Garage Organization: 7 Tips to Maximize Space

1. Clean the Garage: You should not begin organizing your garage until you have thoroughly cleaned it. Cleaning out your entire garage will give you the chance to sort through your belongings, hose down or seal your concrete floor, set up shelving and hooks, and paint or repair walls. This is also an excellent time to perform other garage maintenance, such as sealing the garage door’s bottom edge or upgrading a faulty garage door opener.
   
   It would be best if you also determined what items should not be stored in the garage. Things that should be stored elsewhere due to temperature and pest reasons include paint cans, paper goods, and pet food.

Gather the Right Supplies

2. Invest in Storage Supplies: Some handy storage supplies for your garage include heavy-duty plastic bins with lids, a lockable cabinet (for chemicals and tools), vertical shelving (pegboards, track-based shelves) and racks, and clear jars with lids. Think about what you’re storing and where you’re storing it to determine what storage supplies you need. If you have small children, it is essential to decide on the safest way to store items. Temperature and potential pests should also be a consideration.

3. Vertical Storage: Since the storage area in a garage may be limited to space’s perimeter, utilize the walls. If you went ahead and purchased pegboard and shelves, make sure that they extend as high up the wall as possible. Use wall mounts and slings for bikes, skis, kayaks, snowboards, and foldable chairs.

4. Create Storage Towers: When you stack bins on top of one another, a few problems can arise. One, it’s not easy to access any container except the one on top. Two, you lose wall space behind the bins, which may have initially held hooks and racks. Instead of stacking bins on top of one another, create garage towers. The Family Handyman’s quick DIY garage tower project, perfect for beginner carpenters and “DIYers,” can be finished in just a few short days.  By using these towers, each container will have its own shelf, enabling you to slide bins in and out easily You’ll also be able to use the sides of the tower to hang items such as hoses, rakes, and shovels. 

Plan Out Your Garage Storage

5. Store Like Items Together: Store similar items together. You can group items based on their purpose and use, such as tools, sports equipment, lawn care, and gardening. Another sorting method is based on the seasonality of the item. What time of year is it used? Although all utilized for outdoor activities, beach balls and coolers do not need to mix and mingle with snowshoes and skis.

6. Take Advantage of the Ceiling: Ceiling storage lifts and ceiling-mounted shelves are available to purchase. For those with extra wood and carpentry materials on hand, create track storage to hang large plastic storage totes. Not sure what to store way up there? Choose items that aren’t needed frequently or are seasonal – including outdoor holiday décor, camping accessories, and beach gear.

Create a Space to “Stop & Drop”

7. Create a “Catch-All” Area for Everyday Items: It’s easy to stop-and-drop on your way into the house, especially if you do not have a mudroom. Create an area near your doorway for family members to leave their shoes, jackets, and hats. Keep a bin for reusable shopping bags and any other item you’d need to grab before leaving the house, including pet leashes, ice scrapers, and umbrellas.

How Can Self Storage Help with Garage Organization?

Once you are finished with your garage organization project, hopefully, you’ll be left with ample parking space. But if you find yourself with extra boxes or a vehicle that still needs a parking spot, head over to Prime Storage. We have drive-up units for any overflow items, and many of our locations feature indoor and outdoor parking options. Find a Prime Storage unit today by visiting our website or calling our team at 888-846-6503.