50 Simple ways to make any messy garage an organized thing of beauty

Keeping your garage organized and clean can be a major headache, especially if you’ve got lawn equipment, sports equipment, exercise equipment, and other household items thrown in there. Anyone with a busy schedule just doesn’t have time to constantly organize the garage.

But if you want to avoid tripping hazards, have a way to find items quickly, and just want to show off your awesome garage to your family and friends, we’ve got 50 suggestions for you to make a messy garage an organized thing of beauty!

Some of these nifty suggestions we found online are do-it-yourself solutions, while others are simple ways you can quickly and cheaply organize and clean up your garage for effective long-term storage.

1) Screw/nail organization jar hack

In this ingenious storage hack, all you need are a few jars and a place to attach them to, preferably a wood shelf. The jars can be glass jars, old peanut butter jars, etc. You permanently screw the lid into the bottom of a workbench shelf. Then fill up the jars with assorted screws, nails, or other small items and screw them into the lid to store for easy access later.

Chez Larsson by Jak and Jil
Source:

Chez Larsson by Jak and Jil

2) Cabinets on wheels

Instead of leaving assorted tools and items scattered around your garage, organize them in cabinets on wheels. This solution has a dual purpose. You both organize your items in one place and have the ability to easily move the cabinets around when necessary.

3) Wood bin or crate storage

Wood bins or crates make great equipment holders. You can build a cute wood bin yourself with appropriate equipment labels or find a cheap one online or at your local store. You can store yard equipment, sport equipment, or any other outdoor items by organizing them in a wood bin.

PrettyHandyGirl.com
Source:

PrettyHandyGirl.com

4) Pegboard

Pegboards are an outstanding garage solution for small tools and items you can hang. You can attach them to any wall or workbench. Then you can hang items like hammers, screwdrivers, paintbrushes, scissors, nails, etc.

5) Divided containers

Divided containers, whether plastic, steel, or wood, are extremely helpful in garage organization. You can label each drawer in the container to quickly find the item you need, whether that be hand tools, nails/screws, drills, or any other small item.

6) DIY tape dispenser

This wood block, do-it-yourself tape dispenser is extremely handy. You can make it to fit the number of tape slots you need for easy access in your garage. And it’s easy to make. Check out the tutorial here.

Popular Woodworking
Source:

Popular Woodworking

7) PVC pipe

You can use this do-it-yourself project to increase the organization of your garden and lawn equipment inside your garage. You attach cut PVC pipe to an upright board and then easily slip in brooms, shovels, hoes, etc., for easy storage. You can find the DIY instructions here.

8) Bucket hose holder

Storing garden hoses can be a headache. They get tangled up easily and often get in the way. Here’s a hack that requires a bucket and a hose. Just hang an old bucket on the wall and wrap the hose around it. Easy peasy!

9) Recycle bin shelving

If you recycle in your household, you probably have a few recycling bins in your garage. They are bulky and take up a lot of space. But you can use this trick to keep them out of the way and with easy access. You can hang them on the wall using these instructions.

Family handyman
Source:

Family handyman

10) Hanging tin cans

Here’s a helpful storage hack that you can use in your garage as suggested by Hi Sugarplum! “For small items like craft brushes and pencils, I wrapped a recycled soup can with coordinating washi tape, drilled a hole in the back, and hung it on a hook.”

11) Label everything

Labeling all of your bins, boxes, and drawers stored in your garage will definitely make your life easier. All you need to do is get some white labels, add a title on the label, and stick them to the front of the box or bin. No more searching for that one thing you need “right now!”

A Bowl Full of Lemons
Source:

A Bowl Full of Lemons

12) Bungee cords

This easy hack makes storage of basketballs, soccer balls, and footballs convenient. No more tripping over loose balls on the garage floor! You can see more about how to make this storage solution here under the header “Stud Storage.”

Designed to Dwell
Source:

Designed to Dwell

13) Overhead storage

Using overhead storage in your garage is a wonderful way to keep things off of the ground while making use of space that’s usually not used. This options requires you to hook up shelving to the garage ceiling. You can then stack boxes, bins, ladders, etc., in the shelving.

The Owner Builder Network
Source:

The Owner Builder Network

14) Build cabinets

You can also build your own wood cabinets and affix them to a garage wall. Family Handyman shows how to complete this DIY project. They says it takes one day to complete, is simple in complexity, and costs a minimum of $100.

