Brilliant Garage Organization Ideas
Let's face it… Garages can be tricky to get and keep organized, so they often become messy dumping grounds. As avid DIYers who have a lot of tools and really need our garage to be tidy and functional, we have tried so many different garage organization systems and tips over the years before finally figuring out what works for us. The struggle is real! If you have had trouble organizing your garage and keeping it that way, you are in the right place. These garage organization ideas are some of the best we have seen.
It took us the better part of 10 years to figure out how to get our garages organized and keep them that way. There was a ton of trial and error along the way. But it was worth it! If you are struggling, the good news is that once you find garage organization that is functional and works well for your family and your needs, it's very, very easy to maintain a tidy and organized garage space. We organized our garage 14 months ago and I'm thrilled to report that it is still neat and tidy!
Everyone's needs and garage spaces are different, but here are plenty of garage organization ideas to help you decide what will be best for you!
DIY Garage Shelves
First, let's take a look at some incredibly budget-friendly garage organization ideas for those of you who don't want to spend a ton of money improving your garage space.
Shelves are definitely the easiest and most common way to take advantage of vertical storage in a garage. However, sturdy freestanding shelving units can be expensive. Fortunately, DIYing your own shelves is totally doable!
This DIY garage shelving by Place Of My Taste is incredibly inexpensive and creates loads of storage. It is the perfect spot to stash bins and keep your garage organized.
Here's another cost-effective garage solution courtesy of DIY garage storage shelves by Ana White. Just look at how many storage bins fit on them! Talk about bang for your buck.
Short on space? Add storage between your wall studs like The Handyman's Daughter did in her garage! Adding narrow shelves between the studs makes a great storage option, especially for paint.
These shallow garage shelves by Family Handyman that fit above the foundation ledge are GENIUS! Deep shelves are a surefire way for things to get hidden or lost. Plus, these shelves are backed by pegboards, which means not an inch of vertical space gets wasted.
DIY Overhead Garage Storage Ideas
If you need to clear up some floor space, these overhead garage organization ideas will help you so much! Adding storage to your garage ceiling for those items you don't need to access often can free up valuable floor space. And while there are lots of overhead storage options you can buy, they can add up pretty quickly. So why not do it yourself?! Here are some awesome DIY ideas for you.
Y'all, this “conveyor belt” overhead storage is truly genius! The pipes spin, making it easy to slide bins on and off. So helpful when it comes to dealing with heavy bins and boxes!
This slide-in overhead garage storage system is PERFECT for bins. And since you can make it yourself, you can totally customize the rails to fit whatever storage bins you already have. This is a great solution for holiday decorations, especially if you don't have an attic or basement.
If you love the idea of the overhead storage racks you can buy, but you want to save money, then make these DIY overhead storage racks. The best part is that you can customize them to fit your garage space perfectly.
Modular Metal/Wire Shelving
If you don't love the idea of building shelves or overhead storage from scratch, metal or wire shelves can be an affordable alternative. You can get a ton of storage without spending a fortune if you opt for one of the budget-friendly options. If you are willing to splurge, you can invest in a modular system with more bells and whistles!
How fun is this organized garage space by Blue I Style? Not only do the inexpensive wire shelves create a TON of storage, but she used paint chips to dress up the fridge and freezer. So clever! And just look at that pretty floor (there are so many good garage flooring ideas out there–Angela used Rocksolid by Rustoleum).
My friend Abby used the super affordable IKEA Algot/Boaxel system to add a ton of functional storage to her garage. It's a fantastic system at an incredible price for the quality (we used it in our laundry room makeover). And I love that she used all the same color, opaque bins. The solid & unified color hides the contents, which helps make everything look even more tidy and organized.
Kris at Driven by Decor installed the Elfa System in her garage. It's a far more expensive system than the IKEA Boaxel system, but it offers drawer storage, which can be difficult to find in the less expensive systems. We have personally used the Elfa system and are impressed by how easy it is to install and customize. Kris chose to use clear bins so you can see the contents, which is a different approach from Abby! Do what works best for you.
Systems for Garage Walls
If you want to use something more than just shelves for your wall space, there are some really cool slat systems for garage walls that allow you to hang cabinets, shelves, hooks, and more. We purchased this system for our last home and loved it so much that we excluded it from the sale of our home and brought it with us to our new home and it's still a great solution for us.
