Garage Organization Ideas

If you're looking for a list of ideas for organizing a garage, we've tried to collect a number of suggestions you can use when you're getting into the cleanup phase of your garage organization. Your carport should have a place for everything and the limited space of a garage generally requires using equipment and materials to save space.

Therefore, our ideas for organizing a garage include a whole lot of space-saving tools. You might not use every one of these garage cleaning ideas, but I bet you'll find several useful when it comes time to clean up the mess in your garage.

1. Have a Place For Everything

Don't reorganize in a haphazard fashion. Make sure every single object in your garage has a place. Getting organized is about having an organization plan. Make every freestanding tool or object in your garage part of that plan.

2. Buy S Hooks

Buy "S" hooks from the local hardware store. These clamps can be fitted on your garage wall and let you hang many objects from the wall. Place your garden tools and even some of your office tools on these s-hooks. You can hang hats, ball caps, gardening aprons, gloves and other smaller items on S hooks, too.

3. Buy a Magnetic Holder

A magnetic holder is a magnetic strip fixed to a wood block you can fix to your work stand or wall. When you put drill bits and other smaller implements next to the magnetic holder, they attach themselves. This is a great way for organizing smaller metallic household items.

4. Buy Clear Glass Canisters

You store sugar and spices in your kitchen in clear glass containers because you can see what's inside while you're cooking and cooking on a schedule or time-table. You should do the same with screws, nails and fishers. That way, instead of having to open every coffee can in the shop, you can see what's inside every container.

5. Actually Be Cautious With Items Marked "Caution"

If you find any items rolling around in your garage marked "Caution", make a special effort to put these out of harm's way. Put items with toxins in them on the top shelf or, better yet, in a locked crate. Teach your children to stay away from these items, but don't give them a chance to get into something dangerous through curiosity, boredom or absent-mindedness.

6. Get a Sports Rack

Sports racks have different size baskets to hold gloves, balls, helmets, hockey sticks and foot gear in an organized and easy-to-reach unit. Buy a sports rack and keep all your sports gear together. Think about all the times you've searched for the football or the baseball gloves. Have a plan, so you don't waste more time searching for your sports equipment.

7. Organize Them On Shelves

Get some kind of shelves to take those belongings off the ground. This gets them away from your feet and probably preserves them from moisture and breakage. Put the items you use the most on the bottom shelves and the object you use the least on the top shelves.

8. Pegboards Are Handy

Pegboards remain one of the handiest ways to store garage items. A peg board can be fastened to your wall and lets you hang garden tools and other household items in an upright position.

9. Collect Crates or Cabinets

I've said this before, but crates, bins and cabinets are great ways to store items. You simply can't have all your household objects laying around or piled on top of one another. Get storage containers for most of the items in your garage and put the rest on the wall. Otherwise, get rid of everything else.

10. Buy Cheap Organizing Supplies

Collecting equipment for your garage organization chores doesn't have to best expensive. Here are ideas for buying cheap garage organization aids.

Go to your local thrift shop to find old tool racks, steel cabinets, crates, bins and other organizing supplies you can use to organize your garage. Shop a little and you'll find equipment that looks nice in your garage and still serves a purpose. If your thrift shop doesn't have what you're looking for, buy something at a garage sale, estate auction or online in the classifieds like Craigslist. Get creative with old furniture you have in the attic or laying around the house.

Read more about the author's ideas of how to organize a garage here.