Not everyone has the privilege of a garage. With property prices soaring through the roof, to have the use of a garage on your property is probably the result of consistent hard work and a successful career. Which is why, once you can stand proud in your own garage and can pat yourself on the back grateful for everything you have achieved to date, the last thing you want is to use it as a dumping ground for all your house’s unwanted items.

Doing that is a slippery slope. Instead, you want to get to grips with your garage as soon as possible, equipping it to become a space that is truly of use to you and your family.

To this end we have compiled a list of all the best accessories you can get to make your garage a place to be admired and envied. Whether for storage, or working on your car, there is a smart (in the original sense of the word) solution for you here.

Optimise use of the walls

Chances are there are three sides of the garage which are blank canvases for you to create the perfect storage solution for every sort of paraphernalia. Plan it out as much as possible in advance. Highlight sections for bicycle racks, storage shelves, a tool station and any other miscellaneous items such as paddle boards and gardening equipment.

The more you calculate beforehand what you need to allocate for each item, the earlier you can plan and prepare by sourcing the right storage solutions, such as, for example, hanging racks and shelving units.

Create a washing station

If you have a water source and good drainage in your garage it makes sense to create a washing station close to it for those times when you need to clean down your car. Include a sink and sink unit, An eye level cupboard to contain any chemicals (out of the reach of prying little hands), and a dedicated space to house the car pump sprayer.

Always include a hose wheel, so that the hose can be tidied up after use and tucked away. Leaving a hose trailing is not only messy, but it can also damage the hose itself, creating miniscule holes that will eventually grow and cause other areas to get unnecessarily wet.

Can you create additional space in the roof area

While most garages will be flat roofed and therefore have limited ceiling or roof space, it could be that your garage has a pitched roof, which leaves you with additional space for storage. In this case you might need to create a floor area with ladder access. You would be best to talk to a professional builder about doing this, as the floor area needs to be strong enough to carry your weight as well as the weight of any additional items you decide to store.

Bike racks

Haphazardly stored bikes take up a lot of space, are messy, and ultimately damage the bikes themselves. Hoisting your bike collection up onto the wall using bike racks is the prefect solution for keeping your family’s wheels in good condition.

Additional food storage

In busy households the family fridge in the kitchen is often not enough. If you like to buy food items such as meat in bulk, make sure you include room enough for a deep chest freezer where you can store the additional produce. Additionally, if you have a passion for cooking, yet never have enough people to eat your creations, you can keep them on ice until the next social occasion when you can entertain the troops from the contents of your freezer.