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If you want to park your car in the garage this winter instead of scraping ice off the windshield at 6 a.m., the job isn’t organizing the whole garage. It’s clearing one car-sized lane and keeping it clear. Most garages fill up because summer stuff never leaves and winter stuff piles in on top of it.
This guide covers how to measure the space you actually need, the 7 steps to clear it, and the safety rules for gas, propane, and running engines in a garage.
WHAT’S IN THIS GUIDE
How Much Room Do You Need?
Before you move anything, measure. Pull your car into the garage, or park it in the driveway and measure the car itself, then answer three questions:
- Can you open the driver’s door all the way and get out without squeezing?
- Can you walk around the front or back of the car to reach the door into the house?
- Does the garage door close without hitting the back bumper?
Mark the edges of that space on the floor with painter’s tape. That’s your parking lane. Everything inside the tape has to go somewhere else, and nothing new goes in it. Measure your car’s width with the doors open, not closed, since that’s the number that actually matters on a cold morning in a big coat.
How to Make Room to Park Your Car in the Garage in 7 Steps
Step 1: Pull everything out of the parking lane
Pick a dry day and move everything inside the tape out onto the driveway. It’s easier to decide what stays when it’s all in front of you. Sort it into four piles: keep in the garage, store somewhere else, donate or sell, and trash.
Be honest about the “someday” pile. If you haven’t used it in two summers, it’s not earning its spot in your parking lane.
Step 2: Do the winter swap
This is the step most people skip. Your garage should look different in November than it does in June:
- Move to the back, up high, or out of the garage: the lawn mower, garden hoses, sprinklers, patio cushions, bikes, pool toys, and lawn and garden chemicals.
- Move up front, near the door: the snow shovel, snow blower, ice melt, and windshield scraper.
Before the mower goes into the corner for the winter, here’s how to winterize a lawn mower so it starts on the first pull in spring. And before you need the snow blower, run through our snow blower maintenance checklist.
Step 3: Go up the walls
Floor space is for the car, so your garage storage has to go up. Everything else goes on the walls. Heavy-duty garage shelving along the back or side wall holds bins and bulk items, and wall hooks get rakes, shovels, ladders, extension cords, and bikes off the floor. Hang the things you use all winter at the front, where you can reach them without walking around the car.
For a full plan, including pegboards and labeling, see our guide on how to organize a garage.
Step 4: Use the ceiling for seasonal stuff
The space above the garage door and over the hood of the car is the most wasted garage storage space in most homes. An overhead storage rack is perfect for things you only touch once a year, like holiday decorations, camping gear, and summer patio stuff. Make sure it’s mounted into the ceiling joists, follow the weight limit, and keep it clear of the garage door’s track and opener.
Step 5: Put the small stuff in bins
Loose small items are what creep back into the parking lane. Clear, stackable storage bins with lids keep things together, let you see what’s inside, and stack on your new shelves. Lids also help keep mice out, and garages are one of their favorite winter spots. Here’s how to keep mice out of your garage.
Step 6: Protect the floor from snow and salt
Once you start parking inside, every storm drags snow, slush, and road salt into the garage. As it melts, the salty water sits on the concrete. A garage floor containment mat has a raised edge that catches the melt so you can squeegee it out the door instead of letting it soak into the slab. If your floor is already pitted or stained, see our guide to garage floor problems and how to seal a garage floor.
Step 7: Keep the lane clear
If you want to park your car in the garage all winter, the tape on the floor is your rule. Nothing gets set down inside it, even for a day. A simple parking aid helps you pull in the same spot every time, so you don’t creep forward into the shelves. The classic is a tennis ball hung from the ceiling on a string, so it just touches the windshield when you’re parked in the right spot.
Garage Safety Rules for Winter
When you park your car in the garage all winter, a garage packed with winter gear comes with a few real hazards. Good garage storage habits help with all three.
Never warm up the car with the garage door closed
The New York State Department of Health says to never run your car, truck, or motorcycle inside a garage that’s attached to the house. Back it out first, then let it warm up in the driveway. If your garage is attached, make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector in the house. Here’s where to put carbon monoxide detectors. Source: New York State Department of Health — Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Store gas the right way
The Tomball, Texas Fire Department says gasoline should be stored outside the house, like in a garage or shed, in a tightly closed container approved for gasoline. It says to keep only as much as you need to run your equipment, and to keep it away from anything that could ignite it, like a gas water heater, a furnace, or anything with a pilot light. Source: Tomball Fire Department — Gasoline and Propane
Keep propane tanks outside
The same fire department says propane cylinders for outdoor equipment must be kept outside the home, and never to store or use cylinders larger than 1 pound inside the home. Leave your grill’s propane tank outside next to the grill, not in the garage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to park your car in the garage in winter?
For most people, yes. It keeps snow and ice off the car, so you’re not scraping the windshield in the morning, and it keeps the car out of the worst of the weather.
How much space do you need to park a car in a garage?
Enough to open the driver’s door all the way, walk around the car to the house door, and close the garage door without hitting the bumper. Measure your car with the doors open and mark the space on the floor with tape.
Can I warm up my car in the garage with the door open?
Don’t. The New York State Department of Health says never to run a vehicle inside a garage attached to the house. Back it out into the driveway first.
Can I store gasoline in my garage?
Yes, in a tightly closed container approved for gasoline, and only as much as you need. Keep it away from water heaters, furnaces, and anything with a pilot light or spark.
Where should I store my propane tank in the winter?
Outside, next to the grill. Fire departments say propane cylinders for outdoor equipment belong outside the home, not in the garage or the house.