If your home has a garage, there’s much more you can do with that extra space than just park a car.
Garages can be useful for storing tools, lawn care and gardening equipment, bicycles, toys — and a myriad of other supplies and belongings.
If your weekend project to-do list includes upgrading your garage, yet you’ve been putting it off due to high costs, read on.
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FOX Business spoke to design pros for their best tips on how to upgrade a garage for less than $250.
Metal shelving units, such as those from Costco or Home Depot, can be purchased for around $100-150.
These can be used to store and organize all your garage items from sports equipment to tools and more, said Bob Thomas, lead design expert with Hearth and Petals in New York City.
“Not only does this get things up off the floor, but it also maximizes your space and makes it easier to find what you need,” said Thomas.
If you have a workbench, consider adding a pegboard above it to store tools and supplies, suggested Austin Fain, CEO of Perfect Steel Solutions in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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“You can also add a clamp-on light to improve visibility while working,” he said.
Another idea for tool organization, said Fain, is to use magnetic strips or hooks to organize and display your hand tools — keeping them easily accessible.
Painting or sealing the floor can give your garage a fresh look, Fain said.
“By applying garage floor paint or epoxy coating, this can help hide stains and protect the floor from future damage,” Fain told FOX Business.
Take the opportunity to do safety enhancements in your garage.
“Install smoke detectors, buy a fire extinguisher and install carbon monoxide detectors if they’re not already present,” suggested Fain.
Most garages come with one or two fluorescent lights.
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Yet replacing them with energy efficient LED fixtures is an affordable way to upgrade your space and make it brighter and more inviting, said Patrick Grayson, a general contractor and CEO of Paramount Property buyers in the Indianapolis, Indiana, metro area.
“Look for fixtures that can be easily mounted on the ceiling or walls of your garage,” he suggested.
Don’t fret if the children make a mess since they’re in the garage, noted Alanna Murray, an in-house designer with Murray Craft Builders, a residential contractor in New York City and Westchester, New York.
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“Find an inexpensive kid table and chairs from Ikea or secondhand,” Murray said.
Get creative and informal, she added.
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“We put a plastic shower liner under the craft area to contain the mess and allow for easy wipe downs,” she said.
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“I set this up for my almost two-year-old so I can get some work done in the workshop and keep an eye on her while she uses Play-Doh in her little craft nook,” Murray said.
Want more ideas for home upgrades? Check out: 5 ways to upgrade your kitchen for $250 or less, according to professional designers.