10 Exciting Garage Stats
For many homeowners, the garage is much more than just a place to park cars. It's the perfect room in the house for storing items, pursuing hobbies, playing, and working. In this post, we share ten interesting statistics about how people value and use their garages that may surprise you, and maybe you can relate to one, two, or more of them.
Let us take a look.
1. The first electric garage door opener was invented in 1926.
After introducing the first overhead doors in 1921, C. G. Johnson, the founder of Overhead Door Corporation, also invented the first electric garage door opener in 1926. The electric garage door opener could be operated by flipping a switch in the garage or inserting a key into a post at the end of the driveway.
2. When purchasing a home, 80% of buyers factor in the garage when making their decision. (Impulse Research survey)
When most people move from one home to another or buy a home, one of the most important features they look for in their new home is more space. This is expected as sufficient garage space allows homeowners to buy and store the things they want without sacrificing too much space in their living area.
3. 82% of the 500 realtors surveyed said that a disorganized garage has a negative impact on the first impression of anyone looking at potential homes. (Braun Research survey)
And that’s normal. A messy space has a negative impact on the entire house and puts off prospective buyers, and as the saying goes, "You only get one chance to make a first impression."
Even though organizing your garage comes with effort and cost, it will pay off in the long run by attracting more buyers.
4. 74% of homeowners named “parking” as the most important function of their garage. (Wall Street Journal survey)
After all, the historical function of garages has been to park cars. Today, however, it is not uncommon for people to not park their cars in the garage because they typically drive larger vehicles than what will fit in the garage or prefer to use their garage for hobbies and other activities.
5. 55% of Americans spend 1-2 hours each week in their garage doing hobbies and other activities.
Depending on what is important to the individual, these activities range from painting to woodworking to working out to sports to studying—the list is endless. At other times, some people just sit there and relax.
6. The average garage door opens and closes 3-5 times per day.
If you think about it, that's up to 1,500 times a year when the inside of your garage may be visible to everyone. Imagine if you had to worry about hiding your garage from the gaze of others 1,000 times a year. That would be very exhausting! But imagine someone stopping to admire your garage interior over 1,000 times a year. That's a good feeling, isn’t it? Emotional satisfaction and peace of mind are reasons enough to get your garage fixed as soon as possible.
7. According to a Wall Street Journal survey, only 11% of homeowners say they’re satisfied with their garage and wouldn’t want to improve it.
Can you guess how the remaining 89% of homeowners feel about their garage?
8. 24% of homeowners are embarrassed to leave their garage doors open. (Impulse Research survey)
But it does not have to be that way. With the right storage systems, you can make your garage one of the most attractive places in your home.
9. 52% of homeowners want to have a garage their neighbors envy. (Thompson’s Company study)
Watching your neighbor marvel at your garage is bound to make you feel proud of yourself and the work you have put into organizing your storage space. It's much better than being embarrassed to leave your garage door open over 1500 times in a year.
10. Disorganization, not a lack of space, causes 80% of household clutter. (Soap and Detergent Association study)
Putting things in any available space "for some time" quickly leads to clutter. The solution? An efficient storage and organization system.
Five famous companies started in garages:
- Amazon: Bezos launched Amazon.com and sold his first book from his garage in 1995.
- Apple: Steve Jobs and Woz assembled the boards of their very first computer, the Apple I, in 1976 in a suburban garage.
- Disney: In the summer of 1923, Walt Disney started working in his uncle Robert's garage. He paid $5 a week for rent and an additional $1 a week to set up an animation camera inside and look for work in animation.
- Google: In a small, messy garage in Menlo Park, California, rented to them by Wojcicki to make her mortgage payments, Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded the Internet company.
- Harley-Davidson: In a 10-by-15-foot woodshed garage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson built their first motorcycle.
The Takeaways
When your garage is well organized, it's hard not to spend time there enjoying the surroundings, exercising, and improving your life. Your garage can be a place of pride where you can do the things you love alone or with your favorite people. You may end up developing a brilliant business plan that grows into a multinational company like the five companies mentioned above. Funny but true.
If your garage is cluttered, you might need an overhaul. To keep your garage clutter-free and ensure everything has its place, choose from Webfoot's custom cabinets and configurations to suit your style and needs. Our cabinets offer everything you need to keep your garage organized and beautiful, and with our selection of storage options, setting up your garage will quickly become a breeze.