15) Wire baskets

Wire baskets are extremely handy, not only in the kitchen, but also in the garage. Hang a few wire baskets from the garage wall and store any type of items that fit inside the basket, including small household items and even groceries that don’t need to be refrigerated.

16) Paper towel holder

This organization hack is simple yet helpful. Hang a paper towel bar on a wall in your garage and hang trash bags from it. Then when you need to clean up yard clippings or throw away any items, the garbage bags are right there.

17) Space-saving bike rack

If you are storing a bike or two in your garage, here’s a great way to save space. Attach a sturdy shelf to a wall in your garage high enough so that you can hang the bike vertically. Then use some strong clips or hooks to attach the front tire of each bike to the shelf. Instant space saver!

18) Hang ladder from ceiling

You can keep ladders out of the way by hanging from the garage ceiling. You can do this using a number of storage solutions. One option is to hang a simple carriage with rollers on each end. Then you can easily slide the ladder in and out when you need to use it and then put it away. According to Family Handyman, “Fasten the corner braces to ceiling joists with 2-in. lag screws. Secure the ladder with an elastic cord so it can’t roll out and fall.”

19) Magnetic bit holder

Keep your drill bits amazingly organized using this clever hack. Attach a magnetic tool holder to your workbench or garage wall. Then you’ll never loose drill bits again!

Better Homes & Gardens
Source:

Better Homes & Gardens

20) Clear, plastic bins

You can use clear, plastic bins to store items in your garage. This way, you can easily see what’s in each bin. Plus, you can label each bin as well. This bins can be tucked away in wall shelving for later retrieval.

21) Garden zone

Your garage is a perfect place to store items for outside use, including gardening items. So why not create a garden zone in your garage? Find a corner or wall space where you can put up some shelves that holds pots, small digging tools, and other gardening supplies.

22) Workshop zone

You should also consider creating a workshop zone in your garage. In this area, you can take advantage of wall space by mounting small bins and racks to hold tools and other items. It will definitely with organizing your garage.

23) Kids’ zone

A kids’ zone in your garage is also a helpful organizational idea. You can keep sports equipment, jackets, shoes, etc., in this area. Plus, it’s a great place to place backpacks and even a storage bench for notebooks and other school items.

24) Steel bins

According to Better Homes & Gardens, “Stackable galvanized-steel bins keep small items such as coils of wire corralled and ready for use. Labels help keep you organized.” And you can keep just about anything in a steel bin because they are extremely sturdy.

25) Store more items on walls

When making proper use of wall space in your garage, Family Handyman has a great idea: “The best strategy is to add a layer of 3/4-in. plywood over the drywall or bare studs. That gives you a continuous fastening surface, so you can mount storage hardware easily, arrange items in a space-efficient way and cram more stuff onto the wall. See how we doubled the storage capacity of this wall with plywood and inexpensive hardware.”

26) Utility cart

Using a utility cart or two in the garage is a great way to store items and be able to move them around easily to another location in the garage when necessary. For example, you can wheel a utility cart over to your car if you need to work on it or clean it out. Or you can use one of these carts to hold gardening supplies.

27) Extra bags

Keeping some extra bags on hand in the garage makes it easier for you to grab and reuse the bags for different purposes. For instance, you can take them to the grocery store to carry your groceries home. This way you don’t have to use the plastic bags at the grocery store.

28) Wheelbarrow space saver

If you hang your wheelbarrow from the garage wall, you’ll save floor space. Here’s how to do it, according to Family Handyman: “Special hardware is available at some home centers, but you can easily build it yourself. Substitute a scrap of 1×4, a pair of mending plates and screw hooks that act as latches. Then you can easily lock the wheelbarrow against the wall.”

29) Bikes up high

This recommendation is in the same vein as hanging bikes from a wall unit. Instead, here, you would hang them from the garage ceiling. You can use a simple hook or a more elaborate bike rack.

30) Cord chain hanger

This hack is wonderful for organizing cords in your garage. You just hang a coat hook or similar hook on the wall. Then hang your cords on a one-foot chain that is attached to the coat hook. But remember to mount the coat hook on a stud. If not, you’ll need to use wall anchors.

31) Wall-mounted rail

If you want to maximize garage space, consider installing wall-mounted rails. This helps keep all types of items organized and out of the way, including mops, brooms, hoses, cords, etc.

32) High space

To maximize the space in your garage, use as much high space as possible. While you may not want to put your most-used tools and items in a high space, you can store seasonal items or rarely used tools in high spaces.

