all supplies, tools, equipment, and odds and ends. Organize items according to their purpose, including how often they will be used. Label all closed storage for ease of access. Items that homeowners use the most should be readily accessible. Rarely used items (like holiday decorations, for instance) can be put on high shelves until they are needed.

Plan Ahead for a Perfect Garage

With a little extra thought and planning ahead, a garage can be the perfect spot to engage in hobbies or get some practical labor done. It can be a workshop as well as a storage area. It can be a place to park the car as well as a spot to indulge in beloved activities that enrich life. Garages New York shouldn’t be neglected or ignored for these reasons. These spaces have a lot of potential beyond the standard car parking and storage overflow uses. Garage owners simply need to tap into their creativity to discover just what their garages could become.