I built a shed just outside my garage for less frequently accessed stuff, and finally can use my garage as a two-914 garage like it was intended. House was built in the 60s, and the garage is only 20x21. We moved here about 6 months ago and this is the first time I could get both cars in the garage.

I've sold/thrown away so much stuff, but I still feel like I have too much. I have a feeling I'm not alone here. Part of my problem, is I have lots of hobbies:

- 914/car stuff. lots of parts I made need some day + about 30 plastic trays/bins with screws/etc. Plus bolt in roll bar, track wheels...

- dirt bike, parts, parts, boots, gear

- street bike + gear

- lots of tools including big stuff: table saw, welder, compressor, shop vac, etc...

- data center / computer stuff (for work)

- wood working tools / supplies (built kitchen cabinets, island, etc, etc)

- audio/home theater stuff (cables, connectors)

- vintage PCs (still work, have software I grew up with)

- R/C cars (again, still work, use once a year)

- stuff to keep (yearbooks, photos, etc)

Argh. What to do... Get rid of some hobbies? Another shed? Sell stuff and buy again if needed?

-Steve


(Btw - one of the best decisions I made when we remodeled was running power for overhead lights in the garage. Forty 4ft T5 bulbs in total. I actually prefer to wash my car at night now and just finish in the garage.)



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Garage:

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Lights

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I suppose I'm not done yet, too and I can make more space... We just hung the drywall in the garage, so I suppose it could use some more shelves or wall cabinets...

Never enough garage! Cars are looking good!

A sort of Murphy's Law:

"Stuff expands to fill any available space."

You won't stay ahead of it for long, unless you learn to not be an accumulator. Something that I need to learn also. The county code enforcement says I have to clean up my yard/driveway. Too much stuff, no place to put it.

Very nice. Treasure those pictures.

Be very afraid because you have offended Nature and.....Nature abhors a vacuum.

Nice work!

Understand that the wife sees any open space as an opportunity...

Great looking space, nothing better to make a garage look large than to fill it with small cars!!! (I have a 914 and 356 in mine and it makes it look HUGE).

Did you get your storage idea from Jack Olsen's storage idea? Looks just as nice and clever as his.

We only have a 2-car garage ourselves, but have fit up to 4 cars in there before. Gotta turn them sideways a little.

I also purge stuff monthly until it hurts. Minimalist.

> Did you get your storage idea from Jack Olsen's storage idea?

I've seen Jacks, but mine is just a short version of a "tough shed". I saved about $1000 doing it myself, and it was actually a pretty fun project. It's nice being able to build something quickly and somewhat rough (as opposed to the kitchen cabinets that I did last and they took FOREVER).

This reminds me how much I hate bumper tits:

Steve - if you have the clear head height in the garage, you can put in one of those lifts & stack the 914s, opening a space to the right, or a 2-wide one & stack 4 cars in there! The advertize in the Hemmings, classic car, sports car & resto mags. etc. IIRC they come in both electric (220v & maybe 110v?) or pnuematic/hydraulic lift operation. I wish ours had the clear height to do one (see pic below).

If you need more storage on-site & want to save the monthly cost of u-store places, then check your local city codes down there with the planning dept. & see what the max. size stor. shed or aux. bldg. they'll allow, & what the setbacks are from your sides & rear property lines. Don't mention your "storage hutch" in the back of the garage that you built, as that won't be considered an "accessory building/structure" - just outdoor storage cabinets. Nice job btw!

Then google for the options of diy sheds on-line - & get either metal (Arrow, etc.) or wood framed (self-build options sim. to tuff-shed) & get what you need. But remember that you'll also either need one of their floor kits on a slab or brick base, or to pour a conc. slab/foundation for it, or go to Home Depot/Lowes & pick up 2x6 or 2x8 & 3/4" - 1" Plywood/OSB to build a framed floor for it (get the green treated lumber & cans of the stuff to treat the ply/osb & outdoor patio/porch paint for the floor), then that can be setoff the ground with bricks & staked down with some 4'+ rebar into the ground & bolted to the floor frame & building bolted to that too. The framed floor could conceivably be jacked up (empty) & moved on your lot if necessary.

Based on your storage unit you built, you can easily handle building a floor - framed just like a typical house or deck floor, if not one of the nice wood framed kit sheds. IIRC last summer the wood kits run about $3-4000 for 10x15 +/- & $800-1000 for steel (excl. floors & base/foundation/slab). Wood ones will take longer to put up, & probably won't pass the Owner erected diy store shed exemption in most cities/counties, so would require full building & planning approvals, permits & fees in most cases.

Last summer we opted for a steel shed with framed floor on a brick base course as noted above, both for cost, time to erect & ability to relocate it in our back yard further in behind the garage at a later date (wood ones also weigh more). My son & I got a 10x15 Arrow metal shed & set it up on the wood floor which we framed up, treated & painted the top side white to match the shed (sorry - no pix, but they show pix on-line when you google). We still have to cull through our & the deceased family members "shittage" (all 4 of our parents', uncles, moved away daughter's, etc.), in order to clear out 2 older 8x9 & 9x9 metal sheds & demo those to make room for the new one to slide/roll over.

BTW - make sure to get "the Mrs.' buy-off" on the idea, & on what that shed looks like - cuz a few more bucks for the one she thinks is "cute" is worth the hassle over the years over "that ugly shed"! .... plus, she make actually choose to put her stuff in "her cute shed," instead of "your messy garage" when she sees open floor in there!

So you you think having a 20 x 21 garage is tough!!??

Try our 1921 house's detached 17.5 x 18 "Model T" Garage!
Here's my 73 2L "old friend" project & red/black ex-racer donor shell squeezed into mine, with parts boxes, etc. in ours! I plan to do the rest of the drywall, cabts. & epoxy floor coat when everything is out.

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