Is your home too full of stuff!

If your garage is overflowing and there's no space to park your car... time to clean out and organise.

 

With homes and gardens getting smaller, homeowners are realising the potential value of space in a garage. While it's good to have a secure place to park your car, a garage can be used for plenty of other storage purposes. But if your garage has become a dumping ground for unnecessary clutter, it's time to consider how you could put it to better use.

With a bit of organizing there are plenty of uses for a garage:

A space to rent out for extra income

While this may require some investment for remodelling, it is a great way to supplement your income and will add significantly to the value of your property.

Increase your living space

Depending on the location of your garage, it is possible to extend your living space by knocking out the dividing wall.

Children's play area / chill space for teens

Convert your garage into a playroom, with attractive décor and space for a chalk board, children’s furniture, craft supplies and toys. Once your kids are teens, you can redecorate and they'll appreciate having somewhere separate from the rest of the house to watch TV and hang out with friends.

 

 

Private home office

If you don’t have space for a home office, the possibility exists to turn a garage into a home office. Ideally, add windows to let in light and invest in suitable carpeting – but even if you have to make do at first, a garage could give you the space and quiet you need to get your work done.

Craft, DIY or hobby workshop

If you like to paint, do woodwork or metal work, create mosaics or spend time on any other art or craft projects, you can transform your garage into a dedicated area for this purpose.

Home theatre

With a few changes it's possible to convert a garage into a home theatre. Add carpeting, some comfy chairs, a flat-screen TV and surround sound and you're ready to sit back and relax.

Clean out the clutter

Before considering a garage conversion you need to clean out clutter. If a garage has been accumulating a varied assortment of goods over several years, this may take some time.

These are always good rules of thumb for clearing clutter:

1. Sort everything into four piles – keep, sell, donate or toss. Once you know what you plan to keep, you can start to find alternative storage spaces for these items. Walk through your home and check for any storage space that's unused or can be reorganised to accommodate some of the items. This is also a good time to assess your storage areas.

If you don’t have space to store, consider how you can incorporate clever storage into your repurposed garage. For example, you could opt for a storage bench, coffee table or bed with built-in storage compartments.

Store it with SpaceBox

SpaceBox is an incredibly convenient option for storing boxed and individual bulky items, like those typically stored in garages. So instead of cluttering up your garage with tools and sports equipment you seldom use, seasonal decorations, spare curtains and the like, consider storing them with SpaceBox. It's so easy... Simply request a pick-up online and they drop off one or more sturdy, fully sealable plastic containers - or use your own boxes.

SpaceBox store your items securely (for a monthly fee), and return them to your door whenever you request them back.

For more information visit www.SpaceBox.co.za