How to Recover Extra Space in Your Garage

Your garage is one of the largest spaces in your home, which makes it perfect for storing all of that stuff that you’ll use one day (right…?)On the other hand, if you aren’t making the most of your garage space, it could end up becoming a maze of junk with no room left for your vehicles or workspace. So how do you organize your garage in order to optimize both storage and free space?

Downsize First

Before you decide to reorganize your entire garage, consider what’s taking up all that space. How much of it do you really need? How much could be thrown out, donated, or sold? The garage is many homeowners’ go-to area for storing the objects they don’t regularly use, many of which spend the next few years collecting dust. Ask yourself whether you really need that antique plate that someone in the family passed down to you 18 years ago (it’s never going to fit with your décor, trust us!)

Chances are, there’s plenty of objects in your garage that could (and should) be parted with. Simply taking some time to downsize those possessions could save plenty of space in your garage, which makes organization a whole lot easier.

Tips for Recovering Space in Your Garage

Use Vertical Space to Its Full Potential

One of your garage’s greatest benefits is the amount of vertical space it offers. This space is fantastic for storage, yet it’s neglected by far too many homeowners. Wall-mounted shelves come in handy by creating storage space without using the floor.

Don’t Forget About Overhead Space

Overhead storage racks are another great option, particularly for seasonal items like tires or patio furniture. While it’s too much of a hassle to put regularly used items on an overhead rack, it will keep your unused seasonal items out of the way. Try not to put the racks directly over your cars as an extra safety precaution.

Use Pegboards to Hang Tools

A pegboard’s drilled-in holes make it easy to hang tools like hammers and wrenches on the wall. They’re easy to fit and cut to size, and they make a splash of contrast on a dull garage wall. Plus, they’re easy to keep organized if you create a system - for example, drawing the outlines of the tools in their designated spots, so you know exactly where everything goes.

 Set Up a Workbench

If you’re a fan of DIY projects, setting up a workbench in the garage will help you stay organized and get through those projects much quicker. A workbench and a pegboard make an efficient pair; setting up your workbench against your pegboard allows for far easier access to your tools.

Use Storage Bins and Baskets

Many homeowners find their garage taken up by an ever-increasing pile of stuff. While you might not want to get rid of all these objects, organizing them will help free up space and make your garage cleaner. Bins and baskets are great for organizing items like sports equipment and cleaning supplies. Instead of hunting through a pile of miscellaneous objects, you just take a look inside your cleaning bin!

Add Hooks or a Track System to Hang Objects

Though pegboards work great for hanging tools, they, unfortunately, can’t hold much else. Luckily, installing hooks on the walls opens up a whole new world of organization opportunities. Sports equipment too big to fit in bins, like soccer nets or hockey sticks, can be stored safely on the wall. Track systems are another useful tool for hanging objects on the walls. This system allows for more customizability with the hooks, making it perfect for those oddly shaped items that don’t hang nicely anywhere else.

Put in Cabinets

Like bins, cabinets help keep your garage nice and organized. Beyond that, though, cabinets hide away a lot of the clutter, making your garage look much cleaner and less messy (just don’t slack off on organizing because no one can see inside!). Cabinets also offer additional safety - locks will keep your kids away from dangerous objects and chemicals.

Cabinets don’t require installation, unlike wall-mounted shelves and storage racks. Instead, they offer a far simpler way to organize your garage - though they will take up some extra floor space.

 Keep Shoes Off the Floor

If not organized properly, shoes tend to take up a lot of space. Many homeowners have a spot on their garage floor for winter boots, old pairs of shoes, and the like, but that takes up an unnecessary amount of floor space. Instead, you can install shelving specifically for boots and shoes to keep them off the floor. Plus, your garage floor won’t get nearly as dirty!

Store Items Where You Can Access Them

It doesn’t make much sense to have your shoes up in an overhead rack, or have your snowblower on the garage floor during the summer. Organize your items based on where or when you use them - you’ll probably want to put the shoes by the entry door, and the lawn mower by the garage door. 

The lower the item is, the easier it is to access, so store everyday objects near the floor and seasonal possessions up higher. If you have kids, make sure the items they need to use are within arm’s reach of them.

Maintain Your Organization

Spending a weekend organizing your garage is a fantastic start, but means little if you can’t maintain it. It’s easy to fall into a rhythm of procrastination, but you’ll eventually end up back where you started with your garage in a state of disrepair. 

In order to properly maintain the organizational system you’ve created, make sure that everything goes in its proper place after you use it. Try to avoid creating piles and saying that you’ll ‘organize them later’ - that’s just a recipe for disaster. When putting other items in your garage, consider if you really need them. If you do need them, is there somewhere else to store them that would save garage space?

Get the Most out of Your Garage

Your garage is one of the most spacious parts of your home – why not make the most of it? At C&W Canada Garage Doors, we “get” garages, which is why we offer top-quality garage door services. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get the most out of your garage and make it one of the best parts of your house!