The garage is an oft-ignored part of your property, and you may leave it to gather dust - and outdated sporting equipment - as you rush from your car to your house. After all, you only spend a few minutes each day there, right?
Unfortunately, a neglected garage is a real turn-off to home buyers and visitors, so it pays to keep it in good condition. Even if you have no intention of selling your home any time soon, a clean, well-lighted garage will improve your quality of life on a daily basis by providing you ample storage space and a respite from staring at your junk every time you come home from work.
Here's what to focus on when you overhaul your garage:
1. Revamp Your Garage Floor
Plain, concrete floors are prone to absorbing oil stains, and they may crack over time. You can give your floors a new lease on life and protect the concrete slab with a floor covering specially designed to be tough enough for your garage. There are several choices, including epoxy paint, concrete stain, snap-together floor tiles and rubberized coatings and mats. A bright color can be a bold choice that makes your garage looking a whole new room.
2. Add Built-in Cabinets
Most people struggle with organization in the garage, but you can make it easy on yourself by installing inexpensive cabinets and built-in shelves. These can be as basic or as fancy as you like, but plain melamine-coated kitchen cabinets work remarkably well to store toys and equipment where kids can easily reach them while allowing you to lock other cabinets to keep chemicals out of reach.
If you have a hobby like gardening or woodworking, adding countertops will provide a work surface that you don't have to worry about getting messy.
3. Install Task Lighting
If the only light in your garage is attached to the garage door opener, call an electrician to see about adding more lights to your space. General overhead lighting over each car bay is crucial, as are focused task lights over any work areas you've installed. It's also helpful to add track lighting that you can aim at your utility shelves so you can easily find what you're looking for - even at night. Make sure all lights are connected to switches at each entrance.
4. Add Heat
Many older residences for sale have garages that aren't heated, but you can easily stand out by installing electric baseboards while you add wiring for the lighting. This will make getting in and out of your car much more comfortable in the winter, and it will also keep supplies like paint and cleaning products from freezing and thawing, which could ruin them.
Add a separate thermostat to keep on a timer or remote control so that you can keep the temperatures lower when you're not around. This allows you comfort when you need it - and lower energy bills when you don't!
When revamping your garage, keep an eye on both comfort and accessibility - everything should be easy to reach so you enjoy the time you spend there. Future owners of your home will also thank you!
