How to organize your garage

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.

Organizing Garden Tools and Gardening Supplies

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

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 organization 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 tool like shovels and garden hoes. Be sure to leave enough clearance to remove and replace the tools with ease.

Hand Tool Organization

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.

Creative Garage Storage Ideas

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 become covered with mildew. If you opt to organize garage walls using shelves do yourself a favor and 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, your 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 them for storing bikes on your garage walls. In the off season you could screw heavy duty hooks into your ceiling joists to get the 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.

by MJ

There are a lot of companies that make garage organizers, but one company that recently came to my attention, because some of their products are bit more unique than others, is Quantum Storage Systems. There are three primary areas that this company specializes in: steel shelving, wire shelving, and bins and bin systems. Lets take a quick look at the company and then each of their primary product areas.

Quantum Storage Systems has its corporate headquarters in North Miami Beach, Florida, but for better servicing of the entire country, they ship out of four warehouses. Their warehouses are located in Miami, Florida, Texas, Oregon and Ontario, Canada. They boast that they are "the leading manufacturer and supplier of bins, bin systems and wire shelving, all at the guaranteed lowest prices." And it only takes a quick look at their garage organizers to realize that their bin selection is extensive.

Let's look at the bin and bin systems first, because many of these are also incorporated into their shelving units. Quantum offers numerous bins in many different colors and sizes. The many colors are not just for style, but also for color coding the types of items that you store in them. Many of the bins are stackable, but Quantum also sells many different cabinets that are designed, and come already stocked, with a selection of bins. You are basically getting a complete bin storage solution. These complete garage organizers come in large, wide, full size cabinets, either full of a variety of sizes of storage bins, or a combination of shelves and bins. Or you can get smaller cabinets and racks that are perfect for sitting on a work bench.

The bins come in sizes to sort and store small items, like nail, screws, washers and bolts, all the way up to large bins for things like power tools. Quantum bins are known for their quality, strength and versatility. And if you use their systems as garage organizers in your garage work space or shop, you will probably discover increased efficiency in your work flow because everything will have a place, even down to the smallest tool or nut. These systems are especially efficient in job work spaces, such as assembly lines that use a lot of small pieces, or for reducing and controlling inventories.

Quantum's shelving units come in either steel or wire shelves. These may not be beautiful to look at, but they are extremely functional as well as heavy duty, making them perfect as garage organizers, or for commercial uses such as in a business warehouse or other consumer setting. The steel shelving units have either open or closed backs, with any number of shelves to suit your needs. The wire shelving is designed as either regular standing shelves, or as utility carts. Some shelving units that are specially designed for bins have slanted shelves so that you can more easily see what is stored in each one.

So, if it is time to seriously consider getting some garage organizers in your life to help you get control of your garage, or if you need to make your workshop area more productive, then a shelving and storage bin system could be perfect for you. It will allow everything to have its own special place, from the smallest to largest item, making your life easier and less stressful because it is clutter free.

About the Author:

MJ writes for ClickShops Inc., where you can find a great selection of garage organizers for your home or business at www.thegaragedealer.com