16 Insanely Practical Garage Organization Ideas That Make Cluttered Garages Look Instantly Bigger
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Need help organizing your garage? Here are the best garage organization ideas to try out if you’re tired of the clutter.
Need help organizing your garage? Here are the best garage organization ideas to try if you’re tired of the clutter.
Your garage is one of the most underrated spaces in your home. Sure, it needs to fit a car or two, but the wall and floor space along the sides is a total gold mine for storage, if you actually use it.
If just thinking about tackling your garage makes you want to close the door and walk away, you’re not alone. As someone who recently organized their entire garage (time-consuming, but so worth it), I’m walking you through the ideas that actually work.
From small-space solutions to budget-friendly storage hacks, this post covers every angle so you can turn your garage into the most organized space in your home.
And if you want to tackle organization in the rest of your home too, my complete home organization guide walks you through every room, room by room.
This post is all about the best garage organization ideas that instantly create more space.
The best garage organization ideas get everything off the floor: wall hooks for tools and bikes, sturdy shelving for labeled bins, and overhead racks for seasonal items. Split the garage into zones like tools, sports, extras and a drop zone by the door so everything has a home you can see.
Best Garage Organization Ideas
1. Add an Extra Fridge For More Food Space
Depending on how many people you have living in your house, you might want to consider adding an extra fridge in your garage to give you more fridge and freezer space.
I don’t know about you, but my fridge fills up insanely quickly with only two people living in the house. And when it comes to buying some items in bulk, it’s nice to have additional space to store items you buy in bulk or don’t need for day to day meals.
If anything, you could always use the extra fridge space for drinks (for yourself and for when guests come over).
2. Create a Transitional Space
Creating a spot where you can take off and store any coats or extra layers is the perfect way to make sure you’re not making a mess of your home when you’re coming in from a rainy or snowy day.
Same goes for having a spot to take off and keep your shoes so they don’t drag in any dirt. Anything you can do to make sure nothing that can make a mess of your home is following you in will do wonders for keeping your home as clean as possible.
Want even more ideas for shoe storage? My 19 Shoe Storage Ideas That’ll Actually Keep Your Whole House (and Sanity) in Check post has a ton of inspiration beyond just the garage.
3. Dedicate Space for a Workbench + Tool Storage
Having a spot in your garage to work with your tools while simultaneously keeping them organized is perfect for anyone who likes to be handy and work on home projects.
4. Use Storage Hooks For Cleaning Items
For all of those awkward cleaning products that don’t fit in a bin and take up too much space for your cleaning closet or laundry room, a set of wall hooks is going to be your best friend.
Most cleaning tools like brooms and dusters have a loop that you can hang them from. And if not, it’s super easy to use a string and create your own loop.
Either way, the easiest way to store these cleaning essentials is by getting them off of the ground and in a spot where they won’t tip over or cause clutter.
Want even more ideas for organizing your cleaning supplies? My cleaning storage ideas post has a ton of inspiration beyond just the garage.”
Want even more ideas for garage storage finds? My 24 Best Amazon Garage Storage Finds for an Insanely Organized Garage post has a ton of inspiration beyond just hooks.
5. Add Built-Ins for Clean Storage
If you really want to go all out with your garage organization, built-ins are going to be one of your best options. They’ll allow you to customize your storage to fit perfectly in your garage without leaving any real-estate up for grabs.
They also look super clean and intentional, which can be super tricky to achieve in a garage without some help.
You’ll be able to get the very most out of vertical organizers with the right built-ins!
6. Use a Cubby System for Workout Gear
Cubby systems are great for organizing your garage – they’re easy to fit into tight spaces and they’re fairly affordable (depending on your choice) – which makes them the perfect organizer for storing your workout gear.
Because let’s be honest, unless you’re able to dedicate a room for your home gym (can’t lie, I’m a little jealous), your garage is probably the best option for keeping your workout gear.
Even if you don’t plan on using your garage as a home gym, keeping all of your equipment out there will make sure you’re not cramming your weights and yoga mats into your hall closet where they’re hard to reach.
7. Bring in Shelving Units for Shoe Storage
Shoes are one of those things that can take up a ton of space!
And if you’re someone who doesn’t want to give up valuable closet space for their shoes, or just likes the idea of keeping all of the dirt outside of their home, your best bet is going to be getting a shelving unit that you can dedicate solely to your shoes.
It doesn’t have to be a built-in, something as simple as an affordable shelf from IKEA or Amazon would work (highly recommend bolting it to the wall behind in just to be safe).
But that way, your shoes are easy to grab when you’re heading out the door and you don’t have to figure out how to make room in your closet pr anywhere else in your home to store them.
8. Double the Space as a Mudroom
A mudroom is such a nice luxury!
And for those of us who do not have a built-in mud room space inside our homes, extending it into the garage will allow you to have a functional space to take a minute before stepping inside and make sure all of your extra coats and shoes aren’t trailing in dirt to the rest of your house.
