When most of us are brainstorming gift ideas for dad around Father’s Day, his birthday, or the holiday season, it’s the “dad gift greatest hits” that first come to mind.
Gifts like a new tie, socks, a car care kit, cologne, a day of golf and a package of golf balls, a “best dad ever” coffee mug, or a (yikes) multi-function tool aren’t original and won’t leave a lasting impression, however.
Get creative and think outside the box when it comes to your gift ideas for dad. The type of gift that is always most appreciated by the recipient is completely unexpected, useful, extra thoughtful, and leaves a lasting impression.
What type of gift checks all of these boxes for dad? It’s the gift of helping dad transform the garage into a special space that is personalized for his needs.
10 garage gift ideas for dad that he’ll love
Mental health professionals believe that occasionally spending time in a personalized space is good for our mental and emotional well-being.
It provides a place to de-stress and focus on and enjoy the things you love, all while surrounding yourself in a comfortable environment that reflects your personality.
For dad, that space can be the garage. If the garage is clean, organized, and designed with dad in mind, he can enjoy using the room more in his leisure time and even for everyday things like parking and finding his things easily.
A garage makeover will be enjoyed not just by dad, but by the whole family who will benefit from having a more visually appealing and functional garage to use.
Here are 10 garage gift ideas for dad that will transform how he uses the space.
1. Help dad declutter the garage
No one who has an excessively cluttered garage would likely say they enjoy setting foot in the room. Who wants to be reminded every time they enter a room that all of that clutter and junk that has built up over the years needs to be dealt with eventually?
This is exactly why organization and medical experts tell us that a cluttered living space clutters the mind and contributes to added stress and anxiety. And the longer the clutter problem isn’t dealt with, the worse it gets and the more daunting a cleanup project seems.
In order to restore a messy garage’s functionality, all of that clutter needs to go. If dad has been putting off that big garage cleanup project for awhile, now is the time to give him a hand.
Help dad declutter the room to get the garage to a solid starting point for beginning the room’s redesign process. Emptying the garage of all that junk and clutter and leaving just the essentials will allow him to better visualize what he needs to store and how he can best use the space in other ways, too.
2. Expand dad’s garage storage capabilities with slatwall
One great solution for helping dad get where he needs to be with the garage’s level of organization is to have PVC slatwall panels installed.
Slatwall storage makes effective use of a garage’s wall storage space by allowing things that might otherwise be leaned against the wall or stashed in a corner to be hung up. That eliminates tripping hazards and the floor clutter that restricts you from getting the most use out of a garage.
Bikes, ladders, power cords, shovels, rakes, and almost any other type of lawn and gardening tool can be hung on hooks of different sizes. Baskets, bins, and shelves are available for keeping things like sports equipment, gardening supplies, and car care products more organized. Specialty slatwall racks can be used to keep dad’s fishing gear and golf equipment safely stored and easy to locate.
The versatility of slatwall allows your wall storage setup to be rearranged with ease when your storage needs change, which is something that is guaranteed to happen with the things you keep in the garage.
In addition to helping dad stay more organized, slatwall gives the garage a more finished look as well. Don’t underestimate the aesthetic benefits of replacing old pegboard panels, a bunch of hooks and nails, or some other type of DIY garage wall storage system with a product that looks more professional and modern.
3. Design the garage so dad can use it as a hobby space
When planning your garage makeover gift for dad, consider his hobbies and passions and how the garage can accommodate some of them.
Is dad a fitness buff? A garage gym would save him from having to trek to a local gym to work out. Exercising in the comfort of your own home is ultra-convenient and very practical. Designate a section of the garage that dad can use for his workouts, with enough room for an exercise machine or two, a weight bench, some wall space for hanging workout equipment, and some open space for stretching and doing his exercise routines.
