17 Best Organization Ideas for Your Garage
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When you are looking at a messy garage and don’t know where to start, this is for you. These are the best organization ideas for your garage – clever and easy tips you can do in a weekend.
Ever walk into your garage and just wonder what to do with it? Sometimes you just need some fresh organization ideas for your garage that fit your space. Out of all of these clever hacks, I’m sure you’ll find one that works for you!
Wondering where to begin? Get our FREE guide, The 30-Minute Organizing Secret, and discover easy ways to overcome the chaos of clutter – even with kids at home!
17 Best Organization Ideas for Your Garage
How do you use your garage? Is it where you create new DIY projects, park your car, or store all your sports and cleaning equipment?
For most people, it’s some combination of all of those.
And sometimes, it’s used as a “get it out of the house” storage. Then, piles form on top of piles. Before you know it, you can’t walk or see through the mess.
An organized garage doesn’t have to be a dream. There are so many ways to store what you own.
These are the best organization ideas for your garage. They range from the super dreamy to the really easy. You’ll find something to use in your own garage.
The perfect companion to this guide is our Take Back Control book. Download this book and go through each room of your home and discover more storage for everything you own.
1. Hang buckets on the wall
The first tip is super clever. Just store things in buckets and hang the buckets on the wall.
It’s so clever because you already need buckets for your beach or water toys and car-washing supplies. So why not just keep these things in those buckets all the time?
To keep them organized, label the buckets. This will also make sure you have enough buckets for all your needs.
See the dramatic before and after garage organization project on Place of My Taste.
2. Install cabinets
Installing cabinets in your garage will make a huge difference in how you keep everything organized. You can store things in drawers and on adjustable shelves.
After you install the cabinets, go the extra mile and keep everything you are storing in labeled containers. That way when you open the doors you will be able to find exactly what you need in mere seconds.
3. Put chemicals and supplies in a metal shed
Next, find a metal shelving unit that will keep all your chemicals safe. If you have children, it’s smart to pick one with doors that lock so they stay out of it.
This is more of a safety idea than an organization idea, but it’s so important.
See more at Practically Functional.
4. Contain everything
Isn’t this photo dreamy? The floor is shiny and clean and everything has its place.
But the best part of this picture is how everything has a container. There are boxes and bins on the shelves instead of tools laying haphazardly everywhere.
To accomplish this task, spread out what you own. Sort it all and decide what types of boxes or containers you need to keep them together.
5. Hang everything up on the wall
Use tracks and hooks and hang up everything. The best part about the picture above is how all the hoses are hanging up and not in a tangled mess on the floor.
Another tip: when you hang things up on the wall, spread them out. You want to be able to find what you’re looking for. If you hang things up too close together, it will be more difficult to find things.
See the entire tutorial on Polka Dot Chair.
6. Store Reclaimed wood vertically
Another common issue is how to store reclaimed wood in the garage. What you don’t want to do is just pile it in heaps in the middle of the floor. This is a fire hazard and makes it difficult to walk.
Sort the wood by type and store it vertically against the wall to conserve walking space.
Plus, when it is sorted you will be able to find the exact piece of wood you need for your DIY projects.
See the entire reveal on My Repurposed Life.
7. Build DIY Sliding garage shelves
When you build your own shelves, you might be tempted to make them deep enough to store things in multiple rows.
This is a great idea if you put the shelves on drawer tracks so you can reach everything.
Deeper shelves can hold more tools and outdoor supplies. And the pull-out tracks will help you reach what you need.
Follow the entire tutorial on Just Measuring Up.
8. Establish zones
This wall is absolutely dreamy and satisfying, isn’t it?
The best thing about it is how there are a ton of things hanging up, but you can still see how organized it is. That’s thanks to the shelves and vertical dividers.
Vertical space dividers can be as simple as painting some plywood and hanging it up. It doesn’t have to be difficult or fancy.
The shelves and dividers visually establish zones so you know where things go and where to find them later.
9. Store balls in a bag
How do you store sports balls in the garage?
Hang up a mesh bag that zips so kids can find – and put away – their sports balls in no time.
Hanging up the bag keeps the bag and balls lasting longer because it won’t get as dirty or torn up from things laying on it.
Plus, if it is hanging up, you can see all the balls inside of it and find the one you need even quicker.
See how on The Happy Housie.
10. Use bungee cords to store balls
If you don’t have much wall space, you can store sports balls in between your garage door. This genius hack is perfect for beginning DIYers. It doesn’t require very many tools or no-how.
This space is the perfect fit for basketballs and kickballs. And the bungee cords are an inexpensive way to keep them put.
See the tutorial on Creative Southern Home (this page is no longer available as of February 09, 2023).
11. Give Riding Toys their own garage
From bikes to big wheels, it seems like kids aquire a lot of riding toys. And they end up sitting outside in the yard or driveway as a tripping hazard.
Even these can hang up on the wall. If you do hang them up on the wall, make sure you spread them out and keep them at the level your kids can reach safely.
