Why Are We Remodeling the Garage?

Normally I would not be putting any time or energy into our garage when I still have SO MUCH left to do in our house but we're doing a bit of a switch around that requires the garage to at least be clean, dry, and cool for the time being.

We live in a four bedroom house and each of our kids have their own room plus a shared playroom (which they rarely use).  After a lot of thinking about it I've decided to create a photo studio in what is currently the playroom.  Normally that would be easy despite the fact that I don't like toys in their bedrooms.  They rarely use the playroom because Milam mostly plays in the living room and a lot of Georgia's toys were already moved to her room so that brother doesn't get into a million things that he shouldn't (and that are unsafe for him anyhow).  I need to add a bunch of under the bed storage (hard for me because I don't like things being under beds) and I would basically be done with moving then out BUT Georgia has very large gymnastics equipment in there.  So, she still needs a home gym!

The garage is a good solution space wise because it is huge and we can still fit both cars in there even while she would be using the equipment but the back door leaks under the trim, it's super dirty and gross, and it's really hot.  I cleaned the entire garage, Jonathan power washed it, and I've slowly been painting it while Milam plays outside.  In addition to cleaning and painting I need it to STAY clean so I've been caulking any and all holes and cracks trying to stop the water from leaking in.  I may have fixed that...I can't tell until it rains again.  Fingers crossed I have because her gym mat needs to go there and doesn't need to get wet.

I did the best I could to move everything that was stored in front of my car and move it to the sides.  When I did that I moved a shelf that was there when we moved in and revealed a really gross wall.  I turned the wall into a chalkboard because it was free to do so and I thought that would disguise the oddity of the wall the best.

Here is the hot mess right after I moved the shelf.  Eww.  I didn't want to put my baby's gym anywhere near this disgustingness!

This is cleaned up, trim painted, and chalkboard added.

So, here we are today.  Clean and dry.  Trim painted.  Wall painted and one door with the first coat of paint.  Once I finish painting and know that it's water proof then I will be on the hunt for a portable AC.  The garage has a door to the backyard but no window so that's going to be a little tricky but I have a few options.  I'm standing to the side of my car in these photos.  Near where Jonathan would park his.  I have a lot of space in front of my car and that's where the equipment will be going.  We do plan on converting our covered porch at some point and adding all new decking but for now this switch of a project is totally free so I'm going this direction.  Hopefully once the doors are done and dry the space will appear clean and we will want to keep it that way!

Once her home gym is moved to the garage then I can get my photo studio opened up and hopefully tap into a new market of photography that will be super usable once Milam starts preschool.  I kind of feels like a waste to spend so much time fixing up the garage when I have tons of other things that require my attention but at the same time it's been nice because that's the door we use to get in and out of the house multiple times a day.  Anyways, it's nice to be productive before the photography boom (Christmas card pictures!) hits and all I'll be able to do is stare at my computer screen.

And, that is why are are (semi) remodeling the garage!