If dad likes to work with his hands and enjoys tinkering or has a hobby like woodworking, create a garage workshop. Our storage cabinet systems are designed with garage workshops in mind. You can have the cabinet system customized to give dad the type of sturdy work surface he needs and the right amount of drawer, locker, and cabinet storage space.
However dad plans to enjoy his leisure time in the garage, you can make his personalized space the entire garage, half of the garage, or even just a small corner of it. Garage Living will work with you to get dad’s garage sanctuary just right!
4. Maximize storage space with garage cabinets and overhead racks
By using slatwall, you’re already well on your way towards optimizing your garage’s storage capabilities. These garage gift ideas for dad are all about making his life easier, so why not take things a step further and truly maximize his garage’s storage space?
Garage storage cabinets are a great way to supplement dad’s wall storage and are more suited to storing certain things like his hand tool collection and power tools. The cabinet system can also incorporate convenient amenities like a fridge, sink, TV, plenty of charging and electrical outlets, and task lighting.
Many dads use repurposed kitchen cabinets or bookcases, DIY cabinets, wobbly plastic utility storage lockers, or flimsy metal cabinet systems that start to rust within a year of being purchased. Premium storage cabinets that are constructed with superior North American-made steel and high-quality craftsmanship are a huge upgrade over those storage systems and are a garage gift idea dad will truly appreciate!
As another way to keep the garage organized, have overhead storage racks installed to hold bulky items and things that don’t get used often, such as storage bins with holiday decorations.
5. Create a relaxation space in the garage for dad
The garage isn’t thought of or used as a part of the home where someone can go to sit down, relax, and enjoy a movie or spend time with their friends.
That’s because we’ve been so conditioned over the years to look at the garage as nothing more than a room to park cars in and store stuff. “Garage décor” may sound like a foreign concept to many people, but there is plenty you can do nowadays to make a garage look stylish and upscale.
Look past the fact that garages are commonly dark, dirty, dusty, too hot or too cold, and a décor-free zone. What if you could fix all of those issues and remodel the room into a space that was as cozy as your living room?
With the right touch from a garage designer, dad could enjoy such a space. All of these garage gift ideas we’re sharing will help you upgrade your garage into a clean, tidy room with modern décor.
Dad can have his own private space with some comfy furniture to enjoy some movies and watch his favorite sporting events on TV. Having his own TV in the garage won’t just make dad happy, it also frees up the TV in your entertainment room for the rest of the family.
The garage can also become dad’s social space when he has visitors over to watch the big race or game or is hosting a poker night. He certainly won’t shy away from showing off his beautiful garage space to his friends!
6. Upgrade the garage floor
If you’re designing the garage so dad can enjoy it more, that boring gray, dirty, and cracked garage floor simply won’t do. A proper garage makeover starts from the floor up, so one of your must-have garage gift ideas for dad is a new floor coating.
Don’t settle for just any old garage floor resurfacing product, however. Floor paint and DIY epoxy coatings may be cheap to buy, but they also look cheap when you’re done using them.
Get the best product available for dad and have a Floortex™ polyaspartic floor coating professionally applied by Garage Living.
This high-quality coating makes the garage floor look not just “better than new” (because let’s face it, the home builder didn’t exactly leave an aesthetic masterpiece with their floor work), but as impressive and stylish as the flooring in a high-end car showroom.
Floortex™ is also extremely durable and designed to withstand the demands of a busy garage environment for many years.
7. Optimize the garage’s comfort level with these 5 extras
In addition to the already-mentioned extra amenities you can incorporate into the garage design (like a TV, fridge, and sink), here are some other ways to enhance the comfort level in the room for dad:
- Upgrade the garage lighting. Bad garage lighting is a huge factor in why so many garages feel like dark, dreary dungeons. A couple of fluorescent bulbs that provide harsh, uneven illumination doesn’t cut it anymore when it comes to garage lighting. Some energy-efficient LED light fixtures or nice pot lights will do a much better job of showing dad’s dream garage in the best light. He’ll be able to find his things easier, too!
