Style + Dwell hasn’t done a lot on garage organization in the past…it’s not the prettiest, it’s messy and it’s incredibly time consuming. Plus, who really wants to hang out in a garage all day? Here’s the thing. My garage was an absolute disaster. No matter what system I tried, it never stayed organized. Plus, we live in Minnesota where garages don’t stay clean, so it’s essential that everything stays off the garage floor. Having my garage organized was life changing.
The Problem
It doesn’t help that our main garage was an afterthought to our 1940’s home at some point in time, so the storage space is actually the original garage space. It’s a tuck under garage (no windows) dark, small and is lacking in storage. I’ve got a handle on some of it: My holiday decor and other storage is nicely labeled in plastic bins on shelving. The real issue? Kid’s, sports and yard stuff. The bikes. The toys. The sidewalk chalk. The scooters. Oh those scooters NEVER stay in place! And, how many times have those things twisted around and killed your ankle trying to put them away? