Garage Improvement Month: 3 Ways to Get Started

Atlanta Wire Staff on May 6, 2025

Garage Improvement Month in May serves as a reminder for homeowners to evaluate one of the most overlooked spaces in their homes: the garage. Often filled with clutter, disorganized items, and neglected areas, garages have the potential to become much more than just a place to park a car. With the right strategy and approach, garages can be transformed into functional, organized, and visually appealing spaces that serve a variety of purposes—from workshops and storage areas to home gyms or even entertainment zones.

Garage Living, a leading expert in garage transformations, has helped thousands of homeowners maximize their garage spaces through customized design and professional installation. According to Aaron Cash, President and Co-Founder of Garage Living, “Our research shows that clutter is a major barrier for many homeowners; in fact, it’s estimated that nearly a third of people can’t park in their garages because they’re filled with disorganized belongings. However, with the right approach, it’s entirely possible to reclaim this space on a budget.”

Here are three simple yet effective ways to get started on transforming your garage during Garage Improvement Month.

1. Declutter and Organize

The first step in any garage transformation is addressing the clutter. Over time, garages often become a catch-all for tools, sports equipment, seasonal decorations, and more. This disorganization can make the space difficult to navigate and, in some cases, render it unusable for its intended purpose—whether that’s parking a vehicle or storing essential items.

To begin, homeowners should take everything out of the garage. This will give them a clear picture of what is in the space and what needs to stay, go, or be donated. Sorting the items into categories, such as “Keep,” “Donate,” and “Trash,” is an effective way to tackle the mess.

Once the garage is clear, the next step is organizing. Investing in custom cabinetry, shelving units, or slatwall systems can help homeowners store their belongings in a functional, visually appealing manner. Garage Living offers a variety of products designed to optimize storage, keeping items off the floor and easily accessible. Modular storage systems can be customized to fit different needs, whether it’s storing tools, bikes, or seasonal gear.

2. Upgrade Your Flooring

Garage floors take a lot of abuse, from the weight of vehicles to dirt, oil stains, and heavy foot traffic. An upgrade to the garage floor can significantly improve the space’s appearance and functionality. Polyaspartic coatings, which are more durable and resistant to wear than traditional epoxy, are a popular choice for many homeowners looking to upgrade their garage floors. These coatings are easy to maintain, resist stains, and provide a smooth, polished look that can instantly elevate the garage.

Not only do polyaspartic coatings make the garage floor more visually appealing, but they also improve its durability, ensuring the floor remains in great condition for years. The enhanced finish can make the garage feel like an extension of the home, rather than just a utilitarian area. Garage Living’s floor coatings come in a variety of colors and finishes, allowing homeowners to choose the perfect option that suits their style and needs.

Additionally, with the right floor coating, cleaning becomes much easier. A quick sweep or mop can remove dirt and debris, making the garage a much more pleasant place to work or store items.

3. Incorporate Smart Storage Solutions

Once the garage is decluttered and the floor is upgraded, it’s time to incorporate smart storage solutions that ensure the garage stays organized for the long term. While shelving and cabinets are essential, the key is to choose systems that maximize available space. Many garages have unused vertical space that can be leveraged with slatwall systems, which provide customizable hooks and racks for tools, bicycles, and other equipment.

Another option to consider is overhead storage. Garage ceilings often go unused, but adding an overhead storage rack can help free up floor space for other purposes. For example, large bins holding seasonal items, camping gear, or even holiday decorations can be stored up high, keeping the space organized and easy to navigate.

Smart storage solutions can also include mobile workstations or rolling tool chests, which allow for flexibility when the space is being used for different purposes. These systems provide storage while also maintaining the flexibility for homeowners to reconfigure the garage as needed.

The Importance of Garage Improvement Month

Garage Improvement Month is a great opportunity for homeowners to take stock of their garage spaces and explore ways to improve them. By starting with simple steps—such as decluttering, upgrading the flooring, and investing in smart storage—homeowners can create a more functional, organized, and aesthetically pleasing space. These improvements not only enhance the usability of the garage but also add long-term value to the home.

