Makeover in Sweden's messiest garage - before pictures

From chaos to order in the family garage

Imagine opening the garage door and not knowing what's going to come out. That's how little the family knew about their garage, which was just one big mess. With the help of Elfa and storage expert Christine Dalman, storage was built to suit their needs. Floor space was freed up and things were put on the walls, which meant that there was even room for the children’s table tennis table.

Photo: Apelöga

Gustav and Annika sit with the children in front of the closed garage door.

Who lives here?

Father Gustav, mother Annika and their three children Wilma, Clara and little brother Hugo live in this house in Båstad.

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa with wire shelves, storage strip, cupboard and workbench where tools are stored.

Everything has its place

As the family renovated the interior of their house, the garage was the last in line.

“Going into the garage used to be stressful because you had to constantly look for your things,” says Gustav. “But going in there now even feels peaceful, because everything has its place.”

The children have their own corner for their bicycles and toys, making it easy for them to go in and grab whatever they want.

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa with cupboards, storage board where tools hang and a workbench.

Carpentry corner

Tools used to be left lying here and there, with some even in the house. They now have their own space, together with a workbench. A tool board with various hooks makes the tools easily accessible for upcoming projects. Together with lockable cabinets, this becomes the perfect carpenter’s corner.

“Because the children are still relatively small, it's good to be able to lock away cans and liquids and keep them higher up,” says Gustav.

Discover Garage+

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa with wire shelves and storage strip where pots and garden tools are stored.

Plants can now be taken in and stored for winter.

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa where plants and garden tools are stored.

Annika has her own planting corner with tools at her fingertips.

“I can't believe how much space I got”

Gustav

See the complete makeover

Elfa's storage expert Christine Dalman and Hörmann's product manager Erik Rögardt in front of the garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa.

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa where sports equipment and toys are stored on wire shelves and in pull-out trays.

Sorted by application

By using all the space from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, a lot of floor space has been freed up.

Sections were created for each area to simplify things for the whole family: leisure, garden, home joinery, outdoor and seasonal storage. Golf, tennis and ski equipment, which is used frequently, have been given their own dedicated place.

Seasonal items such as ski helmets and ice skates have been sorted into boxes together with other items not used so often. To make it easier to organise, the boxes are labelled with what they contain.

Tips for the garage

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa where sports equipment such as golf clubs, tennis rackets and skis hang.

The whole family is very active in a range of different sports. Because it's used every day, it was particularly important that sports equipment was easily accessible.

Garage with Garage+ storage from Elfa where toys and children's bikes are stored.

The children can go in and grab their bicycles and toys themselves.

Garage with Garage+ storage strip from Elfa where car tyres, hoses and garden tools hang.

With space for the car

To create space for the car, shelves were only installed on one long side. The other long side has been used for various garden tools. Tyres have also been hung on the wall, freeing up a lot of floor space, as they are pretty bulky.

Explore the Garage+ range

Tidiness in the storeroom

Storage room with Garage+ storage from Elfa where cushions and drawers are stored.

A green grill stands next to a Garage+ storage strip from Elfa where barbecue accessories hang.

The grill now also has its own place when not being used in the garden. Grill utensils are easily hung on hooks next to it, ready to select and use.

Garage with Garage+ storage strip from Elfa where sun loungers and barbecue accessories hang.

The storage track can be mounted directly on the wall where it's needed. In the storage room, it was placed in the passageway next to the garden, so the family can easily take a sun lounger on their way out.

Gustav hooks a wire shelf to a Garage+ storage from Elfa.

Easy to reposition as needed

"It’s fantastic that everything hangs on the top track. Once in place, it’s just a matter of moving things around and adapting to new needs that arise. That's really handy when we know that the children are growing and will eventually need to have their things at a slightly different height."

Tips for the garage

The family plays table tennis in the middle of the garage around a purple ping pong table in front of the Garage+ storage from Elfa.

An extra playroom - for everyone

Now that everything has been put on the walls, there's room for the family table tennis table - with plenty of space to run around it.

"It's like giving the children an extra playroom, plus there's extra space for me and Annika and our hobbies."

The children jump on a mat in the garden next to a woodshed.

Firewood was moved out into the garden

The firewood used to take up a lot of space in the garage, and has now been moved into a practical log shed from Hörmann. That meant extra floor and wall space to use for storage.

Hörmann's product manager Erik Rögardt next to the new garage door.

More secure, colour-matched garage door

The garage door was a heavy and delapitated up-and-over door that barely an adult could open, so it was really time for an upgrade. The family had also considered painting the house’s black doors in a light shade, which Hörmann took into account when making a suitable new garage door:

"We've colour-matched the new garage door to the new exterior doors with a customised NCS colour to create a uniform look for the house. This is also a much more secure door than a manual one, preventing break-ins and accidents, which feels especially important for a family with small children," explains Hörmann’s Product Manager Erik Rögardt.

The family's house with the new garage door in the same color as the front door.

Storage expert’s tips for order in the garage

Use wall to wall and floor to ceiling and build around any obstacles.
Create themed sections to keep related things together.
Heavy things at the bottom, light things at the top. You don't want to risk getting that heavy pot on your head when lifting it down.
Want space for your car? Use the top part of the wall only for storage, and the car will also fit in.
Store neatly and safely. A shelf on the wall does not tilt downwards and is easy to clean underneath.