What is the Point in Having a Garage Anyway?

If you’ve been considering building a garage, it can be a bit complex of a decision. You might not be certain as to what you want to do. It can seem like a lot of a hassle for something you’ve become accustomed to not having. What’s the point of having a garage anyway?

Extra Storage

The first and most obvious reason that many people build garages is because they are in need of on-site storage for their investments. This can include all kinds of investments, of course, from your cars, sports equipment, tools, and other items. When building your garage, having the option of built in storage of some kind is a great choice. This can include shelving and other help for future storage. Often interior closets can get clogged with outdoor storage items, leaving less options for organizing and decluttering clothing, shoes, and other clothing items. Garages are excellent, ventilated spaces for things like blanket storage, out of season toys or craft storage, and other necessary items.

Hobby Space

Many individuals have discovered during the pandemic that they simply do not have enough space in their homes. Not wanting to move, they have realized that the addition of a garage space, if insulated, can be used as a spare room. For those who love woodworking, resin work, crafting, sewing, or other crafts, this is an excellent hobby space. Some families have used such a hobby space as a place to arrange a “genius room” for all family members to share tools and learn to build and engineer ideas. If you have remodeled your kitchen and there are cabinets to “spare,” those make excellent garage storage.

Vehicle Protection

The most logical, original reason for a garage is for storing your vehicle, of course! This protects your car from both problematic individuals and also the elements. Your car’s paint is likely to be damaged by sun, hail, and other natural damages, such as windstorms that throw about tree branches. Your car’s paint is much safer in a garage, which makes it look new a lot longer. In addition to parking in the garage, you can use things like ceramic coating to protect your paint job. The more protection you have for a car, the better your resale value is for it as well.

Mudroom

If your car is being parked within a garage, this generally means that your entrance will be from the garage interior door. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to create a “launch-pad” for your family: a mudroom where boots, shoes, backpacks, and other things needed before leaving the house can be easily stored. This not only frees up storage space within the house, but creates the chance for organization for gear for sports teams and other hobbies to have a place to be organized and stored. Having a designated spot for shoes and boots, especially can be useful to keep dirt from being tracked into the house.

Playspace

One thing most families have discovered during the pandemic is that they do not, indeed, have enough space for their growing families. However, moving during a housing boom is a complex situation. Selling a house is easy right now! Buying one…that can be a nightmare. The addition of a garage can create a lovely option to provide a playroom , leaving remaining bedrooms to house beds only. With the summer heat being overwhelming this year, and no end in sight for climate change and rising temperatures, it’s particularly critical to provide an indoor creative and fun space for children to have active play, as well.

Desperately Needed Bonus Room

There are many reasons to need a bonus room, and whether you build on a garage or insulate the one you have, there are great options for making it usable. Some people need a bonus bedroom for a child who has outgrown sharing with siblings. Others might need a mother-in-law suite created for an aging parent. Still others might need a place for a returning college student to have an independent entrance and exit, and yet be close to the family. Having a finished garage can create all of those things.

Attached Office

As more and more families have had to close ranks during pandemic, houses seem smaller as they have had to establish both options for a home office and school space for the children. With more and more parents having to abandon one income to stay home during virtual school in waves of epidemic, having a work space option is a great option for keeping the work of both partners, while having a quiet option for working at home. This can help protect both careers if one parent needs to be home for an extended period in a child-rearing capacity.

Entertaining Spaces

An open garage is remarkably inviting to make it possible to entertain. If you’ve ever wanted a tiki bar, or a pool table, or other entertaining ideas, but have no spaces for those things, a garage is a great chance to have one! While your neighbors might not enjoy a loud sound system, there’s no rule why you can’t have a lovely movie theater, or lounge space in your garage area. This gives you a large space for a screen, or else a comfortable location to enjoy a conversation pit. There are great options for insulation and air conditioning or heating such a space, making it possible to enjoy year-round entertaining upon request, with the ability to always bring your own snacks!

Regardless of what you choose to use it for, it will end up being a wonderful thing for your family to be able to spread out a little bit! Everybody needs a little extra space during a pandemic, and it’s been terribly frustrating to feel cramped up in both personal life and work life. The addition of a little more space is a great option to give the family the chance of more stretching and growing, especially during the hottest times of the year.

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