When a garage is on the smaller side, it can be difficult for homeowners to maximise their space’s usefulness.
Despite the two main uses of a garage, you may still make do with less space if your garage is smaller.
With some extra creativity, you may find ways to make a small garage work for parking and storage.
Make the most of the space in your garage by using these clever, space-saving concepts.
Exactly How Small Is A Garage That Is Considered To Be Small?
A “small garage” is often considered to be one that can accommodate no more than two cars. Additionally, you would be eligible for a less typical 1.5-car garage size.
A little garage may be advertised as having room for one or two cars, but that only sometimes implies it will be possible.
When planning a garage, it’s important to consider the space available, the size of the vehicles stored there, and the items stored within.
Standard dimensions for a one-car garage are 12 by 20 or 16 by 24 ft. According to the room proportions, that falls somewhere between two hundred forty-four and three hundred eighty square feet.
Two-car garages usually have dimensions of 18 by 20 by 24 feet or 360 by 576 square feet.
Traditional detached garages, whether for one or two cars, tend to be smaller than their modern counterparts. Many factors contribute to this, one of which is that people used to think of garages primarily as places to park cars rather than as places to store household goods.
Because most families only had one car in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, it’s common to see one-car garages in older homes.
The Benefits Of A Small Garage
Cost Efficiency
Bigger isn’t necessarily better, right? One advantage of renting or buying a smaller garage is the lower price tag that typically comes with it. Less overhead means more money in your pocket, which you might use for other projects or pursuits.
Space Optimisation
Although it may appear constraining, having a small garage inspires creativity! When you’re cramped for room, you have to be creative to make the most of what you have. Trying to squeeze all your belongings into the allotted space while solving a fun puzzle is a lot like that.
Low Maintenance
There will be less to clean and maintain if there is less room. Time spent sailing through seemingly infinite vistas is over. Less work and more time to do what you love when your garage is on the smaller side.
Energy Efficiency
It may come as a surprise, but a smaller garage may also imply less carbon emissions! Less room to heat or cool means less energy to heat or cool, which is good for the environment.
The Economic Impact
Increased Property Value
Your home’s resale value can increase by a hefty sum if your tiny garage is neat and well-utilised. A neat and efficient garage might be a selling point for your property, especially if you want to sell it soon.
Cost Savings
Less space in the garage encourages more strategic storage. If your belongings are well-organised, you won’t have to buy the same things twice. Being more cognisant of what you currently possess can lead to cost savings.
Garage Decluttering And Organisation On A Small Scale
Somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five percent of garage dwellers have so much junk that they can’t even fit their car inside.
So, clearing up the clutter is the first step in finding any small garage storage options.
A “No-Stress” approach to clearing out your garage by dividing the job into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Presented here are a few noteworthy points:
Clearing Floor Space
Get the big stuff out of the way first. This includes old mattresses, computers that aren’t working, recycling bins full of empty cans, empty moving boxes, and stacks of newspapers and periodicals.
This first stage makes the area usable and yields immediate, observable outcomes.
Sorting Items
Sort everything into piles of like products next. Ensure there is enough room between heaps so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
At the end of this step, your garage should be more organised, although it’s okay if it isn’t perfect just yet.
Determining Their Fate
Separate everything from a pile into three piles: trash, giveaway, or keep. Donate or trash everything that has yet to be used in the past year or that doesn’t have a use for you anymore.
Use online marketplaces like eBay to review potentially valuable objects and determine whether to sell, donate, or throw them away.
Implement Storage Solutions
It is time to use storage solutions once you have controlled the clutter.
If your garage is smaller, don’t worry—we’ll show you how to maximise your space in the next section.
Advice On How To Make A Limited Space Seem More Generous
Invest In Personalised Track Storage
The most space-efficient method for a garage is to build a personalised track system on the walls, which is an investment but well worth it. You can rearrange the drawers and shelves to put your belongings precisely where needed.
Purchase Personalised Closets And Cabinets
Installing bespoke cupboards or closets in the garage is another alternative for those who would rather conceal clutter. You can conceal your belongings from prying eyes by closing the doors.
Place A Shelving Unit Made Of Metal
Installing a metal shelf or two in the garage is a quick and easy way to organise your belongings. If you’d like it to be easy to move around, get the highest one that fits and attach caster wheels.
Put Wall-Mounted Shelves To Use
The best way to maximise storage space in a limited location is vertically. If your garage needs more storage space, consider installing floating shelves. Ensure you don’t put anything too heavy on shelves because of their weight limit.
Use A Slat Wall To Conserve The Area
Slat walls are a great way to maximise vertical space and personalise your garage storage. Arrange your belongings on shelves, hooks, and baskets such that things you use regularly are at eye level and those you don’t use much are hung higher.
Install An Overhead Storage Unit
If you have a garage and aren’t already using the walls as storage, you should start looking upwards. Have a rack in the ceiling to hold seasonal decorations or large objects like kayaks.
