55 Easy Garage Storage Ideas for Instant Organization

Does your garage look like a disaster zone? Rein in the clutter with our tips, hacks and DIY organization projects.

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Smart Garage Storage Ideas & Solutions

Your garage is likely one of the hardest-working spots in your house. It's where you store not just your car, but also tools, gardening gear, cleaning supplies, sports equipment and more. This space can easily become a cluttered mess. But our genius garage storage ideas and hacks will help you keep it all organized.

The key to a tidy garage is to maximize space with the right mix of shelving, cabinets, wall organizers and even ceiling storage systems. Assess your belongings to determine your storage needs, then flex your DIY muscles by building our rolling garage shelves, oversized cabinets or customized pegboard. Bins, baskets, hooks and racks are great for corralling smaller items. And if you’re organizing on a budget, you can also upcycle items you already have into clever storage solutions. Need inspiration? See the best garage organization tips and tricks in action.

Cleaning Tool Hanger

Keep brooms, mops and dustpans off the floor and out of the way by crafting a handy organizer out of scrap wood and pipe straps. Hung on the wall, this cleaning tool holder takes up much less space than a traditional storage bin.

Make It: How to Make a Cleaning Tool Holder

Chic Screwdriver Rack

Keep screwdrivers stylishly organized and in reach by dipping the ends in plastic coating and displaying on this DIY storage rack.

Make It: How to Make a Wall-Mounted Screwdriver Rack

From: Sam Henderson

Clutter-Hiding Cabinets

Cabinets are game-changers when positioned around a garage workspace. Having tools and supplies within reach during projects maximizes efficiency while keeping the mess stored away and out of sight. Drawers below are ideal for corraling garage clutter.

See More Photos: Turn an Empty Garage Corner Into an Organization Station

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Clever Garden Hose Holder

Storing garden hoses on a garage floor can quickly clutter the space and set you up for accidents. Instead, wrap them around metal tubs attached to the wall for a solution that’s simple, effective and attractive. Use smaller metal buckets in the same way to store extension cords.

Rolling Storage Shelves

Keeping a garage organized might be easier than it seems. It just takes a little discipline and, most importantly, the right shelves. These DIY rolling shelf units are the storage solution you’ve been looking for at a fraction of the cost of retail options.

Make It: How to Build Rolling Garage Storage Shelves

Coffee Can Rope Dispenser

Coffee to the rescue! Stop fighting with tangled twine and rope and store them in a coffee can instead. Cut a slit in the top of the can, and put your rope inside. Pull the end through the top for an easy dispenser.

Parking Spaces

Remove the bottom section of a shelving unit to store lawnmowers or wheelbarrows to keep them conveniently tucked away and out of your path. This strategy works great for kids' tricycles and wagons, too.

Magnetic Catchall

For all those little items that tend to get lost in your garage, install magnetic strips to keep them organized and easy to access. This organization staple is great for holding paintbrushes and other metal tools. For smaller items like pencils, attach soup cans for an instant catchall.

A Place for Plants

Two freestanding storage cabinets flank a garden workbench offering organization and space for an assortment of home and garden projects. Hooks on the wall for outdoor hats and tools help keep the top of the workbench free from clutter and maximize functional space.

See More Photos: Garage Workshops That Work as Hard as You Do

From: Tiffany Brooks

Space-Savvy Bike Storage

When it comes to storing bicycles, our go-to scenario is usually an awkward lean against another item. Resist the urge to stash-and-dash with strategically placed hooks on the garage walls or ceiling. This foolproof solution makes storage a breeze and frees up valuable floor real estate.

See More Photos: Stylish Ways to Store Bikes When You're Short on Space

Utilize Shelves

Shelves are a great option for keeping gardening supplies, paint or tools off the floor and away from small hands. Freestanding units can be moved to free up wall space; some even have wheels for portability.

Ultimate Organization

At first glance, the two-tone walls in this fully insulated garage steal the show. However, the real showstopper is the immaculately organized workbench tucked into the recessed wall. With plastic bins full of DIY supplies and a perfectly organized shelf system above, this garage is any hobbyist's dream.

Filing Cabinet Tool Holder

An old filing cabinet can easily be turned into a tool holder by flipping it on its back and adding casters to the bottom. Kick up the usefulness factor another notch by attaching a pegboard to one side to hold small items.

