Installing and having garage storage systems sometimes isn’t enough to keep the garage organized and the space maximized. The trick is to know how to organize the garage in general. As the homeowner or garage owner, you should have garage storage techniques you follow to keep everything tidy.
If you don’t, then we’ve got you covered! To help you keep your garage organized and clutter-free, we’ve compiled a list of useful garage storage ideas. You can use these to put your garage and your storage systems to better uses.
10 Effective Ideas to Maximize and Organize Your Garage Space
1. Store Seasonal Items Higher
If you’re using garage systems, you’ll probably end up having storage spaces that might be too high for you to reach all the time, like overhead racks. Use this to your advantage. Once you’ve divided and categorized your inventory into seasonal and non-seasonal groups, place them on the shelves, racks, or bins, accordingly.
Make sure to keep all seasonal items, like Christmas or Halloween decorations, up higher. Since you’ll only be needing them during their seasons, you don’t have to keep them at arm's reach all year round. You can simply use a ladder once you need them. By placing them higher in storage, you can utilize the other spaces for items that you constantly use.
2. Fill Tight Spaces With Slim Cabinets
There might be instances where your storage cabinets or shelves will have slight gaps between them and your garage walls. These gaps can still be useful if you know the right thing to do.
You can use slim cabinets for these tight spaces. There are lots of those slim bathroom cabinets or carts that you can buy and fit through the gaps. You can also try adding pull-out drawers. This way, you can add more storage spaces you can use in the garage.
3. Use Dividers for Your Storage Bins
If you’re using bins on your shelves or racks, you know that the items inside them can easily get messy, especially the ones in smaller bins. Since these smaller bins store smaller items like bolts, screws, nails, etc., they can get mixed up, which you wouldn’t want. You’ll be having a hard time finding the right screwheads or getting the right number of nails easily.
The best way to solve or avoid this problem is to subcategorize these things using dividers. This will help you make specified places for each set of items. This will help keep your items from getting mixed, making it easier to find exactly what you need.
4. Add Labels in Everything
Labels are a game-changer when it comes to organizing anything. Label every single bin, rack, cabinet, or shelf to make your life easier. You don’t have to put detailed labels, just labels of what kind of items the storage has inside. For example, if a bin, shelf, or drawer contains different items used for cleaning, you can simply label it as “cleaning supplies.”
Additionally, make sure the labels are written or printed visibly. Use colors that will make the label stand out so you can easily read them.
5. Add a Foldable Workbench
If you tend to use the garage for projects all the time, it’s best to install a foldable workbench inside. With a free flat surface, you can easily place everything you need in one place so you can access them as you work. However, if you don’t want a standalone table or workbench, a foldable one is ideal. This way, if you’re not using it, you’re saving space.
6. Create Zones
Organize everything into specific zones. This means keeping all related or grouped items in separate, designated areas as you store them. For instance, have one cabinet or shelf for all of your sports gear or for tools.
It’s best to plan your zones first before buying storage systems to ensure that everything would fit in your garage and that everything is stored. It’s not a fancy or innovative idea but it can clearly make a difference to enjoy a functioning space where you’re aware where everything is placed.
7. Declutter Your Garage
The best way to organize any space is to remove all extra junk that you don’t really need anymore. Although what items to throw away greatly depends on you, here are some things you should get rid of right away:
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Empty Boxes: You’re probably holding onto lots of used and old, empty cardboard boxes. However, that pile is taking up lots of space in the garage as well so they need to go. You don’t need all of them in the future. Break down some of them and keep them behind your cabinets or shelving units. Get rid of the rest, especially those that are less sturdy and small.
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Broken Tools: Broken tools aren’t safe to use so it’s best to throw them away. Moreover, you’ve probably kept them in the hope of having them fixed but never did so it’s best to get rid of them rather than letting them sit there in your garage.
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Old Paints: Paints can only last for around two years so if you have leftover paint from years ago, throw it out. They won’t be good to use anymore.
8. Use Bundling Straps
Chords and hoses are tripping hazards in the garage so it’s crucial that we store them away. However, it’s common for many people to simply bundle and put them in a corner, which leads to everything getting tangled and hard to use.
To keep everything more organized, use bundling straps to bundle every chord and hose you have before storing them. This way, they’re kept untangled, neat, and orderly, making them easy to use whenever you need them.
9. Repurpose Old Cabinets
If you have old or extra cabinets you’re not really using inside the house anymore, repurpose them for your garage. Make sure they’re still sturdy enough and you can still use them as storage spaces in the garage. You can just add fresh paint to give them a new look.
10. Use Corner Shelves
Corners of the garage are usually left unused when installing storage solutions. However, it doesn’t have to be like that. You can use the corners by adding corner shelves instead. This way, you can maximize the space and make sure no space is wasted in the garage.
Conclusion
There are many different garage storage ideas you can follow and come up with. The most important thing is you keep your garage organized and you can maximize the space. In summary, here are ten creative garage storage solutions you should try:
- Store all seasonal items in higher storage spaces or locations.
- Fill gaps with slim cabinets.
- Use dividers in your storage bins to keep items organized.
- Label everything.
- Add a foldable workbench in the garage.
- Designate separate zones for storage.
- Throw unimportant items away.
- Use bundling straps for cords and hoses.
- Use old cabinets as storage in the garage.
- Add corner shelves to maximize corner spaces.
If you’re looking for storage systems to buy, you can check out our high-quality storage systems. We offer all kinds of storage solutions, from slat walls to pegboards to overhead storage!