Your garage is the one place where you want to utilize your vertical space. Check out this guide to learn a few smart ways to declutter your floor.

Walking through a messy garage is not only a pain in the neck. It can also be dangerous. There are sharp tools and equipment to trip over or toxic chemicals close to spillage.

Luckily there are ways to make the most of your garage space from top to bottom. Want to find the space you’re missing in your garage? Look up! There’s a wealth of storage right above your head.

Your garage is the one place where you want to utilize your vertical space. Check out this guide to learn a few smart ways to declutter your floor.

1. Plan Your Layout

Before you start tackling the wall space, you should plan out a layout of your garage. You want to see what area you plan to use as a workspace versus storage. See what walls would work best for storage depending on space and accessibility.

Think about the projects you plan on working on and build your workbench based on those needs. Don’t forget to build it near an outlet if you need to plug in your power tools. Park your car in the garage when planning your layout so you can get a good idea of how much room it takes up.

The best scenario would be being able to use your workspace even when your car is parked inside the garage.

2. Find Vertical Space

One of the easiest ways to instantly use up vertical space in your garage is by using tall shelves. You can use tall storage towers to store stacking storage bins. Rather than piles bins on top of each other (which makes it impossible to get to the bottom bin), these storage towers make accessing bins a breeze.

Plus, you can use the sides of these sturdy towers to hang other tools and equipment to get them up off the floor. Organize and arrange your bins by color and season. So you always know where everything is.

3. Maximize Wall Space

Your walls are a great place to add shelving but be sure that it is sturdy enough to handle heavy objects. You can place items that you use less often at a higher level to get them up and out of the way.

Anything that is at eye level or lower should be items you use often. Cardboard and other boxes on the floor will only attract pests and insects who love to eat away at cardboard.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to use your wall space. You can hang pallets vertically on the wall to create instant rustic storage. Pallets are inexpensive and easy to find.

4. Don’t Limit Yourself to Studs

You may think you are stuck building storage based on the studs on your wall but think again. Add a layer of three-quarter-inch plywood over your drywall or bare studs.

This adds another layer of a sturdy wall for you to add as much shelving as you need. You’ll be able to arrange a variety of storage hardware in whatever arrangement you need. Take time to plan out a storage arrangement that is the most space-efficient possible.

5. Aim Higher

Now that you’ve created a ton of storage on your walls, there’s even more space to take advantage of on your ceiling. It’s easy to add storage to your ceiling bay adding 2x2s to the garage ceiling framing.

Space the 2x2s every two feet using 3-1/2 inch screws. You can use your large plastic storage bins as guides when separating the 2x2s. The lips of the bins should just graze the 2x2s when you slide them in between.

Next, you will need 1x4s to create a lip on the 2x2s that will hold up the bins. Screw the 1x4s into the 2x2s using 2-in screws. You can then slide the bins in between so the lip of the top of the bin sits on the 1x4s.

To stay organized, you can label the bottom of the bins so you can find the bin you are looking for instantly from below.

6. Floor to Ceiling Storage Cabinets

If you want to protect your storage items from dust and dirt then storage cabinets will give you garage a clean and organized look. You’ll be able to store all kinds of gear, holiday decorations, and more.

You may also want to create a mudroom at the entrance into your home. Cabinetry can be used to store shoes and coats without worrying about critters getting in.

You can use masking tape to plan out your cabinetry or consult with a professional. Once you have your layout you should be sure to fasten the cabinets to a stud on the wall. This will prevent cabinets that hold heavy gear from tipping over.

7. Sports Gear

Whether your storing balls, bikes, or hockey sticks, there’s an easier way to organize your sports gear. For sports balls, you can create a ball corral that not only organizes them but makes them easily accessible.

Using bungee cords you can thread the cord through predrilled holes on a wooden frame. Then secure the cord with knots. Make the holes larger than the cord so threading will be a breeze.

This wooden frame ball holder can be mounted anywhere. Be sure to make it at a height that is accessible to kids as well as adults if needed. Plus, you can add hooks and holders on the sides to hang helmets and smaller sized balls.

Bikes can be hung from the ceiling by hooks or using a handy pulley system. This allows you to lift the bike without straining yourself.

Hockey sticks, bats, and tennis rackets can be stored and organized in bins. Or make your own storage tubes using concrete-forming tubes. These are inexpensive and can be found at any home center.

Get Smart With Your Garage Storage

We hope these different ideas will help you start thinking of ways to maximize your garage storage through vertical space. You may not even realize how much space your garage really has!

If you’re struggling to reorganize your garage in an efficient way, you don’t have to do it on your own. Contact our experts to get started on your garage project today!