13 Garage Storage Ideas For A Neat And Tidy Space

Say goodbye to clutter.

Don Mason / Getty Images

Let’s be honest, organizing the garage is not usually a thing on our radar. Since it’s not a hang out room of the home, garages often become a dumping ground for any and everything, contributing to its fast cluttered build up.

“Garages are often the last frontier when it comes to organizing, which is a shame because this is often the first and last space you see when entering and exiting the home,” echoes Lauren Pitts, a professional organizer. “A well organized garage that feels more like an extension of your home is far easier to maintain than a messy garage full of junk.”

Pitts says there are several storage solutions available to keep your garage neat and tidy. “The four walls of your garage have the potential for so much storage! Adding solutions like wall-mounted shelves, peg board, or slat wall panels and cabinets will save you time long-term, improve your overall well-being and of course, is aesthetically pleasing.”

Meet the Expert

Lauren Pitts is the owner and professional organizer at Tidier Spaces in Houston, Texas.

Keeping the garage organized starts with knowing which solution(s) are best for your home. There are a lot of odds and ends that wind up in this room from seasonal decorations to recreational items, household essentials, and more. The best garage storage ideas focus on giving every item their own place to sit when not in use so you know where everything is at all times.

Here are 13 ideas to inspire your garage organization so you can say goodbye to clutter and hello to a tidy home.

Metal Storage Baskets

Andrea Larson

Whether you have a lot of recreational items or odds and ends to store, we love the idea of using metal baskets to house your belongings. Andrea Larson used the FastTrack System from Rubbermaid to anchor into her walls before storing her sports equipment in the included baskets. This keeps your garage floors free from clutter and everything is easy to grab. If you don’t want to purchase the storage system, find metal baskets you can drill into the wall for the same effect.

Pegboard Tool Display

Jodie Johnson / Getty Images

Do you keep your household cleaning and gardening tools in the garage? Store them safely on a pegboard. Not only does this make it quick and easy to grab the tool you need, but your brooms and shovels are neatly stored on their individual hook.

Labeled Plastic Bins

Lili Pettit

One of our favorite garage storage ideas comes from Lili Pettit who used a combination of plastic bins and wicker baskets to organize this garage. Plastic bins are excellent for storing holiday decorations, gardening equipment, or other items you keep in your garage since they’re waterproof and long lasting. Not to mention it gives your garage a super clean look by giving every item their own bin to call home. Clear plastic bins keep everything visible though labeling each bin as Pettit did here makes it quicker to identify what each bin carries. The wicker baskets add a nice aesthetic to the arrangement for style and texture that’s certainly welcome in this space.

Slatwall Storage

Lauren Pitts

Slatwalls bring a lot of vertical storage space to your garage which comes in handy if you don’t want to drill holes in your walls. They also sit flush against the wall to keep your floors as open as possible. Use hooks to slide into the slats to store extra belongings like kids bicycles, chairs, tote bags, or other necessities.

Tiered Shelving

Lauren Pitts

Keep the dirt and mud out of your home by organizing your shoes on a tiered shelving unit. If you don’t have room for a mudroom inside your home, this setup provides the space you need to keep dirty work boots and other outside shoes organized until you need them. In this arrangement, Lauren utilized the leftover shelves up top to store coolers and tote bags so everything in the garage has its own storage home.

Grab & Go Tool Wall

Lauren Pitts

Without proper organization, household tools can become quickly disheveled for an overwhelming mess. Toolboxes keep your tools organized and arranged so you always know where things are, but if you don’t have the space for one, create a grab-and-go tool wall with a pegboard. Pegboards make it easy to store your household tools neatly along the wall to keep everything visible at all times, making it quick to spot the tool you need. They’re also sturdy enough to hold heavier tools such as power drills, ladders, and hammers.

Overhead Storage

Lauren Pitts

One of our favorite garage storage ideas takes organization to the next level… literally. While most ideas use the free vertical space along the walls, your garage ceiling is just as handy for storing your belongings. If you want to keep your walls bare or if you need extra storage space, attach overhead shelves to your garage ceiling. These are spacious and strong units capable of holding heavy storage bins or large items like kayaks and canoes.

Vertical Sport Shelving

Lauren Pitts

The best garage storage ideas are all about storing similar items together so you always know where specific things are. The same rule applies to your sports equipment. Keep your recreational items together on one unit that features a conglomerate of baskets and shelves for endless storage capabilities. The variety in depth of each shelf and basket allows you to store items of all heights in a particular place so you can always find what you need.

Hang Your Bikes

Lauren Pitts

Bikes can absorb a lot of space in your garage and since they can’t be broken down into a compact size, storing them can be tricky. Not anymore! For homes that have more than one bike, use a combination of your walls and hanging hooks to store them when they’re not in use. This helps to keep your floors open and from your bike being scratched or falling over.

Compact Wall Gym

Lauren Pitts

Home gyms make it easy to exercise whenever you want, but any homeowner knows these equipment pieces can absorb a lot of space and make your garage look messy. Keep your home gym confined and functional with the help of wall hooks for your weights and other gym essentials. These hooks make your gym area look neat and tidy which improves the aesthetic in your garage. To really elevate this idea, go with a squat rack that folds up flush to the wall.

Tidy Corner

Lauren Pitts

Instead of stashing essentials in a corner until you need them, arrange your belongings neatly on a shelf. The garage is a great place to store extra household essentials like paper towels, water, and smaller odds and ends you don’t have room for in the house. A storage shelf gives your corner more vertical room to arrange your belongings and make the area look neat.

DIY Shelves

laughingmango / Getty Images

Want to save a few dollars on your garage storage contraption? Build your own shelves! If you feel like getting crafty while also providing your home with a storage solution, DIY shelves will do the trick and make an excellent budget-friendly project. All you need is some plywood boards, a saw, and a power drill.

Add Cabinets

Anese / Getty Images

One of the simplest garage storage ideas is adding cabinets into the space. Garage cabinets are very similar to kitchen cabinets since there are uppers and lowers or units with several tall cabinets in a row. This idea gives your garage plenty of storage room while concealing your belongings to take garage tidiness to the next level. Their durability makes them capable of storing tools, camping gear, or miscellaneous odds and ends. For extra organization, use baskets within your cabinets to keep specific items confined to one area.

Read the original article on Southern Living.