Turn Your Garage Into A Living Space

This post reminds me how badly I STILL need to declutter my garage even after the hours I spent out there working on it this summer. There’s nothing like finishing an unfinished building to make a chick want to just keep purging the crap she’s collected over the years. Though I never plan on my garage becoming a four season living space like this post suggests I still totally plan to rock it in my garage all summer long! (What amazes me though is that there are people even living in my neck of the woods who chose to convert their garages and NOT use them to protect their vehicles in the winter, which is just crazy to me!)

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

Garages are the new loft. These often-unused spaces are great for converting into extra living space, whether its another bedroom, a gym, a home office or an entertainment room. Here are just a few steps for turning your garage into a living space.

Make sure its convertible

Before you start work on your garage, you may want to hire a home inspector to check the build quality of it. Some old garages are flimsy or built using hazardous materials like asbestos. Such garages often need to be knocked down and rebuilt if you plan to use them for living purposes – which isn’t cheap. A sturdy brick garage is what you ideally want as this can be easily converted.

Declutter

Many people use garages as dumping grounds for unwanted possessions. If you plan to convert this space, you’ll need to declutter it. Take the time to go through these belongings and decide what you will do with them.

You may be able to keep items and simply put them into storage as a way of freeing up this space – you can click here now for moving services that offer this. Alternatively, there may be items that you can sell or donate.

Fix up the floor

A lot of garages have bare concrete floors. Consider laying some laminated wood over the top to give the space a more home-like feel. You could even opt for vinyl or carpet.

Add some heat and electricity

Heat and electricity could be next on the list. Some garages already have an overhead light, but may have little else in the way of electrics. Consider hiring an electrician to wire in some extra sockets or even some extra lighting. Heating/cooling could also be necessary – this could be electric or gas depending on how you run heating and electrics in your home.  

Insulate

It’s possible that your garage may not be insulated. This could be something else to consider so that your home stays warm in the winter months. There are lots of different types of insultation to explore – here is just one method worth considering.

Style it out

There are many other stylistic features that you my decide to add to your garage. You may decide to remove the garage door and replace it with a window or a glass sliding door. Alternatively, you could add a skylight into the roof to allow natural light from above.

If you plan to turn your garage into a bedroom and it is large enough, you could even add an en suite bathroom – this would require a lot of plumbing, but could be great for transforming the space. 

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)