How to Create the Perfect Haunted Garage

Only one in four Americans say they use their garage for its main purpose – parking cars. Instead, it’s now a hub for holiday decorations and power tools. But with Halloween just around the corner, we thought we’d propose yet another non-car use for your garage: making it into a fun haunted space for the holiday!

Building a haunted garage is a creative way to show your holiday spirit while taking steps to a more organized home. That’s what we call a win-win. Read our steps below on how to turn your garage into the scariest space on the block!

Step 1: Clean Out Your Garage

To get the most out of your garage-turned-haunted house, ensure the space is clear of any additional clutter; the more space you have, the more additional twists, turns, and hidden entryways you can introduce. Keep an eye out for items you can reuse to heighten the fright factor – like an old white sheet!

Once the space is clear, you can design your floor plan and collect all the materials you’ll need to transform your garage into a spooky space.   

Step 2: Cover the Walls

If your garage is similar to most others, it’s not painted black on the inside. And while you don’t need to actually paint your walls, creating an all-black space is ideal. Consider hanging black tarp or black gossamer fabric along the walls and cover any material you don’t want seen.

If your garage has windows, you can paint them black using a water-based latex. You’ll want to create frightful lighting of your own with the help of black lights and glow sticks.

Step 3: Make it Sturdy

There’s nothing worse than walking through a haunted house and seeing what’s coming around the corner. Make sure the paths are lined with sturdy walls that can withstand visitors and constant activity.

You can use oriented strand boards (OSB) or sterling boards to get the job done. Nail together different boards so they stand up on their own. This will help you create the strong corners and walkways needed to produce the ultimate scare factor.

Step 4: Be Creative

Black lights and winding paths can definitely set the scene for your garage-turned-haunted house, but adding creative elements like scary decorations and props can elevate the scary experience even more.

Use hooks and thick string to hang decorations like bats, spiders, and other creepy crawlers from the ceiling, or place zombies, witches, and vampires around hidden corners to surprise your guests. Finish the scene with a spooky playlist to add just a few extra jitters.

Don’t forget about the exterior, either. Set the scene from the outside by hanging mummies from trees or creating your own DIY graveyard – tombstones and all.

The After-Party

After the spooking comes to an end, unfortunately it’s time to clean everything up. But instead of creating the same mess you had before, consider implementing a different organizational system. Our designers are on hand to create the perfect organizational system for your garage – with or without the spider webs and skeletons!

To learn more about Closet America’s amazing closet organization systems and see some of our beautiful designs, check out our closet ideas and design guide here. To meet one of our professional closet designers call 800-747-3217 to schedule your FREE design consultation.