As more homeowners seek to maximize the value and functionality of every square foot of their homes, garages have become a focal point for home improvement projects. Whether used for parking, storage, or additional living space, a well-designed garage can make a significant impact on the overall quality of life for homeowners.

For those looking to make the most of Garage Improvement Month, Garage Living offers professional consultations and a range of customizable solutions to transform any garage into a functional and organized space. With high-quality cabinetry, durable flooring, and innovative storage systems, Garage Living ensures that every homeowner can achieve their ideal garage space.

To learn more about how to get started on a garage transformation, visit Garage Living’s official website.

Published by Stephanie M.

Housing Is Healthcare — and the Research Supports It

There is significant evidence showing that housing is one of the strongest predictors of whether someone with HIV will access care and remain engaged in treatment. When people are stably housed, they are two to four times more likely to adhere to treatment and achieve viral suppression.

On the other hand, those experiencing homelessness while living with HIV are more likely to encounter difficulties such as increased hospitalizations, disruptions in care, or preventable health complications. The key difference isn’t necessarily access to medication; it’s the stability needed to take it consistently. Without housing, even the most advanced treatment plans can become ineffective. The body struggles to recover when it is in survival mode.

A Cost We Cannot Afford to Overlook

The personal toll is severe, but the public cost is also significant. When housing is absent from the care equation, we see higher emergency room visits, longer hospital stays, and avoidable deaths. The strain on public systems, ranging from healthcare to shelter services, grows over time, leading to increased costs and broader community impact.

It is often more expensive to manage the consequences of instability than to invest in providing safe, affordable housing from the outset. Housing, when treated as a form of healthcare, becomes one of the most effective and potentially cost-saving interventions available. However, it is still often treated as secondary or optional, something to consider after other needs have been addressed.

Building a Model That Works for the South

At Status: Home, we have learned that models developed in other cities do not always translate well to our region. The South faces unique challenges, from higher poverty rates to greater stigma, which require localized solutions. For this reason, we have spent years developing a program tailored specifically to Atlanta’s needs, integrating housing with healthcare access and long-term support.

In the past two years, we have purchased five multifamily properties, ensuring permanent affordability for our residents. We provide a continuum of housing options, ranging from emergency placements to long-term supportive housing, along with wraparound services such as case management, community engagement, and healthcare coordination. Although this work may not always make headlines, it has a substantial and positive impact on the lives of those we serve.

What We Get Wrong About HIV, Homelessness, and Public Health

Photo: Pexels.com

The System Isn’t Broken — It Was Never Designed for This

The issue is not just a shortage of resources, but also the way systems were set up to function in isolation. Housing and healthcare systems were not originally designed to work together, and too often, they do not. Each operates according to its own set of rules, funding mechanisms, and definitions of success. For someone living with HIV, especially while dealing with poverty or homelessness, this disconnect isn’t just inefficient—it can create significant barriers to achieving stability.

This is not about completely overhauling existing systems, but rather about recognizing the need to better integrate them. We already have the necessary tools; what is required now is the collective will to connect them. This means recognizing housing as a fundamental form of healthcare, reassessing inflexible funding models, and creating policies that reflect the realities of those most affected, not just in medical terms but also socially, economically, and structurally.

Where We Go From Here

If we are serious about making progress in ending the HIV epidemic, particularly in the South, we must first ask the most basic question: Do people have a safe place to live? Without stable housing, many other health-related goals become increasingly difficult to achieve. Medication adherence, viral suppression, long-term wellness—all of these are deeply linked to the stability that housing provides.

We cannot afford to treat housing as an afterthought. It is not just a preventative measure but a form of ongoing care. It’s time for every health leader and policymaker to recognize what communities like ours have understood for years: we need more than just medication. We need safe and stable housing.

To truly address the HIV epidemic, particularly in the South, we must recognize that health begins at home. At Status: Home, we have spent decades showing that housing is not charity—it is care—and it is time for systems to reflect this truth.

Published by Anne C.