I have to admit that I’m one of those people who use their garage to store almost everything. Sometimes there isn’t much room for my car. I keep saying I need to clean it out, but how many of us have been saying that for years? It’s why we’re sharing a list of items that are actually great to keep in your garage. It seems like my garage might actually have a few things that I can actually keep, besides my car, of course.
For many families and homeowners, the garage quickly becomes a place to store old junk. When used to store functional, helpful items, however, a garage can be the most versatile, helpful room in the house. Here are 12 essential items to keep in your garage so it becomes an asset instead of a cluttered storage space.
1. Always Leave Room for Your Car
Your garage’s primary function is to provide shelter for your car. If you always make that top priority, it’ll help you avoid clutter and only make room for the garage essentials. You’ll also be pleased with how much better the outside of your house looks without cars always parked in your driveway.
Adjusting this space for your car also means paying attention to the ground. High-quality garage epoxy floor solutions will make sure your car is protected from various elements, like dirt and moisture. This is the easiest way to elevate your garage space and ensure that your car is safe from any harmful substances. This not only protects the car but also makes cleaning the garage a lot easier.
2. First Aid Kit
Though it’s probably a good idea to have a first-aid kit somewhere in the house that you can reach quickly—like the kitchen, bathroom, or master bedroom—having a backup kit on hand in the garage is always a good idea. Should you ever find yourself in a situation where something from your first-aid kit is depleted just when you need it, having the second one on hand in the garage will immediately prove valuable. Not to mention, the garage offers easier access when emergencies occur outdoors.
3. Car Maintenance Items
Since a garage’s primary purpose is to provide shelter for your car, what you keep in your garage should follow that function. Car fluids, a battery charger, and other basic car repair tools are all essential car maintenance items to have in your garage. It’s also a good idea to keep a separate set of some of these items in your car for emergencies that happen out on the road.
4. Basic Tool Kit
This may be a no-brainer for some, but tools go missing more than you’d think, often just when you need the very tool that’s gone missing. Keep a standard tool kit in a safe space in your garage, all together at all times, and you’ll avoid the stress of scrambling for tools when you need them most.
5. 24-Hour Survival Kit
A 24-hour survival kit should be a readily available item in every household. Though it’s probably a good idea to have one in a safe spot in your home, having a second one safely tucked away in the garage may give you the extra security you need in an emergency.
6. Snow and Ice Removal Items
For anyone who lives in areas with harsher winter conditions, keeping all the necessary snow and ice removal gear in one designated spot in your garage can be a lifesaver. A snow shovel, de-icer, and the necessary equipment for winter driving should all be kept together in the garage so things can run as smoothly as possible when winter weather rears its ugly head.
7. Recreational Equipment
Whether you ski, mountain bike, skateboard, or snowboard; if you participate in a sport or hobby that requires equipment, knowing where to store it all can be a challenge. Designating a limited amount of space in the garage to your recreational equipment can clear up space in the house while giving you the opportunity to assess what you still need and what can be thrown away.
8. Camping Gear
If you’re not the camping kind, this one won’t really apply. But if you just so happen to be a lover of the great outdoors, the garage is a great place to keep your camping gear ready, available, and organized. Most camping gear is designed to be compact when not in use, so having it in a designated space in the garage will give you a chance to prioritize your outdoor items and show your prowess.
9. Pet Food & Supplies
Leading pet trainers agree that it’s important to feed your pets in one designated area. The garage can be a particularly useful place to feed the pets because it completely separates their eating area from yours. If you have a spare refrigerator in the garage, keep your pet food in there to keep it fresh and make it last longer.
10. Garden Supplies
Most garden supplies aren’t terribly expensive, so it usually doesn’t do too much harm to leave them lying around your garden area, even if they go missing. If you want to be more careful with your gardening supplies, however, the garage is the perfect place to keep them. Because they are outdoor tools and are likely to carry dirt and outdoor grime with them, their transfer from garage to garden and back won’t be too much of a hassle.
11. Hobby Items
Whether you have recently picked up woodworking, pottery, or even something as simple as cycling, hobbies seem to always come with baggage—literally. If you have the space, the garage can be the place where your hobby-related items don’t get in anyone else’s way while remaining easily accessible to you.
12. Holiday Decorations
There is no holiday that comes around more than once a year, but there sure are a lot of them. That’s why it’s best to keep all of your holiday decorations easily accessible and all in one place. As long as you designate your garage as a place to organize things, your holiday decorations will follow suit.
In Conclusion:
If you don’t have enough space in your garage for all these items, you’ll need to fall back on other options. The loft, shed and storage units are all possibilities. Just make sure that you have everything that you need to hand. If clutter is an issue in your home, explore third-party options to move more of your possessions off-site. Now is the perfect time to make better use of your garage space. Use this handy list as a guide and get rid of all excess clutter. With a little effort, your garage can quickly become a welcome sight.