Oversized Garage Storage Cabinets

Say goodbye to clutter for good with the addition of oversized garage cabinets. Inexpensive and easy to assemble, this DIY makes for the perfect weekend project to tackle.

Make It: How to Build Oversized Garage Storage Cabinets

Slatwall Solution

This versatile system features grooved panels that attach to walls and organize various types of accessories, including hooks, shelves, baskets and brackets. A slatwall system tends to be more affordable than cabinetry and features a narrower depth.

Garden Gear Holder

Never lose a garden glove again with this handy DIY holder. Unused clothespins and a scrap piece of wood will keep all your garden gear right where you left it.

Use the Ceiling

This clever solution takes your storage overhead, freeing up the floor space below. For items you don't need to access all the time — such as holiday decorations and seasonal equipment — this ceiling-mounted rack gets them out of the way.

See More Photos: Transform Your Garage Into a Stylish Home Gym

Practical Pegboard

Pegboard makes organizing a cinch. It works in garages of all sizes, too, allowing you to efficiently use every bit of square footage. A variety of hooks and baskets hold paint supplies and tools for effortless organization.

Make It: How to Install and Organize a Pegboard

From: Sam Henderson

Between the Studs

If your garage has bare wall studs, take advantage of all that glorious storage space by installing small shelves between the studs.

Neat and Tidy

Plastic storage bins look neat and tidy all in a row. Labeling each bin ensures you know exactly what's inside. If you have the space, cubbies are a great way to keep every member of the family organized.

Harness the Power

Powered lawn tools can be a pain to store because they are inconveniently shaped and weighted. Trimmers and edgers are easily tamed with strategically slotted shelving.

Make It: Easy Woodworking Project: Build Storage Shelves for the Garage

Multifunctional Storage

Multitasking isn't a bad thing when it comes to storage. This seemingly simple organizer was originally intended for lumber, but the wall-mounted unit can handle a whole lot more, from ladders and PVC pipes to hockey sticks and golf bags.

Paint Supply Storage Solved

Scrap wood and a few small plumbing straps are all you need to keep your painting supplies in one organized place.

Recycled Pallet Garden Tool Rack

What can’t you use pallets for? With a little elbow grease and paint in your favorite color, you can turn pallets into an ultra-functional garden tool holder.

Make It: Turn a Wooden Pallet Into a Garden-Tool Rack

New Uses for Old Stuff

Finished with a jar of salsa or pickles? Don't throw it away just yet. Here, a red medicine cabinet rescued from a friend’s junk pile is filled with salsa jars that hold all that tiny hardware that can be easily lost.

DIY Tape Dispenser

Use supplies you already have on hand to create a simple dispenser to keep your tape organized and ensure a roll never gets misplaced again. An old hacksaw blade makes the perfect cutting edge for sturdy tape.

Make It: Make a Wall-Mounted Tape Dispenser

From: Sam Henderson

Pipe Dreams

Sturdy and stylish, plumbing pipe and fittings offer endless construction possibilities for DIY hooks and racks in the garage. Use galvanized iron for an industrial look or copper for a little more refinement.

Bucket List

When allowed to roam free, balls and toys can quickly take over a garage. Inexpensive buckets hung on the wall using screw hooks allow organizing to be a breeze. Plus, the temporary mounting allows the entire bucket to be taken down as needed.

Magnets, Magnets Everywhere

Use every inch of space on metal shelves by attaching magnets to small tools, paint samples and tin cans. Storing items this way keeps them clearly visible, utilizes empty space and improves functionality.

See More Photos: Make Garage Magic With Magnets: 6 Super-Easy Ways to Corral the Clutter

Spray Paint Can Containers

Plastic window planters make perfect storage containers. Mount them to the garage wall, and fill with spray paint cans or other materials.

Group by Item

Hang awkwardly sized objects on the wall to solve storage woes. Keep lawn tools, gasoline and extra parts grouped together for easy access next time you're searching for them.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Bungee Cord Corner

Bungee cords are a handy tool to have around. Turn an unused corner in your garage into sports equipment storage with the help of a few bungee cords, board and other common supplies.

Make It: How to Build Sports Equipment Storage

Golf Bag Tool Organizer

For a ready-made tool storage option, repurpose a golf bag to hold rakes, trowels, garden gloves and more. The durability and upright shape of the bag can accommodate several long-handled tools, and the handy pockets can hold smaller odds and ends.