This garage space that belongs to Brian and Sarah Baeumler as shown by Garage Living shows just how versatile slat wall systems are. What we love about ours the most is that you can quickly move things around and reconfigure anything as your needs change. You can attach hooks, cabinets, shelves, baskets, and more. They easily hook onto the slats wherever you want/need them.
This garage space by A Beautiful Mess features a slat wall system similar to ours and proves that garages don't have to be ugly or boring! The color block wall and black and white floor in this garage really elevate the style! Plus, it is perfectly organized with wall baskets and hooks. There's even a special spot for a garden hose. Swoon!
Use Pegboard for Easy Access
When it comes to garage organization ideas, pegboard should never be underestimated. It is inexpensive and it's a great way to maximize the storage on your garage walls, especially when it comes to organizing small items. There are so many pegboard accessories, so you can customize exactly how to use them–hooks, bins, shelves, and more can be added to your pegboard. And the best part? Everything is easy to see and access when it's hanging on a pegboard!
This combination of pegboard and gutters by Anyone Can Decorate blew my mind! Gutters are so inexpensive, and look at how perfectly they fit spray paint! Her use of pegboard to hang everything from paintbrushes to wood filler is simple but effective.
Designate one corner of your garage for tools and a workbench like Cristina from RemodelaCasa did. The pegboard holds all of her hand tools as well as her smaller power tools. Such a clever use of space! And I love that she used the ledge created by the foundation to store her spray paint!
Sports Equipment Storage
If you are like us and have kids who have bikes, scooters, soccer balls, basketball stuff, and other sports equipment, chances are you need some ideas on how to organize it all. If so, these organization ideas are for you!
This hanging bike storage used by i heart organizing is such a smart way to to get bikes off the floor and create more room for other things. The only downside is that your kids must be strong enough to live them up (or you'll need to do it for them until they are a little older).
This simple DIY bike and scooter rack by Addicted 2 DIY is cute and practical. What I love most is that it's easy to use for even very young kids. They can easily park their own! And the hooks can hold everyone's helmet.
This simple setup by i heart organizing shows how easy it can be to organize your kids' outdoor toys and sports gear! All it takes is some baskets and bins to keep everything tidy and easy-to-access.
Creating Mary's Home fits bikes, scooters, hula hoops, and more with this simple garage hanging storage solution. I love that it gets everything up off the floor and organized.
If you are drowning in all the basketballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, and more, try this easy ball storage solution by Decora tu Mundo. It's such a clever use of bungee cords and makes it easy for kids to access their balls!
Other Smart Garage Organization Ideas
These clever organizing solutions don't squarely fit in any of the categories above but are still worth sharing.
This DIY tool rack by Popular Woodworking is an excellent option for anyone who has a ton of hand tools.
If you have lots of rakes, shovels, and other yard equipment to store, this DIY pallet tool organizer may work well for you! It's nice and shallow, so you don't need much floor space to do this–in fact, you can likely squeeze it on the wall by your garage door track like they did! And your budget will love the fact that you can use free pallets to make it.
Sypsie Designs had an existing workbench that got a makeover! The framed pegboard and a chalkboard paint countertop are the perfect finishing touches in this organized garage makeover.
No mudroom for your family? You can add a mudroom to your garage and dress up your garage entryway a bit! This beautiful example by Better Homes and Gardens is such a good example.
This beautiful garage set-up may look like it cost a lot, but it didn't! Classy Clutter painted the dull concrete floor (which is just one of many DIY garage flooring ideas). And the bright white cabinets add a beautiful touch to this utilitarian space! If you don't have existing cabinets, you could likely find cabinets like these at a local Habitat Restore or even on Facebook Marketplace. You can easily paint second-hand cabinets to give them new life!
That's it! I hope you are feeling inspired to tackle your own garage organization this year. I promise… having a tidy and organized garage that functions well is a game-changer!
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Beautiful ideas. The Elfa racks are a personal favorite of mine. We had them in our last house and loved them. For our current house, we went with Home Depot’s Husky Industrial Free-Standing Shelving. My husband does not put things away in cabinets and can’t find anything that isn’t already visible. A pegboard plus open storage with clear bins solved our problem. Not quite so pinterest-worthy, but much more functional. And the adjustable shelving made storing bulk items easy and accessible.
There’s something for everyone’s budget and needs. I especially love the slat wall systems that allow you to customize your storage space with ease.