Before & After: This Garage Was in “Overwhelming Disarray” Until a 5-Week Makeover Put It in Order

Written by

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town…read more
published Jan 26, 2023
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Before: a garage with rakes and tools on the wall
Credit: Lynnette Salter

Garage makeovers might be my favorite. The before images tend to be particularly messy. After all, garages aren’t typically viewed as a lived-in part of the home, therefore, becoming acceptable dumping grounds for everything from empty cardboard boxes to camping gear that needed to be cleaned six months ago. 

And the after images are so satisfying. Not only do they stand in stark contrast to the before pictures, but they also encourage people to reimagine these utilitarian spaces as areas in the home that are actually enjoyable to be in. After all, going to get something out of storage or walking through the garage to get into or out of the home should still leave you with a refreshing sense of order and calm. 

Credit: Lynnette Salter

Lynette Salter’s garage makeover turns her garage from a perfectly typical storage space to one that would make anyone “ooooh” and “ahhhh.” I sure wouldn’t mind getting a refill paper towel roll from this overhauled space! 

Lynette’s sister inspired her to redo her garage. “My sister was working on cleaning up her garage and I thought it would be a good thing for me to do the same,” she says, “especially since her husband offered to help me. I enjoy projects and love the results from hard work.”

Lynette’s description of her garage before the project is relatable: “Overwhelming disarray. Exhausting to look at.” Her goal for the project? “An organized and clean garage. Minimal items on the floor.” Also relatable. 

Credit: Lynnette Salter

Lynette and her brother-in-law took the garage from “overwhelming disarray” to “organized and clean” in five weeks with products from Home Depot and Sam’s Club. Here’s what they did:

  • Remove all the homemade shelving that came with the house. 
  • Repair the drywall that was in place and add drywall on 50 percent of the walls where there was none. 
  • Paint the wall and ceiling. 
  • Epoxy paint the floor. 
  • Install a slat wall, new overhead storage racks, and new storage cabinets.
Credit: Lynnette Salter

She shares that drywalling, sanding, and mudding were the hardest parts and that painting was the easiest part. And her favorite part was building the cabinets because she “could see the light at the end of the tunnel.” 

With the garage complete, Lynette shares that she’s “thrilled with the entire project!!!!” and advises others who wish to undertake something similar to “have a vision and go for it.” 

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