Running out of Garage Storage Space
If you’re the average homeowner, even as your family grows, the size of your house doesn’t. Before you realize it, that two-car garage you were so happy to have is now full of everything but cars. From bikes and trikes to camping gear and holiday décor, it is now garage storage space.
Adding on to your home or garage may not be feasible, nor is moving to a house with a three-car garage, so what are you supposed to do? In our article today, we’re going to discuss storage solutions for garages that may not seem big enough for the things you need to pack away. When you work with or research the professionals that know how to layout garage storage, you’ll be surprised by how much garage storage you actually have.
One of the first things you’ll want to do is determine what you need, want, and why storage is important to your home and family. What will you put in your garage storage? Are there things in there that could go in the attic or perhaps things you could post for sale on Facebook Marketplace? Once that’s done, you need to put some paper and pencil together and sketch out a general idea of what can be done for garage storage and counter space. This is because no matter how small your garage is, storage and counter space are going to be needed.
Smart Garage Storage Solutions
Here, we’ve listed a handful of storage solutions ideal for small spaces. These have been found to be some of the best storage solutions today, and some of them may be ‘old school’, but hey – if it works, there’s no reason not to use these garage storage solutions.
Build Garage Storage Cabinets
If you’re storing items in boxes and keeping those boxes stacked on the floor, it is time to build some garage storage cabinetry. Whether you build it yourself from lumber or purchase metal or plastic shelve or cabinets, you’ll be surprised how much space you’ll have when you get things out of those boxes and those boxes off the floor. Among garage storage solutions this is one of the simplest space savers and you can do it with one, or maybe two, cabinets.
Wall Organizers
Other than garage storage cabinetry, the walls are a blank canvas that can be used as space savers too. Purchase some big hooks to get your yard equipment up off the floor and leaning against the wall. Not only will you realize how much floor space you have been hiding, but everything you need will be visible.
Add Overhead Storage
The ceiling can be a useful storage space too, so when the wall space is used up, look up. Purchase some ceiling-mounted racks and create overhead garage storage for things like seasonal items that are on hiatus, and you’ll have a better eye-level view of your garage.
A Foldable Workbench
What garage doesn’t need a workbench? Whether you’re into crafts, woodworking, or automotive stuff, a workbench is a must for many homeowners. But that doesn’t mean your garage has the space for one. If that’s a problem, a folding workbench will do the job and when you’re done with your project at hand, it can be put out of the way.
Magnetic Boards
For automotive hobbyists that have a collection of bolts, nuts, and other small parts, a magnetic board is a must-have for your garage storage organization.
Go Mobile
When the garage is small and garage storage is an issue, often a workspace is limited too. Create one that rolls around! A DIY mobile cart for your crafts or wood projects can be put away when you’re done, keeping that small garage space clear.
Adjustable Shelving
Adjustable shelving is ideal garage storage for things like out-of-season clothing and holiday decorations. You’re able to rearrange the storage boxes and cartons as best suited at the moment, and next season you can move it around again as needed. Open wall shelving is ideal for those plastic containers you have color-coded for the holiday or season.
Pegboards and Hooks
Some call this old school, but we like to call it the cheapest storage solution available for garage storage issues and it will maximize the space you have without taking up extra floor space. You can use these for holding yard tools like rakes and shovels.
Safe Power Tool Storage
These aren’t used every day, so there’s no need to have them out in the open. Because these often take up the most space, you can find garage storage that keeps them out of the way and hidden for safety too.
In Conclusion – Do It Yourself!
Maybe you can’t find the right garage storage to hang from the ceiling, or it could be out of your budget, they are pretty pricy. Steps on how to build garage storage from the ceiling are here:
Step 1
Measure between the garage door track and the ceiling to determine how much space you have to work with. We recommend leaving at least a 4” space between the bottom of the shelf and the track.
after that, determine what you’re storing there and what the size of it will be. For example, plastic totes will usually be about 30″ deep. Make the shelf stretch as far across your garage as you want it – most people work in 10-foot sections. Then you can cut the plywood as needed using a circular saw before you pre-nail the nails partly to make assembling easier when you’re on the ladder
Step 2
Locate the ceiling beams and attach your vertical support, going 30” out with 1-1/4” screws.
Step 3
Measure 30” down from the ceiling for the bottom of the shelf and raise the shelf you’ve assembled into place with 3-1/4″ nails so they are secure and tight to the wall, making sure to nail into the wall studs.
Place the front 10-foot board on the shelf assembly, nailing it to the supports. The bottom vertical supports need to be flush to the shelf bottom.
Step 4
Place your cut plywood on top, which should be lined up in the middle of the supports you installed. Using 2-1/2” nails, tack the plywood into place. Now paint and start storing!
You can find multitudes of DIY shelf building for garage storage online; most will give you a list of what you need to complete the project they’re demonstrating. Or you can take a little bit of info from several and create the garage storage you need. If all that still sounds a bit difficult, or if you’d like a helping hand, you can reach out to us at 214-494-9068.
You can find multitudes of DIY shelf building for garage storage online; most will give you a list of what you need to complete the project they’re demonstrating. Or you can take a little bit of info from several and create the garage storage you need. If all that still sounds a bit difficult, or if you’d like a helping hand, you can reach out to us at 214-494-9068.
