Your Wall Township, NJ garage is not supposed to be the cluttered, catch-all storage space for anything you don’t use. It should serve as a well-organized place to store items, park your car, and work on hobby projects. If you’re worried about floor space, look to the walls!
After you plan out your custom garage layout, determine which storage options work the best for your space. Some options that work well include:
- Built-In Cabinets
- Slatwall Racks
- Basic Hooks
- Sports Equipment Storage
- Bike Racks
- Overhead Storage
If you’re ready to have a neatly organized garage and gain the floor space you need, roll up your sleeves and continue on to learn more!
Plan Before You Begin
Before you begin gathering the necessary storage equipment for your garage, you need to have a plan. Start by assessing what you need to store. After that, you need to know how much room you have to work with and where you want to put everything. You also need to know your budget.
The best way to determine what to store is to sort through what you have. Toss things that are old, worn out, or broken. If something is in good condition, but you don’t use it anymore, consider donating it to a local charity. While sorting through everything, take the time to organize your items. Keep things like decorations and sports equipment together.
Make a plan that shows where you want to store items and how you want to group them. This plan will help you know what pieces to purchase before heading to the store. Having a budget in mind will also help you determine which options work best for your needs and wallet.
Choose The Best Wall Storage
As previously mentioned, there are lots of storage solutions for your garage. Most people think of wire shelves and plastic bins and ignore some of the extra space available. Wall storage is a great way to get things organized and off the floor.
Built-In Wall Cabinets
Probably one of the neatest ways to store bins is to have your garage include built-in cabinets. The cabinets are attached to your walls to reduce the risk of tipping hazards. They also keep items off the floor.
Cabinets are preferable to open shelves for a couple of reasons. You can close the cabinets hiding the bins inside from making the area look cluttered again. Some cabinets even come with a locking mechanism that allows you to secure items. The locks are ideal for the storage of chemicals, especially if you have children or pets.
Slatwall
Slatwall is one of many systems for tool organization. The panels attach to your garage walls. You then add hooks and bins by sliding them through the groove of the rack. It is an entirely adjustable system for deciding where you want the hooks to go and how you want to organize your tools. A few options include double hooks, S hooks, and bins for nails and screws.
Basic Hooks
While Slatwall is ideal for hanging various tools and equipment, you may not have the budget for this system upfront. According to theartofcleanliness.com , a more affordable option are hooks that you mount directly to the wall.
Double hooks come in different lengths and are ideal for hanging hand or lawn tools. Choose a size that is long enough to accommodate what you want to hold without being too big. For example, a hammer will fit comfortably on a four-inch hook, but you would want to go up to an eight-inch double hook for your rakes.
S hooks are suitable for hanging items such as brooms, while single hooks work for smaller tools such as gardening spades. You can also find ladder hooks to keep your ladders out of the way or loop hooks for hanging extension cords or water hoses.
Sports Equipment Bins
Suppose you have sports enthusiasts in your home. In that case, you probably have an extensive collection of balls, bats, and other equipment. For this, you may want to invest in bins or racks specifically made to contain these types of items.
As with hooks, these directly attach to your garage walls. The design gives you a place to hang bats, rackets, and clubs around the outside. The middle portion is ideal for wrangling balls to keep them from scattering across your garage floor.
Bike Racks
Bikes can take up a lot of room. Instead of leaving them parked in the way, follow HGTV.com’s suggestion and pick racks that mount to the wall or ceiling. Some racks mount the bike, similar to the ones you put on your car. You can also add hooks to a Slatwall system or wall to hang the bike from its wheels.
Overhead Storage
While it’s not technically a wall, you might want to consider some overhead storage. There are racks you can purchase to hold bins off the floor and out of the way. If you choose to go up high on your storage, make sure the racks are high enough to be clear of your car roof and out of the way of your garage door opener.
Conclusion
Organizing your garage is just another way to remove a layer of stress from your life. Use your plan to determine which wall storage methods are best suited for your needs. You may choose to go with a built-in cabinet system along with hooks to hang tools and equipment. Putting your bikes on the walls and going overhead can give you added room. Don’t be afraid to mix and match methods. Remember, you are the design boss!