By the time fall rolls around here in Florida, you’ll probably want to spend more and more time outdoors. And who could blame you? As the temperatures cool down and the skies get a little clearer, there’s no better time than right now to take your dinners, parties and get togethers outside. But if you’re in need of a spacious place to do this entertaining, one of the easiest places to do it may be an unexpected spot: your garage!
A clean, organized garage can be a great place to store outdoor supplies and family treasures as well as host company from time to time. Follow these four tips to get your garage ready for guests and enjoyment this fall:
Get rid of clutter.
One of the biggest reasons you may be hesitant to entertain in your garage this fall probably has something to do with clutter. If your garage space is packed full of brown boxes, outdoor toys, and other miscellaneous items you may want to choose an upcoming weekend to clear it all out and decide what you really need and want to keep. Some items you may rarely use are still important to you (such as family scrapbooks, baby clothes, etc.)—so be sure to keep these in a safe and clearly labeled box! Other rarely used items, however, such as old clothes, forgotten kids’ toys, and small kitchen appliances may be better off donated to a charity. Use your driveway as a sort of decision space for you to choose what to keep and what to donate—at the end of the day or weekend, you should only be left with those items you really can’t live without.
Give your garage a good clean.
Before you restock all of your items, give your garage a good clean. Thoroughly sweep the floors and clear the corners of any spider webs or dust—the same goes for any built in shelving units you may have. By paying special attention to the cleanliness of your garage, you can make it a more comfortable place for guests to spend time in—and not one they want to steer clear of!
Store to the sides.
Once your garage is clean and ready to be filled, try to store your boxes, bikes, outdoor equipment and other items to the sides as much as possible. This creates more organization and, of course, space for entertaining. You can pick up ceiling racks and wall organizers to make this part easier and more orderly.
Add touches of fun and entertainment.
Finally, it’s time to add those touches of fun and entertainment to your garage! Entertaining in this space doesn’t necessarily mean hosting dinners and parties, either—but your friends or kids are sure to love more casual forms of fun, such as game tables or old school arcade machines. Because this is a relatively small space, don’t feel the need to add heavy furniture and other traditional pieces—keep things light with beanbag chairs, a cabinet for games and maybe a rug or two. (Of course, if you still want to park your car in the garage from time to time, you may want to keep everything off to the side anyway).
We here in Florida typically don’t have basements—but we can definitely utilize the garage to serve the same purpose as a comfy, cool hangout for family and friends to get together!
Previous Article
Next Article