Genius Garage Storage Ideas To Get You Organized

Let's face it… garages can be ugly, depressing places to spend time in. And if you are DIYers like us, chances are you spend a lot of time in your garage. The good news is that your garage doesn't have to be boring, disorganized or ugly! These genius garage storage ideas will give you amazing inspiration to organize your own space and make it beautiful in the process.

We are gearing up for a much-needed garage overhaul. Joe has been silently contemplating how he wants the garage to look and function, but he isn't moving quite fast enough for me, lol. In an effort to help him along, I gathered all of my favorite garage organization ideas and makeovers to provide him with a little inspiration. These are my favorite garage ideas and they range from hacks for simple storage (like tools and balls) to massive garage storage systems (which I wouldn't be mad about either!).

I thought y'all may like to benefit from our slow decision-making and check out these ideas. My favorites are the ones that are not only neat and orderly but also really beautiful and colorful (of course)!

First up let's take a look at some incredibly budget-friendly storage ideas for those of you who don't want to spend a ton of money improving your garage space.

DIY Garage Shelves

Shelves are definitely the easiest and most common way to take advantage of vertical storage in a garage. But 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.

painted garage shelving

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.

easy DIY garage shelves

Short on space? Add storage in 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.

garage storage between studs

These shallow garage shelves that fit above the foundation by Family Handyman are GENIUS! Deep shelves are a sure fire way for things to get hidden or lost. Plus, these shelves are back by pegboards which means not an inch of vertical space gets wasted.

DIY garage wall organization

DIY Overhead Garage Storage Ideas

If you need to clear up some floor space, add storage to your garage ceiling for those items you don't need to access often. 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 such 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 so that they 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).

organized garage with paint chip decor

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 that is an incredible price for the quality (we used it in our laundry room makeover). And I love the fact 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, a different approach from Abby! Do what works best for you.

garage storage system

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. So it will remain part of our garage as we tackle our garage makeover.

This garage space that belongs to Brian and Sarah Baeumler as shown by Garage Living shows just how versatile slat wall systems are. I think what we love about ours the most is that you can easily move things around and reconfigure anything as your needs change. You can attach hooks, cabinets, shelves, baskets and more. They easily hook on to the slats wherever you want/need them.

This garage space by A Beautiful Mess features a slat wall system similar to ours and is proof that garages don't have to be ugly or boring! The color block wall and black and white floor in this garage elevate the style and it is anything but plain! Plus it is perfectly organized with wall baskets and hooks. There's even a special spot for a garden hose. Swoon!

colorful garage makeover

Use Pegboard for Easy Access

Pegboard is inexpensive and it's a great way to maximize the storage on your garage walls, especially when it comes to organizing small items. And there are so many pegboard accessories so you can customize exactly how to use it–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 pegboard!

This combination of pegboard and gutters by Anyone Can Decorate blew my mind! Gutters are so inexpensive and look how perfectly they fit spray paint! And her use of pegboard to hang everything from paintbrushes to wood filler is simple but effective.

simple garage organization

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 smart use of space! And I love that she used the ledge created by the foundation to store her spray paint!

slim garage storage with pegboard

Sports Equipment Storage

If you are like us and have kids that have bikes, scooters, soccer balls, basketball stuff and other sports equipment, chances are you need some ideas for how to organize it all.

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 have to be strong enough to live them up (or you'll need to do it for them until they are a little older).

hanging bike storage

This simple DIY bike and scooter rack by Addicted 2 DIY is cute and practical. What I love about it 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.

DIY bike rack

This simple setup by i heart organizing shows just how easy it can be to organize your kids' outdoor toys and sports gear! All it takes is some baskets and bins to keep it all tidy and easy-to-access.

easy colorful garage storage

Creating Mary's Home fits bikes, scooters, hula hoops and more with this simple hanging storage solution. I love that it gets everything up off the floor and organized.

garage wall hanging storage system

If your are drowning in all the basketballs, soccer balls, tennis balls and more that your kids have, 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!

DIY ball storage

If you have the floor space to spare, I love this DIY bike and helmet rike. Everyone's helmet and bike have designated parking spots. And the construction is simple and easy enough even for novice DIYers.

easy garage bike rack

Other Smart Garage Storage Spaces

As I've been doing all of my research for our upcoming garage makeover, I have found storage options for everything from bikes to lawn equipment. Here are some of the ideas I have been most impressed with!

This beautiful garage set-up may look like it cost a lot, but it didn't! Classy Clutter painted the boring 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 cabinets that are second-hand to give them new life!

organized white garage with painted greek key floor

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.

chalk board paint workbench

This DIY tool rack by Popular Woodworking is a great option for anyone that has a ton of hand tools.

wood working tools organized

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.

pallet tool rack

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.

beautiful garage entryway and organization

Aren't these garage storage ideas amazing? So many cool hacks and ideas in these posts. People are so clever! Here's to hoping Joe and I can start finalizing all of the decisions for our own garage. Stay tuned!

Other posts you may enjoy:

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photo and blog post signature of Tasha Agruso for Kaleidoscope Living

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2 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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.