Increasing your home’s value can be a tricky prospect, particularly if you do not know which tasks are the most important. Think of your home holistically, and imagine how you would see each room differently if it did not belong to you. Your garage may be one of the first things that a prospective homebuyer would see, and so it could affect your home’s perceived value disproportionately. With these eight tips, you can improve your home’s value and your family’s overall happiness.
Tip #1: Eliminate Unnecessary Clutter
Clutter is the enemy of your home. It hides all kinds of problems that you may not even know exist. It makes your home appear in worse condition than it is. Installing top-notch organizational tools into your garage is only part of the solution. In order to make your home look its best, you must also use the organization regularly. The best way to achieve this is to be honest about what you want to put in each space. If you have a number of possessions that you do not use, ask yourself why you keep them. With this understanding, you can make a plan to let them go. That way, you get a cleaner home for years to come, not just a few weeks.
Tip #2: Install Overhead Storage
If keeping things off the garage floor is a constant headache, you may not be using the available space efficiently. Look at the ceiling. Is it bare? Formulate a plan to use it. Overhead storage is efficient, effective, sturdy and safe. For a minimal expense, you can give yourself a place to locate all the bulky, lightweight things that clutter the floor and do not fit on the walls. Overhead storage is perfect for those big bins of holiday decorations, sports equipment and other seasonal items.
Tip #3: Opt for Epoxy Floor Coating
Curb appeal is a major part of your home’s value. Open your garage doors and take a look at what visitors might see. Your garage walls could be professionally organized, but the whole appearance of your garage is tainted by an ugly, dangerous floor. Garage floors absorb oils and spills, making them slippery and stained. Epoxy floor coating is an ideal approach to this issue, because it makes your floor slip-proof and stain-resistant. With a variety of colors and styles, epoxy floor coating matches your décor and completes the look for your garage.
Tip #4: Add a Storage Loft
If you have very tall ceilings in your garage, you might be able to build a storage loft to take advantage of all that extra space.
This is a project that you could do yourself, with some time, hand tools and the right materials. A storage loft adds a large, sturdy shelf upon which you can store equipment, materials and tools. Put wood there for woodworking projects, or furniture components if you enjoy refinishing. You will not have to worry that the loft will collapse under the weight, and you keep these materials from creating a trip hazard on the floor.
Tip #5: Improve Lighting
As any real estate agent will tell you, lighting makes the difference between a space that looks cramped and impractical, and a garage that appears functional and efficient. Overhead lighting is a must, but you can do so much more. Add task lighting under shelves and cabinets for your workbench and other workstations. If the overhead lighting is not enough for you to see what you need in the dark, think bigger. Install larger LED light strips to provide more lighting at a fraction of the energy usage.
Tip #6: Hang Grids or Hooks for Tools
Pretty much all homeowners need a place to put their hand tools. From hammers and screwdrivers to a cordless drill or dremel tool, you want to keep your hand tools right where you can find them. Next to shelving, or above the workbench, install a wire grid or a series of hooks that will accommodate the tools. This ensures that the tools are in close proximity to tool accessories and the workspace, so that you never have to waste time searching for the drill, then the bits.
Tip #7: Paint the Walls
Just like your garage floor, the walls take a beating and they can show it to everyone. All the times the kids opened the car door too abruptly and left marks on the wall will be seen indefinitely if you do not get rid of them. Before you install any new storage, invest the time to dust the walls, remove cobwebs, clean away dirt and debris, and add a fresh coat of paint. You could even select a new color to match your garage cabinets and epoxy floor coating. Paint is an inexpensive way to make your garage look brand-new and more attractive to visitors.
Tip #8: Inspect Garage Doors
Unless you spend a lot of time in your driveway with the garage doors closed, you might not have a good sense of what they look like to passersby. The best home exterior paint job will appear drab and outdated if your garage doors are dented, scraped or malfunctioning. Take a moment to examine your garage doors, inside and out. If they do not work perfectly, have them repaired or replace them. Touch up scratches with paint, according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Your home’s value is based on the way your home looks and how it works. Fortunately, if you follow these eight tips, you put your garage into top condition and make your life easier. To learn more about improving your home value through garage organization, contact us for a free garage storage installation estimate.
