Much-needed simple garage makeover

Much-needed simple garage makeover

• 9.16.2026

This was basically the last space in this house to get renovated! I've touched every room, the yard, the exterior, even the roof... all that was left was this garage and maybe some closets, ha! It wasn't a priority, just an eyesore that made me feel a little yucky, until we decided to get married in our backyard. I knew all our family and friends would see it if they walked through, plus I wanted a nice clean space for the catering folks. So we got motivated and decided to redo it!

Doable Garage Makeover

I had hoped to paint the garage before we moved in 8 years ago but then we had to fill it with all our boxes as we moved in, and it never happened. For years it just sat there with my organization attempts of plastic shelving units and drawers for the tools, bikes, and things from the last renovation that never made it to the basement. I gave up.

But I got the kick in the pants to make it nice before the wedding, plus gave myself permission to hire out the work! 

Not only was it cluttered before, it was visually cluttered with different colors/materials and concrete that has been through a lot. Plus, this built-in shelf was terrifying... years of chemicals, I'm guessing? Made me hesitant to put anything much on it but it's on the way out the door so would have been a great spot for kids' toys otherwise.

We kept tools here as well as essential garage stuff like bikes. 

The work

Paint

We had it painted the same white as the rest of the interior white spaces in the house: Sherwin-Williams Alabaster. The effect was immediate. Suddenly it was a room with white walls instead of a grimy concrete cave. One coat of paint, hired out, and the whole space felt like it belonged with the rest of the house.

The epoxy floor

This was the bigger project, and the one I'm sooo glad we didn't attempt ourselves. Epoxy flooring isn't complicated in concept, but it's super labor-intensive in reality. The floor has to be thoroughly cleaned and etched, prepped, then sealed in multiple steps with a lot of buffing in between. My painter did it himself over a couple of very long, difficult-looking days. He used this product. 

It looks so good. So glad we did this! It also makes the garage feel finished in a way paint alone couldn't. 

So shiny! Even when dry!

And the painter did a great job sanding, priming (lots), and painting these shelves so I'm not scared of them anymore.

Shelving and hooks

Instead of restocking the many plastic shelving units that had accumulated over the years, we moved most of the tools down to the basement and put back just one sturdy metal shelf. Got some clear plastic boxes (large and small)... still not a super high-end project, but a huge improvement!

Then I hung these super basic hooks for the remaining tools and garden supplies.

So no custom cabinetry, no elaborate pegboard system. The constraint of one shelf meant we had to be honest about what actually needed to be accessible versus what was just being stored because it had always been stored there. The result is a space that holds everything it needs to (bikes, kids' toys, gardening stuff, a car [barely]) without feeling crowded.

Soooo glad we did this project despite the cost (this painter is very affordable and charged us only $1,800 for all of this, though we added a big tip). I feel comfortable and proud of this garage every time I go out there multiple times a day, versus grossed out and embarrassed for myself before. Plus it added value to the house, and is easier for everyone to use!

Hiring the labor-intensive parts and keeping the organization simple is what finally got it done! Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good!