A garage can often be forgotten about and used solely to store cars and other items that rarely get used in a far-from-convenient manner.
If you’re a motor enthusiast who is regularly tinkering with your vehicle, an unorganised garage can make going about your hobby more difficult than it needs to be.
Following these simple steps can help you give your workshop a makeover, allowing you to get the most of your passion for cars.
Have a clear-out
As mentioned, garages are often used to store items that rarely get used – if at all.
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Clearing everything out gives you a clear idea of the space you’re working with, enabling you to better visualise how you want everything to set out.
If you’re unable to find a place to keep any items that you no longer want in the garage, you could try to sell them to raise funds for your renovation or place things in temporary storage while you decide what to do.
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When the garage is empty, it’s the perfect time to give it a good clean too!
Start on the interior
Once everything’s clean and tidy, you can measure up and decide how best to set your garage up.
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You might decide the floor could do with levelling out or maybe just a simple paint job. It’s also a good time to consider where would be best to place your workbench and how to arrange the space around it.
Shelves will be hugely important, so find a place you can put them up safely. You won’t want them above a car, for example, as anything that falls off could cause significant damage to your vehicle.
Get the right tools
A workman is often only as good as his tools, so it’s important to make sure you get as much value for money when it comes to getting all the gear you need for your garage.
You’ll want to tick off the basics like gloves, car ramps, torque wrenches and an impact driver. If you’re renovating your garage ahead of a big project, you might want to consider an engine crane too.
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Make the most of storage
Whether you’ll be working with tools you already had or will be investing a lot of money in new equipment, it’s paramount you store them safely.
If purchasing a used tool chest, inspect it closely for any rust and ensure all the drawers still operate smoothly. If it’s portable, purchasing some anti-slip mats can help keep the contents of your storage unit safe too.
A pegboard is also exceptionally useful in a garage, giving you easy access to the tools you use the most. This will help keep your newly renovated garage feeling fit for purpose for the long term.
News
Here’s our petition for ‘Wonderwall’ to become England’s new football anthem
Danny Jones
All things considered, England have made a great start to the 2026 World Cup, pitching themselves as one of the great entertainers this tournament, and the scenes of the supporters and players alike serenading an entire stadium with ‘Wonderwall’ after the full-time whistle gave us chills.
So why not time for a change?
After all, that feels a lot like what this World Cup squad is about: a new manager, new teammates, not clinging to the previous ways of playing – and perhaps it’s time to put ‘Sweet Caroline’ to one side.
Now, we’re by no means saying that we’re ‘done’ with the John Denver anthem that has been reborn as a Three Lions anthem, but look at how good it was watching England belting out Oasis with the fans.
“Today is gonna be the day that England beat Croatia 4-2”, as BBC’s Match of the Day cleverly quipped.
Obviously, we’re biased as Mancs, but we also think there’s something special about having that particular track feel so good to hear again.
As much as we love Oasis, for a long time, it felt like we couldn’t enjoy arguably their biggest-ever single anywhere near as much as we once did.
We assume it’s something akin to hearing ‘Mr Brightside’ non-stop for what felt like millennia, and in truth, hearing those repetitions of “ba, ba, ba… SO GOOD, SO GOOD!” over and over again at sporting fixtures beyond just national team games has taken the magic out of it at times.
Perhaps it’s just a case of saturation in certain settings and songs simply being overplayed – FIFA’s co-hosts over in the US certainly helped see to that when it came to ‘Wonderwall’ for a long time.
On the other hand, it feels like we’ve now come full circle; singing those famous lyrics at the top of our lungs in a sea of Mancs and fans travelling from all over to Heaton Park for Live ’25 last year felt better than ever, and like we’d all remembered how great a tune it’s always been. So did this…
In fact, this felt so emotional that you’ve got people who aren’t even English praising both those on the pitch and up in the stands for the moment online.
Even the admittedly rather American Man vs Food himself, Adam Richman (though he does have British ancestry), felt compelled to write a moving response on social media: “Shut up. You’re the one that’s crying. Bravo, England.”
He’s far from the only one who was left bowled over by the atmosphere – us included.
And in case you’re wondering just how strongly we feel about this one, you can sign a literal petition we’ve made for ‘Wonderwall’ to become the new England World Cup anthem for 2026 right HERE.
Featured Images — Oasis/ITV Sport (screenshots via YouTube)
News
New images released of Piccadilly Gardens as transformation plans take a big step forward
Daisy Jackson
Plans to transform Piccadilly Gardens to make them more ‘colourful, vibrant and safe’ have taken a big step forward today, with new images released.
Manchester City Council has shared the vision to the public ahead of a planning application being submitted this summer.
The plans to finally give Piccadilly Gardens some love were revealed last autumn, but things are now moving at pace with a delivery team appointed to design and build the new public space.
The new images show the vision for more green space, including lawns, trees, planting, seating, and colourful horticultural displays.
The temperamental fountains will also be removed for good, replaced with a new space called The Pavilion which will host family-friendly events.
The low concrete walls and raised planters at the edge of the gardens will be ripped out, improving the setting of the Queen Victoria statue.
There’ll be a new, larger playground for younger children, created in the same high quality style as the new parks at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
A pre-planning consultation has started today and will run until Wednesday 15 July, with plans to submit the final planning application later this summer.
The new-look play area at Piccadilly GardensPlans for the new Piccadilly Gardens from above
The council has said that these new designs reflect feedback from the public and opinions on what we want to see at the new Piccadilly Gardens.
Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “We’re getting on with sorting out Piccadilly Gardens. We all want to see a space which Mancunians can be proud of – a welcoming and attractive environment which people want to spend time in.
“So as well other initiatives which are delivering more police and more CCTV, we’re bringing forward this scheme to transform the public space. That means investment in more flowers, more greenery, a new welcome pavilion, a new and bigger playground and an altogether more inviting Piccadilly Gardens. A bright new chapter is just around the corner.”
Further planned improvements to the area around Piccadilly Gardens in the coming years will include a multi-million pound investment by Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new, modern transport interchange.
The Manc -
21st July 2021 
