How to Turn Your Garage into a Man Cave on a Budget
If your garage is sitting idle, you can change it into a man cave on a budget. You will need to invest both time and some elbow grease, so it will be helpful to get help from a few friends if you can. You will be glad to have a place to kick back and unwind every now and then, your exclusive space.
Clean It Up
This is always the first logical step in any remodel. Besides dusting the surfaces and scrubbing the floors, you should make sure that the clutter that is often present in the garage is kept away in a neat and organized way. Sell and give away everything that you don’t need and find alternative storage for the things that you need, like the laundry room and basement. You can also add shelves but make sure not to fill them up with random items too fast.
Bring in Paint and Insulation
To make sure you can spend time comfortably in your man cave, you will need to add insulation and then paint it. You can try saving money by offering to dispose of leftover drywall from constructions and local forums online. Buy the rest of it and after making sure that all the walls, floor, and even doors are insulated, move on to paint. Choose a color that you will find relaxing so your man cave can actually fulfill its purpose. Since latex paint is touch-dry in two to three hours and safe to apply a second coat after four to five hours, if this is the option of paint you pick, you can effectively budget for the time it will take to paint the walls before proceeding with other activities.
Add Some Furniture
No living space can be complete without furniture, and this is a step you can enjoy. Get a few recliners, leather couches, or even bar seats, so you can invite your friends to kick back for a while with you. Your friends can also donate some furniture they don’t need from their houses, and for the TV, buying an older model that works well will serve the purpose without calling for a lot of saving. Store sales in U.S. home furnishing and furniture reached $10.28 billion in August 2019, and this shows just how expensive new furniture can be. Thrift whenever you can as long as you get good quality items.
Consider Lighting
Enhance the lighting in the garage to make sure it is well illuminated. You may go the minimalist way and install bare bulbs hanging from the garage ceiling, or install recessed lights depending on what will match the theme you choose. If you decide to add a single-pane window or two, go for Energy Star windows which can save you between $126 and $465 annually.
Beef up Security
If you are going to install expensive equipment or store treasured memorabilia in your man cave, you need to keep it safe. You can get special garage locks and install a deadbolt on the back door of your garage if it has one. You could also extend the security system to make sure that the space is extra secure. This is an important step to take, and there is no need to try and make savings in this step if it will affect the quality of the security you install.
Many garages stay unused for long periods of time, and so if you have ever wanted to have a man cave and you have a garage, this is the best space to remodel into the ultimate man cave. It is easy enough to do with some free time, helpful friends, and a minimal budget.