More Than a Parking Space: How Organization Products Can Help Consumers Make the Most of the Garage

For many households, the garage is little more than a place to park the car and store miscellaneous boxes and items that don't have a home elsewhere. The garage often becomes a cluttered catchall for everything from sporting equipment and holiday decorations to little used items without a better home. But with smart garage organization and storage solutions, this often underutilized space can be transformed into an area that better serves the household’s needs.

The typical two-car garage comprises starts at a minimum size of 400 square feet and run up to 720 square feet to accommodate larger trucks and more storage. For many households, this space is used for parking vehicles and some haphazard storage. However, by investing in modular garage organization systems and standalone shelving units, cabinets, overhead storage racks, and more, consumers can reclaim more that valuable square footage.

Vertical storage solutions like shelves, hanging ceiling racks, and slatwall/pegboard systems allow consumers to get items up off the floor and away from moisture and pests, also clearing floor space for other uses. These products range from basic multi-purpose versions to ones specifically designed for particular items from gardening tools to sports equipment. Modular options are designed with a series of organization products that fit together in whatever way the space allows and the user requires, but they also provide a cohesive appearance.

Once consumers have implemented garage storage systems, this newly reclaimed area can be used to accommodate a variety of purposes, including:

• A home workshop or woodworking area

• A craft/hobby station or mini art studio

• A potting bench for gardening activities

• A home gym with exercise equipment too large to fit inside the home

• Home brewing setups

• Enclosed dog grooming station or pet care area

• DIY projects and messy activities

• Making sports gear accessible but also secured

• A sports or movie watching hangout space with video equipment and comfortable seating

• Securing valuable lawnmowers and landscaping equipment

Overall, 38% of respondents to The Freedonia Group National Online Consumer Survey reported that they use their garage as a workshop and 33% noted that they used it as a hobby space. Additionally, 48% of consumers say that they own home exercise machines such as an elliptical, stationary bike, treadmill, or weight machine. Men and consumers under 50 were most likely to say they used their garages for these additional purposes or owned large home workout equipment, making them ideal target markets for garage organization systems to optimize their space.

However, regional climate can make a difference. Consumers may need to take some additional steps to make their garage multipurpose space usable throughout more of the year. In areas with hot or cold temperatures, insulating the garage and installing heating/cooling may be required to make it comfortable during the months with more extreme weather. Milder climates with longer stretches of temperate weather will allow the multipurpose garage space to be used as-is for more of the year. Consumers who live in areas with a mild climate might be more open to developing a multipurpose garage space as they can make more use of it. Additionally, some regions feature housing stock that does not usually feature basements, making garage space optimization even more important. Suppliers can market storage systems that can optimize the space for the most likely local uses, from winter sports equipment and snow shovels to gardening equipment and hobby goods.

For more information see the Garage Organization Products report page. The new report has sections on materials, products, rooms, and do-it-yourself and professional installation markets.