Garage Storage Ideas
It’s that time of year when garage space is at a premium. Everything has its place, but your car somehow got the bump, and it’s now out on the driveway. That just ain’t right. Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways to make space in your garage with these garage storage ideas.
All you will need is a cordless drill for a few of them, but most can be done without. Below, we’ve outlined some tips on maximizing your existing garage space with increased storage.
Millennial Homeowner Tip: I have used all of these in my garage, and the amount of space we’ve cleared up is impressive!
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Shelving is a must
Go crazy on shelving. The rule of thumb is the higher you can go, the better off you will be. So try and get adjustable shelves if possible. It can help you store some of the bigger items, and that awkward Christmas tree bag works wonders but is still huge.
We got some industrial shelving that holds up to 500 lbs, and we love them! They are perfect for holding a ton of weight, and they are going to last a very long time (aka this is the last shelf you will likely buy for your garage).
Check out these different shelving options here.
Bins for the shelves
This is a must for any garage organization aficionado! Get some bins and start labeling everything you put in them (we use this label maker) . Categorize them so you have all the garden stuff in one, all the car stuff in another, and so on.
This will give the added benefit of being able to find things quickly when you need them, plus it will all be up and off the floor. We are bin fanatics, as you can see from the image above.
It just keeps everything nicely organized and looking great. We try to buy the same type of bin and always have an extra one on hand. Plus, it’s great to have interchangeable lids.
✅ Pro Tip: invest in clear bins (and labels); otherwise, you’re going to be opening every container trying to find something, it’s worth it for the extra buck or two.
Label Everything
When you are using bins to store things, you will forget what’s in them. I honestly couldn’t remember by the end of the day. So make sure you get a label maker or at least some masking tape and a sharpie to label your containers, so you know what’s in them.
Use the Walls for Rack Storage
The next thing to think about is a wall mount system (this is where that cordless drill will come into play).
An excellent versatile rack mounting system with interchangeable hooks can be a godsend for saving space. One row can fit all of your hoses, shovels, rakes, and whatever else you can throw at it.
Plus, it looks nice to have all your yard work items lined up and ready to go when you need them. No more guessing or sifting through piles to find what you’re looking for.
Personally, I went with the Rubbermaid Fasttrack system. It’s simple to get set up (we are talking minutes here, people), and you can get a different type of hook for anything you want. You can even attach shelving to the system.
Tool Tower
If you don’t want to rack mount your tools, you can always get something like this tool tower. It keeps things in one place and ensures all your tools are organized.
You know that’s a big deal if you have ever done the cartoon thing where you step on a rake and have it shoot up and land square between your eyes. Ouch.
High ceiling garage storage ideas
Tire storage
You can pay someone to store your winter tires all summer, or you could grab one of these storage racks and get them up and out of the way for the same price.
Again it’s all about making your walls useable and efficient. Take a look here, I paid around $50 for mine, so if you are finding them less, then that’s a good deal.
Use the Ceiling
The ceiling is prime real estate that often gets ignored in the garage. If you have a decently high ceiling, you have tons of space that can be used. Install some ceiling-mounted racks for your storage bins and make use of that space that is just begging to be filled.
Things like boxes of ornaments and your Christmas village storage bins are perfect for this type of setup, because you only need to get to them once a year.
Also, if you need a ladder, I recommend this collapsable one. It’s pretty versatile, and you can get it at most stores. Best of all, it folds up nicely, and it’s a good all-in-one ladder for everyday home use.
Buy this overhead storage here.
Gator Lift
I was a little hesitant at first, but now I can’t believe I ever lived without one! This Gator lift is perfect for getting bikes or other ample awkward space sucking things out of the way.
Mounting it takes about an hour, but it’s worth the effort, and having things like bikes that take up a ton of floor space and aren’t easy to store up and off the ground, makes all the difference. It’s motorized, so it lowers nice and easy; you use the hooks and straps to fix things to the bar and back up it goes, out of the way until you need it again.
Plus, it’s pretty cool!
It comes in two varieties (based on how much weight you need to hoist). We went for the 125 lb one, and it’s great. This gator lift system is fantastic. I love it.
Final Thoughts on Garage Storage Ideas
There are many ways to make extra space in your garage, but the key is to get things off the floor and start using wall space to make the most of your garage.
By doing this, you’ll have your car back in the garage where it belongs in no time (and just think, if you live in a colder climate, no more clearing the snow off your car when you’re able to store it in your garage!)
Are you thinking of starting a more major home renovation project? Get our free home renovation budget to help you figure out the costs.
