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SEE | These 5 cool garage ideas will make you and your car happy

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<i>Image: MotorHappy</i>
<i>Image: MotorHappy</i>

A well-designed garage should be able to store your car and still have some space for other storage items, whether it’s household junk, boats, motorbikes, bicycles and/or items such as gym equipment, left-over paint, or tools.

"Your garage is one of the most useful spaces in your house. Obviously, it’s a place to store your car, but it also offers additional storage space and could even be a workshop," says Barend Smit, Marketing Director of MotorHappy.

'The first step is the worst step'

"However, it can quickly become cluttered, messy and dirty. You end up always needing more space. If adding more space and renovations are not part of your immediate plans, you can still take some steps to maximise the space. You just need to focus and to have the will to get stuck in," he says.

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Smit says organising your garage and designing a more useful space can be done in three steps.

"The first step is the worst step - cleaning up and throwing rubbish away.

car garage

                                                                 Image: Damir Kopezhanov on Unsplash

"The second step is making more space and dividing your garage into different areas. If you have a car it’s important to leave enough space for the car to fit inside the garage and have enough space on each side to open the doors, Smit explains.

"Lastly, packing should be cleverly thought out. Make use of space that isn’t being used, such as ceiling space. Many garages aren’t sealed off from the roof, which makes it perfect to hang or store other items such as surfboards, skis, riding gear and you could even hang your bicycles from the roof struts. Garage storage shelves are useful, and there are so many different options available," Smit adds.

Wheels24's Janine Van der Post says: "When you have a smaller, single-car garage space can be very tricky. Throw in a washing machine and a chest freezer and you have even less to work with. We came across some shelves a relative was about to chuck out and we quickly said we would take them. We also had a left-over indoor cupboard we moved to our new home and repurposed it too. My husband put up several shelves above the appliances and it made the world's difference in terms of space.

"Now, if I can just get him to clear out the unnecessary 'trash' he has lying around."

The perfect equipment for your garage

Smit recommends the following items for organising your garage:

1. A pressure cleaner is great for not only cleaning your car but your house walls, motorbikes, boats, pavement and pretty much anything.

2. A wall-mounted vacuum is a space saver and will help keep your garage and your car neat and tidy. These vacuums come with a long suction pipe which makes it easy to vacuum things anywhere in the garage. No more lugging your vacuum cleaner from your house into you garage!

3. A park-right garage laser helps with parking. If you’re not ready to go so hi-tech just yet, consider nailing pool noodles along the wall, next to where you open your door. That means if you’re a bit over-zealous when you get out of the car, your door will hit this the pool noodle rather than the wall.

4. A fully equipped toolbox is essential not only for your car but also for using around the house. It’s worthwhile investing in good quality tools.

Garage

                                                                 Image: MotorHappy

5. When it comes to garage storage shelves, think vertical. Invest in some good shelving and other garage storage equipment to allow you to make full use of the wall space and to keep the floor space clear.

"If your garage is so full of junk items that you can’t even get your car in there anymore, you might end up saving money in the long-run by simply cleaning out your garage and reclaiming that space for your car," advises Smit.

"When it comes to car insurance, your premiums are usually a little lower if your car is stored in a lockable garage overnight. If you do park your car in a locked garage overnight, be sure to let your insurer know, you might be pleasantly surprised by lower premiums," he concludes.

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