Garage Storage Ideas

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Beams

Beams

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Embarrassing pictures coming up. Like honestly embarrassing. My garage is 18’x18’. It houses the dart, family stuff like camping gear, all tools, bikes, lawn equipment, outdoor furniture cushions, etc.

I have some shelves and rolling tool chests. Always improvement that can be done with existing storage “equipment”.

Here’s the fun part about the garage. The garage has a 4’ deep shelf that runs along the entire back wall. This is where most of the “junk” lives. I could certainly improve organization on that top shelf, but I’ve always been intrigued about what to do below the shelf.

Early on, I thought I would build some shelves on casters, that would roll in and out of that space, but the floor is terrible. Today I came up with the brilliant idea to build a Unistrut trolley system to mount on the bottom of the shelf (turns out someone else had a similar idea) and hang shelf boxes.



Currently under the shelf on the floor is an evaporative cooler, exercise bike, lawn mower, plate compactor, and compressor. I used to use the mower and compactor frequently, but haven’t in a couple years. Assuming I can find new homes for those things… what do folks think of the sliding shelves? I may do one or two plywood sheets mounted perpendicular on their own tracks that could hold tools and whatnot.

Any other ideas?

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Oh yeah. Garage is old. House was built in 1920. No idea when the garage was actually built. Prior owners have made some really impressive modifications.

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I got a couple of those bike pulley hoists from Harbor Freight and hung our bikes from the ceiling in the shop. I plan on adding a mezzanine hopefully soon. You need to do the same. Go UP.
 
....and none of that's embarrassing, or at least it shouldn't be. I'm in the same boat. I cannot STAND not having enough room.
 
RustyRatRod said:
....and none of that's embarrassing, or at least it shouldn't be. I'm in the same boat. I cannot STAND not having enough room.
Click to expand...
I appreciate that RRR. Definitely want to/have thought about going up. I think I’d need to do some structural work on the garage. The two joists left hanging are severely twisted. You can see where they were “notched for the garage door”.

I’d like to build a new garage out by the alley some day, but it’s not happening ANY time soon.

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@RustyRatRod when we first got this place, I was grumbling about the lost garage and workspace. Then someone reminded me that I had a space. And that the car fit. Made me realize I was being a baby. Changed my outlook on it entirely.
 
UP and OUT

OUT
  • Put the kids bikes in a outside storage shed. Those plastic ones.
  • Also consider the Press moving outside. Honestly, how often do you use that press? I would think a grinder or drill press would be used more by typical car guys.
  • Smaller landscaping shed
    • Gas can outside too.
    • Garden stuff: rakes, hoses, trimmers, clippers..

UP
  • walls need to have shelving all the way to roof. Like those white shelves upper left of tool boxes
  • move the skateboard display to less prime shelving real estate. Like above garage door.
  • put shelves to roof where skateboard display was
  • you got stuff on floor that need to have a place
  • tool boxes need to have working bench on top. Put those under a benchtop.
  • Those small sit-on top boxes are work space killers. The space needed for the opening of the lid is very wasteful.
  • maybe stick the top boxes over a bench. And not us the lift up top section (too high to get to).
  • secure the rafter tie situation. more wood, tie strapping, supports to roof beams, etc
  • add plywood on rafters to create shelving
  • put lightweight stuff you don't get into a light (xmas, those cushions, etc)
 

Beams said:
@RustyRatRod when we first got this place, I was grumbling about the lost garage and workspace. Then someone reminded me that I had a space. And that the car fit. Made me realize I was being a baby. Changed my outlook on it entirely.
Click to expand...
Yeah, lots of folks live in apartments and such and have nothing. I have to remind myself of that regularly.
 
autoxcuda said:
UP and OUT

OUT
  • Put the kids bikes in a outside storage shed. Those plastic ones.
  • Also consider the Press moving outside. Honestly, how often do you use that press? I would think a grinder or drill press would be used more by typical car guys.
  • Smaller landscaping shed
    • Gas can outside too.
    • Garden stuff: rakes, hoses, trimmers, clippers..

