Garages – No Longer For Just Storing Your Car

If you have just purchased a new property with a garage, the chances of your car ever being stored in it are these days very slim, with an estimated 7% of garages being used to store cars, which means for around 90% of us, our garages are used for many other reasons than what they were traditionally built for.

In the early days (we are going back a bit here!) a garage was mainly used for storing your car to protect it from the weather, which in turn protected your car from rust, and of course, it was always easier to start a car that was kept in a warm place when it came to the depths of winter. But, with the improvement of how cars are made, in terms of materials, design and technology, this fear is no longer really something we worry about, which is why we now use our garages for many other reasons.

And, here are just a few.

Offices

One of the main ways people now use their garage is an office, with more and more people now working from home, either as a self employed or single business, or as an employee for a company, as the rise in working from home is something that is now more popular than ever, with businesses looking to save costs and reduce overheads.

Gyms

Let’s face it, £40 a month for a gym membership can seem a lot of money over the course of a few years, especially if you could buy the equipment and have somewhere to train yourself. This is why people now do exactly just this, by turning their garage, or at least part of it, into a mini gym where they can run, cycle, weight train and all the other things that fit people like to do!

Studies

If you have young kids or a large family, then it can be quite hard to get an hour or two to work on a project, revise for a big exam or complete that university course that you decided to finally sign up to a few years later in life. Garages can be a great place to put a desk, comfy chair and all of your study resources and get some time to really get your head into the work you need to do, without all the many distractions that life can often present.

Workshops

For those of us that can, making things is great, whether that’s repairing an antique clock or working on something crafty, a garage can be a great place to install a workbench, store your tools and materials and spend a few hours fixing, making and creating something special, and as we say, if you are lucky enough to be good with your hands, there is nothing more satisfying than bringing something back to life or making your latest creation.

Playrooms

If you have small kids, then you will also have a storage problem, that is almost guaranteed, with toys and toys and even more toys crammed into every cupboard, drawer and space that you can possibly fill, and this is when they are all put away and not sprawled all over the floor. Garages can often make a great playroom, and as long you can adequately supervise your children whilst playing there, can eliminate some of the mess from your living room.

General Storage

The majority of us have a room, cupboard or loft that we simply just chuck stuff into in the fear that we might just need that item in the future, but the likelihood is that we will never need it again and it would be better of down the local recycling centre or on Ebay. Storage is a huge problem for many of us, with home sizes smaller, family numbers bigger and just a lack of room to put things, which is why more and more people now use their garages for storage. There are many smart options on the market, like garage shelving and specific storage solutions, that can free up space in your home and allow you to use the loft for something more exciting than just storing junk.