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Homeowners Brent Becker and Shelby Mitchell both lead busy lives, so cleaning and organizing their overcrowded garage wasn’t at the top of their to-do list. To remedy the situation, we helped them out with a top to bottom garage makeover.

To organize a garage, start by taking everything in it out and divide the contents into piles to keep, donate, and throw away.

    Garage Floor Covering

    Installing Norsk PVC garage floor tiles.
    Installing Norsk PVC garage floor tiles.

    To improve the look and function of the garage floor, we installed interlocking, PVC floor tiles made from 100% recycled materials from Norsk. The raised diamond pattern on the tiles is both slip resistant and easy on the feet.

    The 18”x 18” tiles are 1/4” thick and can be cut to fit with a utility knife. They’re easy to install by hammering the interlocking joints together with a rubber mallet.

    Storage Container Rack

    Plastic storage containers are great for organizing small items, but stacking the containers can make it difficult to find what you need. To solve that problem, we built a rack with a 2×4 frame and 1×2 cleats to allow the containers to slide in and out for easy access.

    DIY plastic storage container rack.
    DIY plastic storage container rack.

    To take advantage of a hard to access alcove in the garage, a large drawer with 1×4 sides and a plywood bottom was constructed. Casters on the bottom and a handle and legs on one end allow the drawer to side in and out easily.

    Watch our video on Simple Garage Storage Solutions for other tips on how to organize storage in your garage.

    A Wagner high volume, low pressure (HVLP) paint sprayer made fast work of finishing the storage rack and sliding drawer.

    Watch this video on Paint Spray Guns to find out more about the options available for spray painting.

    Other Storage Additions

    Closet rod brackets, with foam pipe insulation used for padding, work great as wall mounted bike racks. Watch our video on Installing Bike Ceiling Hooks to find out about another way to store bikes in your garage.

    To keep all the inflatable pool floats organized and out of the way, a fishing net was attached to 1x2s and hung from the ceiling over the garage door by hooks.

    A store bought rack was mounted on the wall for garden tools. Watch our Tool Storage Rack video to see how to make a DIY rack for your gardening tools.

    To make washing the family pet a snap, a BoosterBath doggie bathtub was installed along one wall of the garage.

    Garage after completed makeover.
    Organized garage after makeover.

    Garage Door Openers

    When replacing your garage door opener, consider one that has a screw drive for smooth, quiet operation. The Genie TriloG 1500 garage door opener has a 140-volt DC motor to provide plenty of power to open quickly.

    A lock button on the wall provides added security, as does a close confirm feature on the remote which lets you know if the door failed to close.

    A wireless access keypad can be mounted on the wall outside for easy access without need for a remote control. An optional battery backup allows you to open and close the door during power outages.

    Watch our video on Garage Door Features to find out more.

    Other Tips from This Episode

    Heating bolt with propane torch.

    Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
    Loosening Stuck Nuts or Bolts

    To loosen a stuck nut or bolt, spray it with penetrating oil and allow it to soak. Insert the socket wrench handle in a metal pipe to increase leverage and try loosening it again. If that doesn’t help, try heating it with a propane torch for a couple of minutes, let the nut or bolt cool, then repeat. (Watch Video)

    DeWALT 5-in-1 Hacksaw

    Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
    DeWALT 5-in-1 Hacksaw

    The DeWALT 5-in-1 hacksaw is a standard bow type hacksaw, low profile saw, long reach saw, 45° angle saw, and pistol grip jab saw. The 12” blades can be stored in the handle, and it has an easy high tension adjustment. The DeWALT 5-in-1 hacksaw is available at The Home Depot. (Watch Video)

    Danny Lipford on slippery Wood Steps

    Ask Danny Lipford:
    Slippery Wood Steps

    To prevent slips and falls on wood steps, start by cleaning the steps thoroughly with a deck cleaner or brightener to remove any dirt, mold, or mildew. Next, consider installing peel-and-stick abrasive strips on the front of each tread or apply an anti-slip coating, such as Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Anti-Slip spray (model# 268652), to the steps. (Watch Video)

    Editorial Contributors
    avatar for Danny Lipford

    Danny Lipford

    Founder

    Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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