While garages serve as a storage area for cars and miscellaneous items, they also offer an ideal spot for home improvement projects. Before the work can start, you’ll need to take some time to organize the space. Here are a few tips to help establish a suitable work area in your home.
Create Space
Before you begin to create a functional workspace, you’ll need to clean it out and organize it. Evaluate your needs. Then, sketch out how your belongings could best fit in the area. For example, overhead storage racks are strong and get materials off the floor. For items used more frequently, consider wall shelving or hooks that hang from the rack. The hooks are strong and come in varied sizes. This allows additional items to have a designated spot. Bicycles, sports equipment, and other bulky items can lift up. The more you pick up, the more space for work.
Add a Work Station
Now that you have room, take some time to plan out an area for the equipment and tools. Ideally, this would provide room to move around, proper lighting and access to several electrical plugs. Also, consider moving away from water sources. Once you’ve picked that spot, set out to arrange your materials. Hang pegboards on the wall, so you can place each tool up high and in plain sight. In addition, purchase or build a sturdy workbench. While many are stationary, you might consider selecting one using a phenolic wheel. This mobility could be helpful depending on the location or type of work you do. Just make sure it has a lock on it during building time.
Keep It Clean
Workshop projects get messy. Items spill and dust collects. Consider changing to another floor that is easier to clean. This could mean using epoxy flooring or rubber mats. Do you have a sink in the garage? While you don’t want water near the electrical equipment, it could prove useful to have a sink somewhere else in the garage. This makes for easy clean-up for you and your tools.
Add a Personal Touch
This area should have some fun and personality. Do you have a favorite sports team? Do you have an interest in a certain hobby? Hang up some pictures to reflect that. Also, think about how you like to work. If you concentrate better with noise in the background, consider adding a television or radio to the room.
The garage can be more than storage. It can become a place of creativity and productivity. It just requires a bit of time and planning.