It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, but for those who are living somewhere that has a lot of rain and snow throughout the year, any kind of mud room space will be extremely useful and a great way to turn empty garage space into a practical area.
If you’re leaning into this mudroom setup, check out my entryway decor ideas for more inspiration on making this transition space feel just as intentional as the rest of your home.
9. Add in Above-Head Bin Storage
If you have a taller garage, you’ve won the jackpot! There are so many more ways to incorporate storage when you have extra height to work with – one of them being above-head storage.
Now, you want to be careful not to put anything too heavy into these above-head storage slots, but for any plastic bins holding seasonal decor or items you don’t need access to on the regular, this is the perfect way to keep them out of your walking path.
10. Use Plastic Bins + Labels to Organize Smaller Items
Talking about plastic bins, these are going to be your absolute favorite storage solution for any extra home goods, cleaning supplies, decorations – really anything small enough to fit inside.
And as nice as it may be to be able to quickly glance at clear bins and know exactly what’s inside, if you want to keep your garage organized and from looking super cluttered, you’re going to want to get identical bins that hide the chaos.
Labels will give you luxury of knowing exactly what’s inside without having to stare at it all of the time. It looks clean from the outside, but will still provide you with roomy storage space.
Want even more ideas for bins and storage? My 27 Closet Storage Ideas That Will Make Your Closet Unrecognizable post has a ton of inspiration beyond just the garage.
11. Create Wall Storage for Gardening Supplies
Wall storage is going to be one of your best options for storing gardening supplies. With all of the awkward shaped tools, there are very few places where you could store these items practically.
Any kind of peg board with hooks and organizers to hold all of your tools will give you the flexibility of keeping all of your gardening essentials in one easy to reach place. All you need is a little bit of wall space to make this idea work!
12. Use Storage Benches for Sports Equipment
When it comes to storing sports equipment or toys, any kind of metal basket is going to make the job easy. These ones are particularly nice since they offer built-in seating that allows for additional uses, so you’re getting a little more out of your space. They’re also super easy to access on the daily!
13. Add in Shelving Units to Maximize Vertical Storage
Shelving units are one of the easiest ways to fit in a ton of storage without going an expensive route like built-ins. They may not be as customizable, but if you’re able to clear some wall space and stack a couple of these units side by side, you’re going to find that you have a ton more space to keep yourself and your garage organized.
It’s nothing fancy, but when it comes to organizing your garage, practical and functional storage should always take priority!
This same vertical-storage trick works wonders in the kitchen too, check out my kitchen cabinet organization ideas for more ways to maximize space with shelving.”
14. Use Floating Shelves to Clear Floor Space
Floating shelves come in all different shapes and sizes, so they’re great for when you’re not able to sacrifice floor space, but still need the extra storage.
Of course, if you plan on using it to hold heavy gear or a lot of supplies, you’re going to want something super sturdy. There are also options with adjustable shelving – ideal for customizing your space to fit all of your items without wasting any room.
15. Create an Extras Rack With Home Supplies
If you’re someone who buys cleaning supplies and home goods in bulk, you may want a space to store all of the extras so they don’t clutter your house.
How much space you need for all of your extra home items is up to you, but even dedicating a small shelf unit to your extra supplies is like having a mini store out in your garage (that way you’re not forced to go to the actual store all of the time).
Want even more ideas for keeping backstock organized? My 21 Game Changing Pantry Organization Tips That Will Make You Feel Like You Have Your Life Together post has a ton of inspiration beyond just the garage.
16. Double Bench Space for Shoe Storage
Shoe storage that doubles as a bench is super practical! You have a space to store all of your shoes so they don’t take up a ton of space, and you also have a spot to sit down and take your shoes so you’re not trying to balance on one foot while trying to take a shoe off because you have no place to sit.
You can also copy this idea, but instead of doing individual slots for your shoes, use a cubby system – whatever you know you’ll keep up with and use to actually stay organized.
For even more shoe storage solutions (both in the garage and inside your closet), take a look at my closet organizer ideas.
This post was all about the best garage organization ideas that instantly create more space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I start organizing a garage?
Pull everything out onto the driveway, then sort it into keep, donate and toss. Group what is left by category before you buy any shelves or bins.
What is the cheapest way to organize a garage?
Basic metal shelving and clear plastic bins go a long way, and a pegboard with hooks costs very little. Use the walls first, since that is free space you already have.
How do you store seasonal items in a garage?
Put holiday decor and off-season gear in labeled bins on overhead racks or top shelves. Keep what you use every week at eye level and closest to the door.
How do I keep my garage organized?
Give every category a labeled zone and do a quick reset once a month. A small bench or drop zone by the house door keeps shoes and bags from spreading.
Ready to Finally Park in Your Garage Again?
You do not have to tackle the whole garage in one weekend. Pick one wall or one zone, get it off the floor, and build from there. Once the bins are labeled and the hooks are up, keeping it tidy takes just a few minutes a month.
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25 Next Level Small Closet Organization Ideas That Will Instantly Give You More Space
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