33) Add outlets

Most garages have just one outlet in the garage. You can eliminate needing a bunch of extension cords by adding an outlet or two in the garage. This will also make it easier for you when you need to use electrical tools or a vacuum in the garage area.

34) Golf bag hack

Make good use of an old golf bag by transforming it into a storage holder. You can insert gardening tools in it, certain types of sports equipment, and or mops or brooms.

35) Metal locker

Use a tall metal locker to hold small tools, instruction manuals, cleaning supplies, and other smaller items. Lockers can be stored up against any garage wall, helping to keep supplies and manuals organized and out of the way.

36) Dog food container

If you have any old large dog food bins laying around, you can use them as a recycling bin. Hgtv.com explains: “Plastic stackable dog food containers work great as lidded recycling bins for the garage. Add labels to keep things separated as needed.”

37) Organize by item

When you organize your garage, make sure to put similar items close together. For instance, keep paint cans by the paint brushes. Or keep nails and screws near the hammer and drill set. This way you know exactly where to go for a specific item and won’t have to rummage through the garage.

38) Foldup workbench

Using a foldup workbench can help save much-needed garage space. Family Handyman has a cool DIY project for a compact folding workbench with storage. You can read the how-to instructions here on how to build your own foldup storage workbench.

39) File cabinet storage

Got an old filing cabinet laying around? Then try this space-saving hack. Take out the file cabinet drawers, turn the cabinet on its side so that the open drawers are facing upward, and then insert any large items, such as rakes, brooms, hoes, and shovels.

40) Compact caddy carrier

One or two strategically placed compact carriers in your garage can be very helpful. You can pack them full of cleaning supplies or other small garage items. Then you can tote them around when necessary for cleaning, etc.

41) Spray paint can organizer

If you’ve got a bunch of spray paint cans laying around, then you know how hard it is to round them up. You can keep them all organized in one spot by using “an over-the-door plastic shoe organizer to hold spray paint cans,” according to hgtv.com.

42) Scrap wood storage container

Managing scrap wood in your garage can be tiresome. But here is a DIY suggestion that will definitely help get it organized. Take an old toy chest, add casters to it, and store the wood inside of the chest. Or you can event build your own chest with the scrap wood and then store the rest of the wood in the chest.

43) Workshop on wheels

If you work in your garage a lot on any type of carpentry project or even on your car, this suggestion is especially for you. Use a rolling workbench. This way you can move around the bench to as necessary and then quickly store it back in the corner to save space.

44) Cleanup center

Add a cleanup center to your garage. It won’t take up much room at all. Hang up a wall-mounted towel dispenser in the garage. This will hold paper towels, as well as cleaning solutions and scrub brushes on top.

45) Towel bar clamp holder

Wall-mounted racks are amazing quick storage solutions. You can even take a basic towel holder, mount it to a garage wall, and hang tools, clamps, or other items from it.

46) Containing sports balls

Here’s another fantastic storage solution for sports balls. Just hang up a wire rack onto the garage wall and throw in basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and any other sports equipment that fits.

Jenna Burger Design
Source:

Jenna Burger Design

47) Coffee bin rope dispenser

Here’s an organizational hack for all that rope or twine taking up space in the garage. Take empty coffee cans, cut a small hole in the plastic lid, set the rope in the can, and pull a tiny bit of rope out of the top of the can. Then when you need to cut off the rope, pull it out of the can and cut off the amount you need.

48) Fishing rod hack

This hack is straightforward and easy! You could either make your own jigsaw hanger or buy one. Then attach it to a wall or ceiling and you’ve got a great space-saving fishing pole storage solution.

49) Garden gear hanger

Save space in the garage by hanging loose items. You can use scrap wood and clothespins to create a DIY garden gear hanger. Then hang up items like gloves, hats, scarves, etc., to keep them out of the way yet easily accessible.

50) Spray paint can holder option 2

Here’s another handy spray paint can holder hack for the garage. You can save shelf space by hanging plastic window planters on the garage wall and then placing the cans into the holders. You can use this hack for any item type.

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You can easily organize your garage with these hacks and DIY projects. It’ll take a little effort up front but then save you a lot of time over the long term. Plus, you won’t be tripping over all of the messy items in your garage.

No matter what hacks you use to organize your garage, remember to effectively organize your garage, put similar items close together. This way you know exactly where to go for a specific item and won’t have to rummage through the garage.