Mary's family had recently moved into a new home with a large garage that offered enormous potential. The challenge wasn't finding space – it was making sense of it.

Like many busy families, they had accumulated years of belongings: seasonal decorations, children's toys and clothes, spare household items, tools, hobby equipment and more. They needed organised storage that would make everything easy to find and access.

At the heart of the project was Mary's husband, Max, who was living with a serious illness.

It was important that the garage wasn't simply a storage area. It also needed to be a space where Max could use to keep doing the activities that mattered to him: working with his tools, listening to music and exercising. The layout needed to be safe, easy to navigate and adaptable to his changing mobility needs.

Just as importantly, the family's belongings needed to be grouped logically and labelled clearly, so they could spend less time searching for things because they knew exactly where to look.

I created distinct zones throughout the garage, giving every category of belongings a dedicated home.

Max's workspace was arranged around his workbench, with tools organised and within easy reach. His exercise area was set up with mats and the equipment he needed was stored accessibly. His music system was positioned so that listenting to whatever he wanted was right there to hand.

The family's belongings were sorted into clearly defined categories and stored in labelled boxes and baskets. Seasonal items, including more than a dozen boxes of Christmas decorations, lights and costumes, were given a designated area, while toys, clothing, kitchen items and household supplies were grouped into distinct shelving sections.

The result was a garage that worked hard as both a practical storage space and a place for living.

… A little over a year after this project was completed, Max passed away. He was a much-loved husband, father and friend. He was devoted, funny and kind. I miss him.