- Add garage insulation. To extend the amount of time that dad has for using his garage when the weather gets too cold or too hot, consider adding insulation to the garage walls and ceiling (or upgrading the existing insulation). Good insulation that is properly installed is something that is recommended for any garage to significantly improve a home’s energy efficiency.
- Install climate control systems. Enhance dad’s comfort level in the garage when the temperatures soar or plummet by installing cooling and heating systems.
- Boost your garage’s WiFi reception. Having a weak WiFi signal when you’re spending time in the garage can be frustrating. Most of your smart devices won’t even work without a reliable online connection. To solve any WiFi reception issues in the garage, use solutions like a WiFi extender, a powerline adapter, or add a mesh network.
- Add a great audio system. Modern tech has made it easier than ever to set up incredible-sounding audio systems anywhere in the home, without having to hide a bunch of wires or have huge speakers taking up a lot of space. Smart speakers can be used virtually anywhere. Sound bar speakers can be discreetly fitted into a custom garage cabinet system. Now dad can play his music and watch his movies or the football game a little louder than he might be able to elsewhere in your home!
8. Simplify the garage design process for dad
A personal home space isn’t just about designating part of a living space to function as a getaway for an individual. Part of the “personal” aspect of it is the way it’s personalized to reflect their style and unique tastes.
If dad doesn’t have the first clue about home décor and what colors and design choices work best with one another, simplify the entire garage design process for him.
This is why Garage Living created the Designer Series, which our clients love. It includes seven exclusive garage design themes with appealing color palettes and a selection of high-quality materials.
The themes leverage the expertise of Garage Living’s design professionals and provide a great visual helper for anyone who wants to imagine what their garage could eventually look like.
9. Let dad’s garage décor reflect his passions
Is dad a huge auto racing fan or does he never miss a game on TV with his favorite NFL, MLB, NBA, or NHL team? Maybe he loves a particular car brand or owns a luxury sports car and wouldn’t mind parking it in a garage that showed it off a little better.
Whatever dad’s biggest passions are, let his garage décor reflect his love for these special things.
The garage pictured above shows the Performance theme from the Designer Series and instantly conveys the homeowner’s passion for Ferraris. The colors of the floor coating, cabinets, slatwall, and the wall and ceiling paint beautifully complement one another and the color of the cars. The artwork adds a tasteful personal touch.
The colors of dad’s favorite team could also set the foundation for the décor of his garage. Ask a Garage Living design professional about what we can do to make dad’s garage design reflect his personality.
10. Add more parking space with a car lift
If dad owns a classic car or any type of vehicle that isn’t driven year-round, he undoubtedly wants it to be stored indoors. Unfortunately, that can mean one of your everyday use vehicles loses a garage parking spot.
The solution isn’t to store the rarely driven vehicle in a costly storage facility across town, nor is it to undergo a messy, expensive garage expansion renovation that disrupts your family’s lives for weeks.
Adding a 4 post car lift to the garage (or a couple of them) can solve your home parking problems.
By taking advantage of your garage’s unused vertical space so one vehicle can be parked on a raised lift above another vehicle, you can increase your garage’s parking capacity.
Car lifts are also useful for storing bulky things like a motorcycle, riding mower, snowblower, and patio furniture, which leaves your garage floor with less clutter. And if dad likes doing his own vehicle maintenance, a car lift even comes in handy for those hard-to-reach underside repair jobs.
Talk to us about these garage gift ideas for dad
For the ultimate gift for dad, turn the garage he’s been dreaming about for years into something that exceeds even his wildest dreams.
Get the process started by scheduling a free design consultation with us.
We’ll walk you through your options for giving dad the gift of a beautiful garage makeover. You can give him a Garage Living gift certificate for the makeover project and get him involved with the planning to ensure it looks just the way he wants.
Please share this post if you found it useful.
See also:
Share this post
