Easy Garage Storage Systems

Easy garage storage solutions. The first challenge of using the garage for storage is that unlike most rooms, the garage is not exactly furnished. You will need a lot of storage "furniture" to make the garage work for your family. 

The good news is that these catchall furnishings don't need to be attractive - just functional. And they don't have to be expensive, either.

Here are some garage storage systems that you might consider, depending on what you use it for. You will probably need a combination to meet all your needs.

These garage storage systems are roughly arranged from most to least expensive.

Floor-to-Ceiling Cabinets

Floor-to-ceiling cabinets are one of the most attractive easy garage storage systems, and it's also one of the most expensive.

The advantages of this system are that all your unsightly items are out of sight, and you can organize them well. And you can keep them relatively dust-free and clean. For neatniks, this might be the right choice.

The bad news is that floor-to-ceiling cabinets are not deep or large enough to store big boxes or bulky items such as luggage. 

And small items can get lost within big cabinets unless you put boxes on the shelves to contain them. 

Friends of mine, a retired couple, Pat and Sam, use their garage as a workspace. Sam likes to mount and frames artwork and prints. Pat likes to refinish old furniture. Neither hobby is an indoor activity. So Pat and Sam keep their equipment and supplies along opposite walls of the garage.

When they're ready to work, they just back the car out of the garage into the driveway, pull their tools up front and center, and get down to business.

Counters and Cabinets

Some people install counters and cabinets in their garage, just like you'd have in the kitchen. Some even have a sink in the garage. This is helpful to wash up after gardening or working on the car without messing up the sinks inside.

Of course, this, too, is an expensive solution. You do have the convenience of drawers for small items. And you can keep things relatively clean. But it's obviously not for everyone.

Storage Lofts

For the long-term storage items you use only once in a blue moon, you might want to invest in lofts. These are platforms suspended about 4 or 5 feet from the ceiling.

They are great for storing mementos, old financial records and paperwork, and other stuff you don't need but can't part with.

It keeps them dry and out of harm's way. You can put things you might need more often, such as luggage and pet carriers up on the loft, but store them at the front where they're pretty accessible. 

Instead of building them from wood, you can buy wire lofts that are about 4-by-4-feet that hang from the ceiling. If you don't want to actually create a loft, you may be able to store large items such as rafts or tents in the rafters.

You can even devise a pulley system to pull them up and down. The sky - or the roof anyway - is the limit.

Specialized Racks

For just about anything you want to hang or store, there is a specialized rack designed specifically for it. There are racks to store balls, bikes, tennis supplies; you name it. Most people would not need such costly solutions.

However, if you have a passion - biking, tennis, fishing, golf - and have expensive equipment, you might want to invest in proper storage for it.

Easy Garage Storage Systems: Industrial Shelving

These are the aluminum shelves you can get at hardware and home stores. They are inexpensive and light. They can hold everything from pantry items to sodas to boxes.

Capacity on these shelves range from 50 pounds to more than 200 - so make sure you know how much weight yours can hold. This will be helpful when you're considering what to store where, but it's essential that you know if the kids try to climb them.

For safety and a lot of other practical reasons, make all your garage's storage units no-play zones. And if the kids don't comply, make the garage and all  its contents off-limits for a day or two. You shouldn't have to tell the kids twice.

Easy Garage Storage Systems: Pegboards

These are boards filled with holes on which you hang things on single hooks. Pegboards are very handy garage storage because everything is accessible and in plain view, yet not on the floor.

Pegboards are great for storing bikes, gardening tools, work tools, and sports equipment.

A friend of mine, Kimberli, has a family that's really into sports. A sturdy pegboard covers an entire wall of their garage with even sturdier hooks. Everything from bikes to skis to swim goggles is hung on the pegboard.

All balls are stashed in a series of bins at the bottom. Water bottles and energy bars are stored alongside the bins. Gym bags are on the counter, ready to go with fresh, clean towels. 

Running shoes and hiking boots are in shoe cubbies at the bottom. A canoe and a rubber raft hang side by side from the ceiling. This is a family that's ready to play anytime. Tennis anyone?

Final Words on Easy Garage Storage Systems

Remember that a garage is a really dirty place. Protect anything that's not sealed by storing it in lidded plastic containers. Stacking containers can help maximize garage storage space. Wheeled bins are great for toy pickup at the end of the day.






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