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Garage Organization – How to Make the Most of Your Storage Space

Is your garage a disaster even though you planned to “get things organized” this summer?  Well, how about you set aside a little time this weekend and tackle some of that mess!   Today, I’m sharing my latest garage organization project while showing you how to make the most of your storage space.

Maybe my ideas will inspire you to try something similar in your garage!

For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking my links below, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Garage Organization - How to Make the Most of Your Space

How to Organize Your Garage – One Area at a Time:

Rather than take on the entire garage at once, break down your garage organization into zones.  If you already have somewhat of a dedicated space where you keep golf equipment or gardening tools, you’re already on your way.  In our case, we needed a place to keep our outdoor cushions and pool supplies.

Step One – Evaluate Your Storage Needs:

After we finished our backyard renovation last year, we starting storing our pool supplies in a small corner of our garage.  I’m embarrassed to say that we had absolutely no organization at that point.  We’d just use the supplies and then stick them inside the door somewhere.  Originally, I had planned to have our contractor build us a wall shelf but that never happened.  Over time, the area by the door became a dumping ground for pool chemicals, outdoor cushions, pool floats…you name it…

Messy Garage - Before and After

One day, I walked in there and couldn’t take it any more.  At that point, I decided to create some garage organization before I lost my mind!  I figured I’d have to buy some kind of shelving but I didn’t want to spend a lot of money.  So, I started looking online to see what size shelving was available to work with my space.  In the past, I’ve used metal shelves in another area of my garage, so I considered buying more for this spot.

Step Two – Measure Your Space (and your items):

For my storage area, I had 89 inches available from the corner to the window.  Since the door molding is only 27 inches from the corner, I didn’t want to buy anything too deep.  I knew I wanted to fit a tall storage shelf and a spot to hang the pool towels.   To give us more room when we walked through the door, I decided I’d place the shelf closer to the window and put a small bench and towel rack to the left by the door.

garage organization - how to measure your space

Since we store our outdoor cushions in the garage when it rains, I knew they’d have to fit on the shelf.  My cushions are 22 inches square so at first I was looking at shelves that were 24 inches deep.  Though with our limited space, I thought 24 inches might take up too much room.

Then I realized our walls are wider at the bottom with the concrete base.  Basically, any shelf we’d buy would stick out about 3 1/2 inches from the wall anyway.  So, I figured I was safe ordering an 18 inch deep shelf.

Step Three – Clean and Empty the Space:

When you empty the space, evaluate everything you want to keep.  Then donate or throw away those things you really don’t want or need.  We had an old beat up hose that we were never going to use again.  Why waste your time finding a space to store something you will never use?

Step Four – Purchase the Storage Products:

Like I said, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money on this mini-makeover so I purchased this practical metal shelf.  Like I mentioned, I’ve ordered similar shelves before and they’re pretty easy to assembly.

For my little seating area, I wanted to create a cabana look.  So, I thought this teak bench was perfect…

And to hang towels above the bench, I ordered these wall hooks…

Step Five – Assemble the Products:

In my case, my husband and I put the shelf together and he hung the wall hooks for me.  The bench came pre-assembled…yay.  Since the metal shelf was large – (72 inches high x 48 inches wide and 18 inches deep), it really did take two people to put it together.  Of course, we chose to build the shelf on the hottest day ever…but we were happy with the results!

Step Six – Group Like Items in Your New Garage Organization Space:

Garage Storage Shelves for Outdoor Items

As you can see, now everything has a place.  With this new shelving, I’ve totally improved my garage organization.  In the future, I might add a low shelf under the window to stack the pool floats.  For now, we’re just leaning them against the long wall.

Metal Shelves and Garage Organization - How to Make the Most of Your Storage Space

As you can see, this small area is completely transformed!  At some point, I’ll probably add an indoor-outdoor rug in front of the door too.  As always, I can’t leave well enough along! Ha!

Pretty and Practical Garage Organization:

Since my kids were always running back in the house when they’d forget a towel, I set up a little nook to hang extra towels. This way, they can quickly grab a towel or hang one up when they’re done swimming.

Of course, we also keep a large supply of s’more sticks on hand for those evenings at the firepit.  Even though we also have metal sticks for roasting marshmallows, my boys prefer the wooden ones…I think they just enjoy setting them on fire!  Boys…

Pool Towel storage in garage - Garage organization - how to make it pretty

Anyway, since this spot is so close to the back door, we like the convenience of being able to grab and go!

Let’s take another look at the Before and After of my garage organization project:

Before and After - Garage Organization - How to Make the Most of Your Storage Space

Finally, I can check that organization project off my list!

Hopefully, I gave you some helpful garage organization tips and ideas on how to plan your next project.  Now, go out there and tackle a corner of your garage!  You can do it!

Once again, here are some ideas to shop the look:

Do you have any tips on how to make the most of garage organization?

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14 Comments

  1. That is a perfect little area! We do have shelving in our garage but they start at the height of our cars and I am unable to read most of them. Thankfully we don’t store much in there. But I do always feel like it could be less messy than it is.

    1. Thanks Joanne! Now that we’re all home more, I’m noticing all the things that need to be organized! Enjoy your weekend!

    2. Looks great! My garage is always a disaster during the summer months! Thanks for the ideas and giving me the motivation to clean ‘er up!!

    1. Thanks Catherine! In the past, we’ve completely emptied our garage and it’s a huge project! I know most organizers say that’s the way to do it, but it causes me to put it off forever. I find that if I focus on one area of a time, I can accomplish small goals and little by little I can get it done. Thanks for swinging by!

    1. Thank you, Paula! Yes, your right…I do smile when I walk in there now. It was one of those times where I wondered – what took me so long?! Have a great day!

    1. Thanks – that’s a cute way of looking at it. I think sometimes we all get overwhelmed by big projects. I find it easier to tackle a little at a time!

    1. Thanks Kristin! I’m all about the “easy DIYs!” I really appreciate you sharing it to your Facebook followers!

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