Garage Organizer Ideas

By Sherrie Le Masurier

When it comes to garage organization you don’t have to spend a ton of money on expensive garage organizer products. With a little know-how you can turn ordinary household items into budget-friendly garage organizer tools.

That said, the Internet is a great place to seek out garage organization ideas. By checking out what garage organizer products are currently on the market, I’ve found some inspiration for crafting my own homemade versions.

One of my favorite ways to organize garage tools and gardening supplies is to use old dressers, trunks or desks.

When thinking of storage units and general garage organizer ideas, be creative – an old overturned bar stool or garbage can on wheels is ideal for long-handled rakes and shovels. .

Another awesome garage organizer idea is to implement the use of an old mailbox for handy storage and quick access of gardening gloves, seed packets etc. .

You can organize garage staples like leftover bags of grass seed, potting soil and peat moss by storing them in new trash cans. Label each can so you know what’s inside without having to take the lid off. .

You can further organize garage walls and long-handled tools by hammering large nails on a 45 degree angle into the studs. Two nails positioned side-by-side are ideal for tools like shovels and garden hoes. Be sure to leave enough clearance to remove and replace the tools with ease. .

Other garage organizer ideas for small lightweight hand tools include using a roll of heavy magnetic striping. When tacked to a garage wall magnetic striping is ideal for hanging a collection of paintbrushes. .

The key to budget-friendly garage organization is to be creative. Consider two-in-one garage organizer possibilities like winding your garden hose around a large coffee can nailed to the wall of your garage. The inside of the can is ideal for water nozzle or spray attachment storage. .

Don’t overlook shelving as a great garage organizer. It keeps boxes off the floor which in time can take on a musty odor. If you opt to organize garage walls with shelves maximize your space by screwing jar lids into the underside of the bottom shelf and using clear plastic jars to contain your assortment of nuts, bolts, nails and screws. .

The best garage organization tip I’ve discovered for off season sports equipment is to suspend an old wooden ladder horizontally from the ceiling. This cool garage organizer idea is ideal for storing skis, poles, snowboards, hockey sticks and the like. .

Alternatively, you can organize garage space above the rafters by sliding plastic sleds and inner tubes right on top of open ceiling joists. A further out-of-the-way garage organizer idea would be maximize your space by installing shelves between the rafters. .

As you saw by the bar stool/new trash can ideas, garage organization can take on many forms. Another awesome garage organizer idea is for golfers who may have recently replaced their golf bag. Save your old one and use it for storing baseball bats and fishing rods. .

If you want to organize garage items for child accessibility you may want to consider using large plastic totes, milk crates, laundry hampers and mesh bags hung on hooks. Low hung hooks can turn an everyday container into an awesome kid-friendly garage organizer for storing assorted balls and other outdoor toys like Frisbees and skipping ropes. .

You can take the hook idea one step further and use hooks for storing bikes on your garage walls. In the off season you could screw heavy duty hooks into your ceiling joists to get bikes up and out of the way. .

Effective garage organization also means storing like things together. For instance, a tire pump, patch kit and wrench should always be stored nearby your kid’s bikes. .

Like the new life given to an old bar stool or golf bag, consider turning metal shelving units upside down. The advantage to this garage organizer idea is that things like ball gloves and soccer pads are more easily contained as the lip of the shelves prevent items from falling off. .

The bottom line is you can easily organize garage space using a little garage organization know how from above and lots of your own imaginative garage organizer ideas. .

Written by Sherrie Le Masurier, Lifestyle Columnist, Professional Organizer and Co-Owner of Family Sanity Savers.com - Copyright 2006