From garden tools to pool toys, it’s easy to allow your garage to get filled with all kinds of items that lead to a cluttered mess. Although the garage is meant to protect your car from the elements, it can also become home to tools, bicycles, and a lot more. Without the proper storage in place, your garage will start to look messy and feel overwhelming. Fortunately, you can do plenty of things to give this part of your home an easy storage makeover. Read on for some garage organization tips that will help you regain control over your garage and give you a neat and tidy place where you can work and play.
Start by Decluttering
As with any home organization project, you’ll need to start the process by decluttering. You won’t be able to add adequate garage storage until you get rid of some of the excess stuff that’s been adding up as the years go by. When you declutter your garage, separate items into piles, like this:
Keep. Place items you plan to keep in one area when you declutter. This can be anything from essential tools to bikes and gardening accessories.
Donate. If you find items that are in good shape but that you no longer use, place them in a separate pile to be donated to a local charity, a friend, or a nonprofit organization.
Sell. Some items might have worth, but they’re not something you want anymore. Consider holding a garage sale if you have a lot of stuff you’d like to sell or post items individually on an online marketplace for sale.
Toss. Get rid of broken or damaged items. Make sure that you dispose of things responsibly and recycle whenever you can. For example, paint and batteries must be disposed of properly to ensure safety and reduce harm to the environment.
Tips to Organize Your Garage
Once the decluttering is complete, it’s time to get organized. Here are some organization tips that will turn your garage into a spacious, tidy workshop.
Make the most of vertical space. When it comes to storage, you can always go up instead of out. Install some wall-mounted shelves that will help you keep items up against the wall and higher up so that you’re not taking up so much square footage.
Use heavy-duty shelf brackets. The items in your garage are likely heavier than things you’d store on shelves in a bathroom. So make sure you choose heavy-duty shelf brackets that can handle the weight of your items without pulling the shelf off the wall.
Place bulky items on the walls. You can hang excessively bulky items on the walls of your garage using heavy-duty hooks. For example, hang bikes, ladders, your lawnmower, wheelbarrow, shovel, and other heavy tools up and away from the floor.
Organize items by category. Separate your items by category so that it’s easy to find what you need. Keep tools in one box and Christmas decorations in another so that things don’t get mixed. Other items you can organize by type include beach or pool toys, nails and screws, car accessories, batteries, and gardening items like gloves and small garden tools.
Use labels. Once you’ve separated your stuff into containers, be sure to add a label so that they’re easy to find. You can either print a label on your computer or just write down each category on a sticky label with a black permanent marker in large lettering.
Place pegboards to hang lightweight objects. A pegboard is perfect for hanging lightweight items like small hand tools, cleaning supplies like dusters and mops, office supplies, rolls of tape, paintbrushes, and more.
Divide your garage into zones. If your garage is oversized, separate different areas into zones. For example, create a sports zone where you can organize balls or fishing rods, a lawn mowing zone for the yard, and a car care zone for mechanic’s tools, oil, and other auto-related items. Different zones you can create include a special place for recycling, a gardening zone, and a pool or beach toy and accessories zone.
Use your ceiling to store seasonal items. Keep your Christmas and other seasonal clutter out of sight by storing these items on a ceiling-mounted shelf. This will keep your holiday décor out of the way, and you’ll always know where to find it when the holidays roll around. If you don’t want to store things overhead, keep the Christmas clutter on the highest shelf possible.
Place everyday items down low. Store items that you use almost every day in an open basket for easy access. These items can be placed on lower shelves or in clear plastic bins so you can grab them quickly, and you’ll always have them close at hand.
Mount a hose reel on the wall. Your garden hose can be a serious trip hazard, and it can also become an annoyance. Remedy the problem by mounting a hose reel on the wall so you can keep it coiled up and close by without draping it across the garage floor.
Use a bag dispenser. If you accumulate used shopping bags, put them in a bag dispenser and hang it on the wall. It’s a great way to grab a bag whenever you need it while keeping them all together in one central location.
Install corner shelves. Corner shelves are a great option to help you maximize the amount of space you have in the garage. You can build your own shelves to save money and create a customized storage method that suits your needs.
Use monkey bars to store long objects. Monkey bars are incredibly sturdy and can be hung on the walls to help you keep longer objects like skis, brooms, rakes, shovels, and more.
Install sliding shelves. A set of sliding shelves is perfect for hand tools, small items like nails or screws, and garden tools. Add a set near one wall of your garage so you can easily open the drawers, grab what you need, and go.
Try a slat wall. Attach hooks, tool holders, and storage baskets to a slat wall for an easy way to organize various items. This unique option makes it easy to hang anything for better storage, and it’s versatile enough that you can change the configuration any time you want to accommodate your changing storage needs. Ensure that the wall is securely attached and confirm the maximum weight it will hold to keep items securely in place.
Ideas to Convert Your Garage Space (If You Don’t Use it for Cars)
If your garage isn’t housing your vehicles, consider these garage conversion ideas to help you get more out of this additional space.
Workstation or workshop area. If you enjoy woodworking or trying out new home improvement DIY projects, convert your garage into a workshop. Add a workbench, install some sturdy counters, and bring in a large toolbox so you can tinker your cares away while keeping all of your supplies neatly in one place. Add a few LED garage lights to make sure you have enough and proper lighting, and of course, also make sure to have enough electrical outlets for all your power tools, too.
Office area. A garage can be an excellent place for a home office. Consider using this space to get all of your work from home tasks done. Cover the garage floor with carpeting or rubber tile and add your desk, a comfortable chair, and your computer. Make sure you have ample lighting if you’re keeping the garage door closed by bringing in a table lamp and a floor lamp so you can see clearly while you work.
Home theater. Make movie nights even better by converting your garage into a home theater. Bring in some comfy theater seating, mount your big screen TV on the wall, and add a fridge for drinks and snacks. Hang up some movie posters to make it even more fun.
Game room. Garages can make a perfect gaming room for yourself, or a game room for the whole family, you can convert this space into a fun place where everyone can hang out. You can bring in a pool table, arcade games, video games, darts, or a pinball machine. Garages are also perfect for a fun game of cards. Turn the space into your very own private casino with a lovely card table, a bar, and some comfortable chairs or bar stools.
Gym. If you feel more comfortable exercising at home, you can turn your garage into your new fitness area. Start by installing a pull-up bar mounted on the wall or ceiling, get a barbel and plates, a few dumbbells and kettlebells, a squat rack, a yoga mat, resistance bands, and a bench. If you want to incorporate some cardio into your fitness routine, get a treadmill or a spinning bike.
Spare bedroom. If you don’t have a guest room and your garage is sitting empty, make it a nice casual living area or a spare bedroom for visitors. When converting the space to a bedroom, make sure to winterize your garage, and ensure that it has ample insulation so that it doesn’t get freezing cold at night.
Your garage doesn’t have to feel cluttered and confusing. So keep these handy tips in mind for your next garage organization project. From vertical storage and slat walls to pegboard and baskets, it’s easy to reinvent your garage and turn it into a clutter-free, clean place you’ll love to spend time in.