Repurpose A Bookcase
Do you have a discarded bookcase or bookshelf lying around? You may free up some room in the garage by using it there instead.
Choose Clear Bins
For several reasons, using clear containers with sealed lids is ideal when working in a garage. First, bins let you organise your belongings into different groups; secondly, you can see exactly what’s inside each one; and thirdly, the lids keep out dust, bugs, and other unwanted visitors.
Opt For Opaque Bins
Even with clear containers, you might keep your belongings out of sight, like when you hide clutter behind cabinet or closet doors. Opt for solid-coloured opaque ones instead for a more coherent design—a smart move in a cramped apartment.
Label All Bins
Label all your bins clearly so you can see what’s in them, and return them to their proper locations, regardless of whether you want clear or opaque bins.
Organise Depending On Usage
Store seasonal decorations and lights on upper shelves or overhead racks, which are only turned on once a year. Keep the items you use most frequently at eye level so they’re always within reach.
Retain The Same
Generalised methods of space utilisation include keeping all sporting goods in one area, while more targeted methods include keeping all pliers in one drawer. In any case, to maintain a tidy and orderly garage put comparable things together.
Create Zones
Maximising the space and making it easier to function in a tiny garage is possible by creating a flow within it. Ensure that certain areas, like a workshop, gardening space, paint supply area, or bike storage, are marked.
House A Mini Mudroom
The garage can double as an auxiliary mudroom if that’s the door you often use to enter and exit the house. Make getting ready for the day a breeze by installing hooks and cubbies to hang coats, shoes, and backpacks.
Maximise A Workstation
Among other large things, shop vacs and compressors may hog a lot of room in a garage. Please put them in their little house by placing an empty spot beneath a workbench.
Hang A Pegboard
An organised garage is only complete with pegboards. These are beautiful because they come in various sizes, and even a little one can make a statement. Making the most of the available storage space is as easy as personalising the shelves, hooks, and containers.
Install Charging Shelves
Use a piece of pegboard or a wall-mounted shelf close to the outlet to establish a dedicated charging station for the bulkier chargers with power tools.
Consider A Magnetic Strip
Quite a few tools, particularly those used for gardening, are crafted from metal. The wrenches and trowels you often use can be neatly stored on a magnetic strip attached to the garage wall.
Recycle Old Jars
Whether you saw it in your parents’ or grandparents’ garages, this tactic is just as effective now as it was then. Repurpose those empty jars of tomato sauce or jelly by storing your nails, screws, and nuts in them after you wash them. Mark the jar as you would a container to remove any uncertainty.
Make Use Of Drawers With Pullouts.
You can get more done with less room if your desk has shallow drawers or if you use a track system. Since they are too small to put on a pegboard, many little items—like tape, scissors, and zip ties—tend to go misplaced in bins. Putting them in drawers makes them more space-efficient and facilitates retrieval and storage.
Secure Lawn Tools
As you might have guessed by now, using vertical space is the best way to save space in a small garage. Keep your rakes, shovels, hedge trimmers, and other large yard tools off the floor by attaching a sturdy organiser to the wall.
Hang The Hose
Anyone who has ever had a hose (or two) in the garage knows how frustrating it is to untangle them. Spread it out and roll it up evenly before hanging it up. Another option is to use a tiny round basin and secure it to the wall by winding it around it.
Hook Ladders
Space is at a premium regarding ladders, no matter how big or small. Put them on big hooks and hang them from the wall so they won’t be in the way when you work in the garage.
Park Your Bikes
In your search for a vertical bike rack, include the number of bikes you own. As a result, nobody will be able to topple over onto another.
Float Bikes From Above
Do you ride your bike infrequently? To eliminate the need for any floor space, suspend them from the ceiling. Another option is to do this solely during the winter when they aren’t in use.
Give Seasonal Items A Home
When we talk about seasons, we should also talk about the things that go along with activities, such as winter skiing and summer surfing. Use wall-mounted racks for horizontal storage or specialised organisers for vertical storage.
Find A Sports Equipment Organizer
The children should be able to easily get the equipment they need for play, including balls, bats, gloves, tennis rackets, and helmets. Find a sports gear organiser to accommodate your current and future needs.
Throw Things In A Bucket
The general rule is that spherical containers work best for storing spherical objects. Put all of the balls, bats, and baskets into containers. Playing catch or shooting hoops outside with the entire bucket is a simple enough task if it’s light enough to carry.
Conclusion
A small garage can be a valuable space for parking and storage, offering cost efficiency, space optimization, low maintenance, energy efficiency, and increased property value. Traditional detached garages, which typically have one or two cars, are often smaller than modern ones. Decluttering and organizing the garage is essential for maximizing its usefulness.
