Depending upon your budget, the size of the space, and whether you need to use this space for dual purposes, you may be able to use your garage for any of these ideas.

If you want an area where your kids can play and make noise without disturbing the rest of the household, or creating a mess you worry might leave a stain send them to the garage. To create a fun playroom for your kids, consider using some of these ideas:

• Cover the floor of the garage with carpet tiles – carpet tiles are easy to change out if one becomes damaged or stained
• Make sure the door and walls are insulated to help maintain a comfortable temperature
• Wrap any metal poles in the garage with carpeting or padded mats
• Paint the walls and ceiling in a bright, light color to lighten the space and make it more welcoming
• Use slat boards on the walls to hang bins, easels, and chalkboards
• Use chalkboard or whiteboard paint on a section of wall to let kids draw right on it

If you’ve been wondering where to keep all your craft projects, or looking for space to spread out while you make them, consider using your garage. There are plenty of different garage storage systems that can help you organize and store your crafting supplies, from slat boards and bins to overhead storage systems for large items.

Consider putting down an epoxy finish on the floor to keep it easy to clean. Put in a big work table, as well as a lot of different types of task lighting. Cover the walls in large sheets of cork so you can pin ideas and materials directly to them for inspiration or to see a work in progress.

If your garage is attached to, or is near the house and has no current living space above it, consider adding on above and turning your garage into a bedroom suite. By building up you can gain a lot of extra square footage in your home, without sacrificing the garage space below. By adding a bedroom, you don’t have to worry about running pipes for plumbing, just electricity. This also doesn’t change the footprint of your home, which can be an issue with some planning boards.

You don’t have to be a woodworker or craftsman to use your garage as a workspace. With the right type of conversions, you can transform your garage into any kind of workplace including a daycare, garden center, store front, or a home office.

Keep in mind that if you plan on having other people in the space, you may need to meet more or stricter building codes, and you may need to completely convert the space, including giving up the doors and fully insulating. In this case, consider replacing the doors with glass panes to let in extra light and create a professional appearance.

Many people consider putting in home gyms in their attics and basements, but few may turn to the garage as the perfect set up for an extensive home gym. Put in rubber mats over the floors for cushion and set up weight racks along the walls. Make use of overhead storage in small spaces, lifting and lowering pieces of equipment as you need them to easily keep more machines in use.

If you need extra space in your home, and aren’t currently using your garage for traditional purposes, consider converting it to one of these options. Whether you use the space temporarily, or you convert it permanently, using your garage in a unique way can add a lot of value to your home and lifestyle.