UP
  • walls need to have shelving all the way to roof. Like those white shelves upper left of tool boxes
  • move the skateboard display to less prime shelving real estate. Like above garage door.
  • put shelves to roof where skateboard display was
  • you got stuff on floor that need to have a place
  • tool boxes need to have working bench on top. Put those under a benchtop.
  • Those small sit-on top boxes are work space killers. The space needed for the opening of the lid is very wasteful.
  • maybe stick the top boxes over a bench. And not us the lift up top section (too high to get to).
  • secure the rafter tie situation. more wood, tie strapping, supports to roof beams, etc
  • add plywood on rafters to create shelving
  • put lightweight stuff you don't get into a light (xmas, those cushions, etc)
Click to expand...
Man, you’re good. Press belongs to a coworker. It’s gone after I finish front suspension rebuild. All good suggestions.

I was dreaming last night of a roll up door to remove garage door tracks. Would help with structural improvements and would give more opportunity for moving “up” too.
 
There are lots of good suggestions already. What I did:
  • stack...toolboxes, put press on a stand and store something underneath. You have to maximize the use of the vertical space instead of the floor space
  • use the loft for rarely used things or better yet get rid of stuff. I built a set of pull down stairs to mine.
  • build/buy a shed for lawnmowers, bikes, tires, etc
  • Hang things on the walls up high
 
1MeanA said:
There are lots of good suggestions already. What I did:
  • stack...toolboxes, put press on a stand and store something underneath. You have to maximize the use of the vertical space instead of the floor space
  • use the loft for rarely used things or better yet get rid of stuff. I built a set of pull down stairs to mine.
  • build/buy a shed for lawnmowers, bikes, tires, etc
  • Hang things on the walls up high
Click to expand...
I just remembered I have 3 old/rarely used car seats up on that loft. That’s some real space right there.
 
Here's another vote for a garden shed to relieve some pressure. A standard 8x10 holds a LOT of stuff especially with shelving in it.

I have the same overfull situation and had to have an adult conversation with myself about what I am keeping. I quit brewing beer 10 years ago and still have a massive amout of equipment for it. Why? Time to sell it off. Less stuff means more room.

If you're not careful, you don't own stuff. It owns you.
 
halfafish said:
I have the same overfull situation and had to have an adult conversation with myself about what I am keeping. I quit brewing beer 10 years ago and still have a massive amout of equipment for it. Why? Time to sell it off. Less stuff means more room.

If you're not careful, you don't own stuff. It owns you.
Click to expand...
Amen.

I had that same conversation with myself not too long ago, and I'm almost done selling-off most of my high end audio gear. Hurts a little initially, but it sure is nice to have the room/space.

And the extra cash in my pocket doesn't hurt none, either!
 
No need to be embarrassed. I'd say there's more of us in the same boat, than there are who are not! My basement looks like somewhere an airplane crashed! My shop is better organized but still packed to the gills. My wife & I both came from poor families and didn't have much growing up. We're both retired, but worked hard our whole adult lives. We ain't rich, but we're comfortable. But, I think that because we came from having not much of nothing.....we tend to not get rid of anything! :realcrazy: We've talked about it and both agree that we need to thin the inventory when warm weather hits.
 
I think it's time for a yard sale! Much easier to organize if you have less stuff.

But I agree, nothing to be embarrassed of. My garage is loaded to the gills.
 
I appreciate everyone’s grace. Yeah, I get sentimental about my junk. Maybe on account of moving a bunch as a kid. Who knows.

Believe it or not I’ve been throwing stuff away over the last couple months. I went out last night and chipped away at it again. It’s salvageable.
 
My Mopar hoard is everywhere........I'm talking 2 floors of it. Looking forward to finishing the car so I can clear it out. It's one and done for me when it comes to a classic car. LOL, and tons of boxes saved for the sell off!

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