Hanging Car Wash Bucket

Flat-backed feed buckets aren’t just for feeding horses. They are perfect for storing car wash supplies right on the wall. Hang using a picture hanger for easy transport from the garage to the driveway.

Towel Rod Rack

A wall-mounted towel rack is a great solution for storing various clamps. Next time you replace a towel rod inside the house, save the old one for the garage.

Family Friendly

A new system of shelves, hooks and bins turns this garage into a family-friendly drop zone. On the adjacent wall, labeled bins keep lesser-used items tucked away yet easy to find.

See More Photos: Before and After: A Garage Makeover the Whole Family Can Enjoy

Fishing Rod Storage

There are plenty of hidden nooks and crannies where you can store items if you think cleverly. A fishing rod holder can be hung on any wall, but why not put the area above your garage door to use?

Space-Saving Recycling Bins

Stackable dog food containers are the perfect lidded recycling bins for the garage. Add labels to keep things separated as needed.

Extension Cord Storage Hack

If you have a pile of tangled extension cords in your garage, try this inexpensive hack. Use 1-inch sections of chain to hang cords on a coat hook. Mount the coat rack on a stud or use wall anchors, and hang two cords from each hook to create wall storage.

French Cleats

Turn an unused wall in any room (especially the garage) into a stylish, customizable and sturdy storage system with the addition of French cleats.

Make It: How to Install a French Cleat Storage System

Repurposed Paint Cans

Don’t throw away your empty paint cans next time. Instead, upcycle old paint cans into garage storage to help organize painting supplies like brushes, tape and stir sticks.

Scrap Wood Storage

Scrap wood can be a big source of garage clutter, especially after big projects. To keep it organized, add casters to an old toy chest or build a chest using the wood scraps for convenient storage.

Vertical Bike Rack

Get creative with bike storage by hanging bikes from existing support poles or beams. Otherwise, bikes take up valuable floor space.

Pegboard Basket

Give an unused decorative basket new life by transforming it into a supply caddy. Attach to pegboard for an easy grab-and-go storage solution.

See More Photos: 13 Creative Ways to Use Pegboard

Ceiling Solutions

If your garage offers more vertical space than horizontal, this hack uses a few strategically placed 2x4s and lightweight plastic storage boxes to provide a simple and easy way to store camping supplies and seasonal decor.

Make It: How to Install Ceiling Storage in a Garage

Upcycled Shoe Organizer

Use an over-the-door plastic shoe organizer to hold spray paint. You’ll be able to see all the paint colors available in one quick glance.

Tuck It Away

Closets may be a good option for large families. Unsightly sports equipment hides behind doors and individual cubbies give each family member a designated drop zone. Baskets and bins are your best options for corralling loose balls.

Consolidate Items

Storing similar items together streamlines household routines. Wire baskets and clear plastic containers are visually appealing while also making it easy to see what's inside.

Leftover Paint Canisters

Save garage space — and avoid rust — by storing leftover paint in plastic stackable kitchen containers. Label each container to keep track of the paint color and sheen.

Under-Shelf Space Saver

In small work areas, it's all about giving yourself a little elbow room. Take advantage of the space under the shelf. Fasten lids of used jars to the underside of a shelf with screws. Then, fill the jars with tiny, easy-to-lose garage accessories and screw the jars back into place. Voila!

Fake a Workbench

Combine old dressers and tabletops to create a large workbench on a small budget. This pieced-together built-in looks like it was always there.

Locker Garage Storage

Transform old lockers into a container that holds various chemicals in the garage. Easily add wood shelving for extra storage space within each.

Closet Rod Rescue

If your garage ceiling isn't finished, closet dowels and hanging straps make the most of the unused area between exposed joists. This out-of-the-way spot is perfect for landscaping fabric rolls, umbrellas and camping chairs — all those lightweight items that typically clutter our corners.

From: Emily Fazio

Ladder Scrap Wood Holder

If you have various sizes of lumber occupying the garage floor, store them on a ladder for an easy organization solution.

Labeled Toy Storage

A lightweight hand-me-down shelf was transformed into a handy catchall for kids' toys in this garage. Inexpensive galvanized buckets are adorned with easy-to-read labels so that finding and putting away toys is a breeze.

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