A “No-Stress” approach involves clearing floor space, sorting items, determining their fate, and implementing storage solutions. Investing in personalized track storage, purchasing bespoke cupboards or closets, placing metal shelving units, installing wall-mounted shelves, and using slat walls can make a limited space seem more generous.
Investing in a personalised track system on the walls, purchasing bespoke closets or cabinets, placing metal shelving units, installing wall-mounted shelves, and using slat walls can help maximize storage and maximize the space in a small garage.
To maximize space in a small garage, organize your belongings on shelves, hooks, and baskets, keeping them at eye level and storing them in different groups. Install overhead storage units, repurpose a bookcase, choose clear bins, and label all bins clearly. Keep items at eye level and organize based on usage.
Create zones to maximize space, such as a workshop, gardening space, paint supply area, or bike storage. Hang pegboards, install charging shelves, consider magnetic strips, recycle old jars, use pullout drawers, secure lawn tools, hang hoses, hang ladders, park bikes vertically, and use vertical bike racks.
Give seasonal items a home, find a sports equipment organiser, and store spherical objects in buckets. Create a flow within the garage, house a mini mudroom, maximise a workspace, hang pegboards, secure lawn tools, hang hoses, hang ladders, park bikes vertically, and use sports equipment organisers.
Content Summary:
- A small garage is typically one that can accommodate no more than two cars.
- The size of a one-car garage is typically between 234 and 388 square feet.
- Two-car garages typically have dimensions of 18 by 20 by 24 feet or 360 by 576 square feet.
- Cost Efficiency: Small garages typically come with lower overhead costs, allowing more money for other projects.
- Space Optimisation: Small garages inspire creativity and require less space to maximise.
- Low Maintenance: Less room for cleaning and maintenance reduces cleaning time and effort.
- Energy Efficiency: Small garages may result in less carbon emissions, which is beneficial for the environment.
- Economic Impact: A neat and efficient garage can increase property value.
- Cost Savings: Less space encourages strategic storage, leading to cost savings.
- Clearing up clutter is the first step in finding small garage storage options.
- A “No-Stress” approach involves clearing floor space, sorting items, determining their fate, and implementing storage solutions.
- Invest in personalised track storage: A space-efficient method for a garage.
- Purchase personalised closets and cabinets: Custom cupboards or closets can conceal clutter.
- Place a metal shelving unit: Metal shelves can be a quick and easy way to organise belongings.
- Install wall-mounted shelves: Floating shelves can maximise storage space in a limited location.
- Use a slat wall to conserve the area.
- Arrange belongings on shelves, hooks, and baskets to keep items at eye level.
- Install an overhead storage unit for seasonal decorations or large objects.
- Repurpose a discarded bookcase or bookshelf to free up space.
- Clear containers with sealed lids are ideal for organising belongings.
- Opaque bins are a more coherent design.
- Label all bins clearly for easy identification.
- Store seasonal decorations and lights on upper shelves or overhead racks.
- Keep items most frequently used at eye level.
- Keep generalised items in one area or all pliers in one drawer.
- Maximise space by marking areas like a workshop, gardening space, paint supply area, or bike storage.
- Install hooks and cubbies to hang coats, shoes, and backpacks.
- Place an empty spot beneath a workbench for large items like shop vacs and compressors.
- Personalise shelves, hooks, and containers for a neat storage solution.
- Use a piece of pegboard or a wall-mounted shelf to establish a dedicated charging station
- Store metal tools like wrenches and trowels neatly on a magnetic strip attached to the garage wall.
- Repurpose empty jars by storing nails, screws, and nuts after washing.
- Use shallow drawers or a track system for more space-efficient storage.
- Use vertical space to keep large yard tools off the floor.
- Spread and roll up the hose evenly before hanging it up.
- Hang ladders from the wall to avoid obstruction
- Suspend bikes from the ceiling or during winter when not in use.
- Use wall-mounted racks for horizontal storage or specialised organisers for vertical storage.
- Organise sports equipment for easy access.
- Use spherical containers for storing spherical objects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Any Creative Ways To Store Seasonal Items In A Small Garage?
Use overhead storage for seasonal items like holiday decorations and rotate items in and out based on the time of year to free up space.
What Are The Benefits Of Modular Storage Systems For Small Garages?
Modular systems allow you to customise storage solutions based on your specific needs, adapting as your storage requirements change.
How Can I Organise Small Items Like Nuts, Bolts, And Screws Efficiently?
Use small bins, drawer organisers, or a multi-drawer cabinet to keep small items neatly sorted and easily accessible.
What Role Do Multipurpose Furniture And Storage Containers Play In A Small Garage?
Multipurpose furniture, such as benches with built-in storage and stackable containers, can serve dual functions, maximising space efficiency.
Are There Any Tips For Maintaining An Organised Small Garage In The Long Term?
Regularly declutter and reassess the storage layout, adjusting as needed. Implement a system to return items to designated spaces to prevent clutter buildup.