Easy Garage Storage Systems

You will probably need a combination of garage storage systems to meet all your needs.

Easy garage storage solutions. The first challenge of using the garage for storage is that unlike most rooms, the garage is not exactly furnished. You will need a lot of storage "furniture" to make the garage work for your family.

The good news is that these catchall furnishings don't need to be attractive - just functional. And they don't have to be expensive, either.

Depending on what you use your garage for, here are some garage storage systems that you might consider. You will need a combination to meet all your needs. These garage storage systems are arranged from most to least expensive.

Floor-to-Ceiling Cabinets

Floor-to-ceiling cabinets are one of the most attractive easy garage storage systems and are also one of the most expensive.

This system's advantages are that all your unsightly items are out of sight, you can organize them well, and you can keep them relatively dust-free and clean. For neatniks, this might be the right choice.

The bad news is that floor-to-ceiling cabinets are not deep or large enough to store big boxes or bulky items such as luggage.

And small items can get lost within big cabinets unless you put boxes on the shelves to contain them.

Friends of mine, a retired couple, Pat and Sam, use their garage as a workspace. Sam likes to mount and frame artwork and prints, and Pat likes to refinish old furniture.

Neither hobby is an indoor activity, so Pat and Sam keep their equipment and supplies along opposite walls of the garage.

When ready to work, they back the car from the garage into the driveway, pull their tools up front and center, and get to business.

Counters and Cabinets

Some people install counters and cabinets in their garages, just like in the kitchen. Some even have a sink in the garage. This is helpful for washing up after gardening or working on the car without messing up the sinks inside.

Of course, this, too, is an expensive solution. You do have the convenience of drawers for small items and can keep things relatively clean, but it's obviously not for everyone.

Storage Lofts

You might want to invest in lofts for the long-term storage of items you use only once in a blue moon. These platforms are suspended about 4 or 5 feet from the ceiling.

They are great for storing mementos, old financial records and paperwork, and other stuff you don't need but can't part with. It keeps them dry and out of harm's way.

You can put things you might need more often, such as luggage and pet carriers, up in the loft, but store them at the front, where they're pretty accessible.

Instead of building them from wood, you can buy wire lofts that are about 4-by-4 feet and hang from the ceiling. If you don't want to create a loft, you can store large items in the rafters, such as rafts or tents.

You can even devise a pulley system to lift them up and down. The sky—or the roof, anyway—is the limit.

Specialized racks can neatly and safely store sports and hobby equipment.

Specialized Racks

There is a specialized rack designed specifically for just about anything you want to hang or store. There are racks to store balls, bikes, tennis supplies, you name it. Most people would not need such costly solutions.

However, if you have a passion—biking, tennis, fishing, golf—and expensive equipment, you might want to invest in proper storage for it.

Easy Garage Storage Systems: Industrial Shelving

These are the aluminum shelves you can get at hardware and home stores. They are inexpensive and light. They can hold everything from pantry items, to sodas, to boxes.

The capacity of these shelves ranges from 50 pounds to more than 200, so make sure you know how much weight yours can hold.

This will be helpful when considering what to store where, but it's essential to know if the kids try to climb them.

For safety and many other practical reasons, make all your garage's storage units no-play zones. If the kids don't comply, make the garage and all its contents off-limits for a day or two. You shouldn't have to tell the kids twice.

Easy Garage Storage Systems: Pegboards

These boards are filled with holes where you hang things on single hooks. Pegboards are convenient garage storage because everything is accessible and in plain view, yet not on the floor.

Pegboards are great for storing bikes, gardening tools, work tools, and sports equipment.

A friend of mine, Kimberli, has a family that's really into sports. A sturdy pegboard with even sturdier hooks covers an entire wall of their garage. Everything from bikes to skis to swim goggles is hung on the pegboard.

All balls are stashed in a series of bins at the bottom. Water bottles and energy bars are stored alongside the bins. Gym bags are on the counter, ready to go with fresh, clean towels.

Running shoes and hiking boots are in shoe cubbies at the bottom. A canoe and a rubber raft hang side by side from the ceiling. This family is ready to play anytime. Tennis, anyone?