How To Transform Your Garage Into A Home Office

1. Nail The Necessities

Before you cast out the Corolla and start redecorating, find the best spot in the garage for your home study or work-from-home space. Here are the essentials to look for:

1. Lighting: If there’s a window, set yourself up nearby to take advantage of natural light and ventilation.

2. Weather proofing: Check doors and windows are sealed to protect your set-up against water damage.

3. Power: You’ll need a power point to plug in your essential tech, so make sure there’s one nearby.

2. Get Connected

“Your home Wi-Fi set-up might be lightning fast and reliable, but chances are the signal is weak or non-existent by the time it travels to the garage,” says Jason Tavoletti, The Good Guys Buyer – Tech.

Luckily, there’s an easy fix. “Simply by plugging in a Wi-Fi range extender, you can expand the reach of your home’s internet coverage to reduce black spots and drop-out zones,” says Jason. That means glitch-free video calls, no delays in sending emails, and peace of mind that your documents are auto-saving to the cloud…even in the garage.

Shop Wi-Fi Range Extenders

Netgear AX1800 4-Stream WiFi 6 Mesh Extender

TP-LINK AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender >

3. Tidy Up Your Tech

Our experts recommend a powerful laptop as the best and safest option for computer tech in a garage. For Bronwyn Aldridge, the deciding factor is the ability to pack it away when you’re done to avoid any damage from dust that may blow in when the door is open (you may want to consider a partition to help reduce this).

“To supercharge your laptop, connect a second computer monitor for a productive, dual screen set-up, and if you spend a lot of time typing, add a separate keyboard and mouse for an ergonomic set-up,” says Jason Tavoletti.

“A computer dock or hub is another essential piece of kit to keep all of your cords neat and tidy, and to make sure you can get power to everything you’ll use, including a web cam or headset.”

Shop Computer Docks And Hubs

Alogic USB-C Fusion Swift 4-in-1 Hub

Bonelk Desktop 9-in-1 USB-C Multiport Hub

Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock

4. Deck Out Your Desk

Now that you’ve sorted your home office tech essentials, create a cosy workstation where you can put them to best use. If you’re sharing the garage with the family car, make sure your office desk is against a wall and safely out of the way. A desk with drawers for important papers and computer gear will keep everything clean and tidy when not in use. A laptop stand helps raise your computer to a comfortable height for working and if you’re keen on a standing desk, an electric workstation will boost your tech to standing height at the push of a button.

5. Add Some Ambience

Let’s face it, your garage isn’t the prettiest room in the house. But design specialist Bronwyn Aldridge has some simple tricks to help you create a home office where you’ll be happy to work.

“Lighting can make a huge difference to the overall feel of a space,” says Bronwyn, of Bronz Designs & Consultancy. “Consider a desk or floor lamp with natural, white light. Too warm and you’ll want to go to sleep, too bright and you’ll create a sterile feel in the room.”

“Also consider your heating and cooling. If you’ll be sitting in one place, a spot heater or pedestal fan will do the trick and is super energy efficient. And for keeping that warm or cool air in, add some soft furnishings like a rug on the floor and upholstered wall art. This will help both aesthetics and acoustics.”

If you’re ready to create your dream home office, head in-store or online where The Good Guys tech experts have all the best advice and Pay Less Every day prices.