Another idea is to use PVC pipe to create a little garage of their own. You can put this inside your garage. If you don’t have room, put this outside next to it.
Follow the tutorial on Mom Endeavors.
12. Organize tools on a pegboard
Pegboards are super popular in garages. To get the most use out of them, organize your tools on them by size, type, and shape.
Just like in the example above, keep like tools together. That way when you need a wrench, you know exactly where to find it.
13. Hang tools inside the door
How annoying is it to pull out a toolbox and sort through it every time you need your hammer?
If you have a toolshed with a built-in pegboard (like the one above) hang up your most frequently used tools inside the door.
This way you will be able to just grab your tools and go – easy peasy!
See the tutorial on Mad In Crafts.
14. Mount shelves from the ceiling
One of the most unused spaces in garages is the area between the ceiling and the top of the shelves.
If you mount shelves directly to the ceiling, you will gain more storage area and use that “dead space” effectively.
This idea also frees up a lot of space on the wall and floor underneath.
Store things like seasonal decor and outdoor toys on this shelf.
Follow the tutorial on Ideas for the Home by Kenarry.
15. Store screws and nails in gum containers
Another garage storage annoyance is trying to find the exact screw or nail you need. Most of the time these end up at the bottom of your toolbox.
The perfect storage hack – reuse plastic gum containers. You can label them with the type of screws they are holding. Plus, they have lids. So if they spill, they won’t spill out all over the floor.
This is such a cheap way to store nails and screws. And it’s the perfect size for them too.
16. Build a drill charging station
Never lose a drill or charger again. Her Tool Belt has an easy-to-follow tutorial so you can build your own charging station and storage area.
Another fantastic thing about this idea is that you can see which drills are charging and which ones you forgot to charge.
Plus, it will help your power tools last longer. If you keep them off the messy table, shelf, or floor, it won’t be as likely to get smashed or broken.
17. Organize by purpose
Finally, when you go through and organize your garage, keep zones in mind. Store things in areas together.
Here are some examples of common garage organization zones:
- Gardening
- Outdoor Toys
- Tools
- Seasonal Decor
- Chemicals
- Long-term storage
- Bikes
- Yard-working tools
- Seasonal Toys
This video takes you through a really organized garage. You’ll see how they created a dreamy garage out of chaos. And the tips she shares are easy-to-follow.
Organization ideas for your garage made easy
Now that you have some organization ideas for your garage, are you ready to get organizing?
Every single garage is unique. It’s important to create your own system that works for your life.
There are three incredibly simple steps to follow as you decide how to make your garage work for you and your family.
1. Purge
First, you have to take everything out. This means literally everything – tools, toys, anything that is in the garage. Then, get rid of as much of it as you can.
Here are some questions you can ask. If the answer is yes to any of these, don’t keep it. Throw it away or donate it.
- Is it broken?
- Is it lacking sentimental value?
- Have I used it in the last year?
- Is it impossible to find a place to store it?
Letting go of things that you hope to fix someday or something that might have a little sentimental value can be really difficult. If you need help deciding what to keep, allow family and friends to share their input.
If you find out that you have enough things to sell, maybe consider having a garage or yard sale. You can make a little extra money and get rid of the things you don’t want anymore.
2. Sort
Next, sort everything that you kept. Start putting things in large piles based on generic terms, such as:
- Outdoor toys
- Tools
- Gardening
- Kids’ Toys
Then, sort each large pile. Organize all your tools into smaller containers, even within your toolbox.
Don’t leave things in a huge box that is difficult to see into. Instead of a huge box labeled “Kids’ Toys” sort the toys by type: outdoor toys, sports balls, beach toys.
3. Store
Now that you know what you are keeping and where you are keeping it, put them into boxes, bins, and totes.
Buy specific containers to fit your stuff. Remember that hack above with the gum containers for screws? Yup, just like that. Use small containers for nails and larger ones for gardening supplies.
Finally, don’t forget to label everything. Maintaining an organized garage is so much easier when you can see where things belong.
Don’t let garage organization overwhelm you
This is one of the most difficult places to keep organized. Don’t be overwhelmed by it. Take it one zone at a time. Find a way to organize kid’s toys first, then tackle the tools.
One of the best tips is from OrgJunkie:
Create a habit of cleaning up one activity before moving on to the next. Teach your kids (and yes, even your teens) to clean up after themselves. This effort is ongoing but is so worth it. Organization takes maintenance and that is exactly what cleaning up is!
–Organizing Outside Toys in the Garage
Above all, keep everything as simple as possible. That’s the beauty of pegboards and labeled totes. Spend less time creating organization systems and more time living life.
Struggling to get motivated? Sign up to get our FREE guide, The 30-Minute Organizing Secret, and discover easy ways to overcome the chaos of clutter – even with kids at home!
More Garage Storage Tips
As you keep organizing your garage and finding ways to keep your area clean and sorted, here are some more ideas and tips.
