Clean Up Your Act: 9 Garage Organization Hacks You're Going to Love
You spend lots of time thinking about organization inside your home; you install cute and practical shelving, you invest in stylish bins and cabinets. You pray that no guest ever steps into the sheer wreckage that is your garage…
But why?! Why not take some time to organize your garage? Why not put as much thought into that space as you do your indoor spaces?
Your garage shouldn't be a place you dread going for fear of tripping over something new with every step. It shouldn't be a place that causes anxiety.
Garage organization is easier than you may think! With our tools and these 9 hacks for organizing your garage, you'll be downright eager to show off your garage in front of every guest!
1. Start with a Cleanse
When many of us think of “organization,” something other than cleaning comes to mind. If you're organizing your garage, can't you just push things out of the way and make sure everything has a place? Well, not really…
For a truly organized garage, you'll need to start with a thorough cleaning. Open every box, pull everything out of the garage, toss anything that's broken or old or unnecessary.
It won't be until after everything has been cleaned and swept that you can really start to organize!
2. Bins are Your Buddy
Maybe you already have some storage bins lying around–that's great. To get a truly organized, logically-stored garage, you'll need lots and lots of bins. Everything should have a designated space, and as much of your stuff as possible should be tucked inside storage bins.
You can use storage lockers or regular plastic bins, but everything should be out-of-sight and labeled. Doing so provides your garage with a real storage system, instead of a precarious balance of things in your garage.
3. Invest in Shelving
Once you've got your bins packed away, you'll need somewhere to put them! You may think that stacking your bins on top of one another will be good enough, but this makes it hard to access lower bins, and it makes it easier for everything to topple.
Purchase quality, affordable shelving that can go all the way across the back of your garage. If you're feeling ambitious, get enough to cover one of your side walls, too! Storage shelving is another critical part of your storage system; don't neglect this storage element.
4. Walls = Storage
If you've invested in storage shelving, but found that you have a wall or two that's not lined with shelving–well, that's fine! In your garage, even the walls themselves are perfect for storing and organizing.
Install free-hanging shelves, hooks for tools, tire storage racks, and small supports to hang things from. You can use fancy tracks or 50-cent hooks, but either way, taking advantage of your wall space puts your commonly-used tools and gadgets in plain view, while keeping them neat and organized properly.
5. When in Doubt, Look Up
Oh, and speaking of non-traditional storage space…Have you taken a look into the upward space of your garage lately? For many of us, the overhead space in our garage tends to be neglected. But why?! There's plenty of room up there, and we're all out of floor space and shelving!
The ceiling of your garage can be the perfect place to store things like seasonal items, or things that are pretty rarely-used. Things kept up there are sure to be dry, they're safe from contact and shuffling, and they're conveniently tucked away.
6. Put Your Paint Away
This rule goes for any collection of things you keep in your garage. If you've got a wide selection of paint cans, it's not a great idea to keep them haphazardly lined along the wall, or otherwise crowding your tool bench.
It's important to designate a space for things like paint, so they're collected together in a logical way that makes them easy to access. Use a small section of pegboard to build a storage system where your collection of paint cans, tools, or other items are organized and kept together.
7. Take Advantage of Tool Towers
In your kitchen, you might use a small pot or jar to hold things like spatulas, whisks, and ladles–but when it comes to your garage, storing larger items in a heap in a big bucket isn't quite as cute or functional. Consider investing in a tool tower to keep your larger tools organized and safe.
A tool tower is great for the person who's not keen on the idea of drilling holes in the walls for tool hooks–or for the person who's a little short on wall space and wants to keep things contained-but-organized.
8. Designate Space for Dirt
Huh?? Hear us out!
It's basically a fact of life that there will be days when you bring dirt and mud and leaves into your garage. With your lawn mower, your work boots, and every other messy tool you keep out there, it's bound to happen sooner or later!
But the dirt you bring in doesn't have to ruin the rest of your tidy garage. Consider investing in a large rubber mat that can serve as a designated space for all your life's dirt. Step into the garage, leave your messes on the mat until they can be cleaned and replaced where they belong. Designating an area with a floor-mat where you're all set for mess-making will keep your garage clean, and it'll reduce your anxiety for keeping the place tidy!
9. Add Hooks and Cabinets
And finally, we think it's pretty important to reserve a small area of your garage for things you want to be sure stay neat, tidy, and chaos-free. A freestanding cabinet with hooks and drawers just inside your garage's door lets you erect a mini-mudroom right there in your garage!
Reserving a small space in your garage for things like boots, jackets, and winter gear means your stuff stays tidy, but out-of-sight from your tidy home. This is one of our favorite hacks!
Want More Tips for Garage Organization?
The only thing more stressful than having to tiptoe around the wreckage in your garage is the idea of getting out there and tackling some organizing–but it shouldn't have to be that way! Garage organization is an achievable, necessary, and rewarding thing to manage!
For more tips and tools to help you get organized out in your garage, and how to make your garage the best it can be, check out our page!