Buying a new construction home follows months of exciting planning, designing, shopping and packing. And the first day or week in that new home will be much more joyful if everything has a place before the moving van pulls up on day one.
Many builders will include fully textured and painted garages. But in most cases — and for good reasons — the organizational system is up to the buyer.
Nowhere is it more true than in California that the garage is for far more than cars. And, although the garage may not be as high on the priority list as cabinetry, countertops and flooring, having a plan for it before moving in will simplify the transition to your new home.
Start during construction
Garage organization systems are sold separately from the home. But the builder may be able to help with some structural and basic functional aspects of the garage.
Overhead door: Your garage will include the overhead door or doors as well as remote openers. Ask your builder about door style options with windows. You’ll be grateful for the natural light.
On the floor: Standard concrete floors are porous and low-worry when it comes to the messes. Alternatively, will you want an easier-to-wash finish or a surface that makes the garage feel more welcoming as a place for DIY projects, workouts or even playtime?
Ask your builder to have painters and tile installers discuss alternatives such as a tile floor or an epoxy finish on the garage floor. Remember, however, that these surfaces can be slippery. Epoxy can be blended with a no-slip additive. Likewise, outdoor rugs or mats with a plastic or rubber bottom can prevent slipping in high-traffic areas.
Plug it in: Do you or will you have an electric vehicle or two? California law requires that garages be wired for electric vehicle charging stations. If an electric vehicle is in your near future, ask the builder to add the charging station itself.
Plan for organization
Once it’s built, gather every possible measurement within the garage, including spaces between every door, window, appliance nook, soffit and outlet. Next, determine the balance you need between vehicle parking, functional working space and storage.
The classy workbench: Even the unlikely DIYer can pass as a handyperson with a functional and nice-looking workbench in the garage. Consider installing a durable pegboard or small slat wall above the workspace for handy access to common tools.
Cabinets and shelving: If installing a full wall of cabinets, build in some flexibility by including sliding storage shelves or racks on gliders to make it easier to see and reach items. Some systems even offer space-saving shelves with handles on the finished fronts so you can pull out vertical sections of shelves to access materials more easily.
Large wall panel: A bigger version of the slat wall, a large wall panel is ideal for hanging frequently used items such as brooms, dustpans, handheld vacuum cleaners, rakes and the garden tools used most often. It lets you access tools you use regularly without having to fish through a bucket, cabinet or outdoor shed.
Bike storage: Tightly packed garages in California mean dents and nicks on cars from bicycles or chains that fall off of bicycles because people bump into them so often. Hanging the cycles either in rows on the wall or upside-down from a rack on the ceiling opens up considerable space for movement — or more storage — in the garage.
Overhead racks: It’s a safe guess that nearly half of the storage in any garage is made up of important and even sentimental items that get used for only one season a year. While shopping for garage organizers, look into ceiling racks onto which crates filled with 10 to 15 pounds of contents each can hang securely.
Mudroom space: Everyone likes a good mudroom-type space to leave dirty boots, shoes, backpacks and sports equipment that no one wants in the house. Place water-resistant outdoor carpet on the floor and add hat and coat hooks to the wall at various heights. Incorporate sturdy drawers of metal baskets so everyone can have their own storage space.
A set of shoe organizers per person and a hamper with ventilation also helps. You can even ask your builder about spraying on a whiteboard wall in the mudroom area. Hang a cup of dry-erase markers so family members can leave notes, reminders and illustrations for each other.
Final tip: Remember the last-in, first-out rule of thumb at move-in time. Keep the toolbox out of the moving van and within your reach on move-in day.