Garage organisation

An unfinished concrete floor is a porous surface and any unattended oil spills will quickly turn into stains. Sealing the floor provides a permanent solution. First, sweep the floor, and then seal it with diluted PVA adhesive or a proprietary concrete sealer. To finish, apply one or two coats of garage floor paint (non-slip if possible). The heavy-duty gloss paint is impervious to liquids so you’ll always be able to wipe up drips and spills.

 

A sealed concrete floor in the garage generally requires minimal maintenance. An annual wash down and a new coat of sealer should do the job. If you’re painting the floor, use an acrylic paint rather than an oil-based masonry paint.

 

If you have open studs in your shed or garage, make the most of them. To keep clamps sorted, drill holes in the studs and install lengths of threaded steel rod, tensioned with washers and nuts. Screw shelf brackets to the studs and then install as many shelves as you need. You can cut the shelves from scraps of timber.

 

Organise the garage so that all the key items such as lawnmowers and bicycles fit neatly and easily. Then grab a can of bright yellow spray paint and mark out the ‘parking spaces’ for each item. The outlines will remind you – and the rest of the household – where everything goes.

 

An old hammock strung over the car in a garage bay can be a clever storage place for sports balls, empty bags and other bulky lightweight items. Attach the hammock with stout screw eyes that are secured to the joists.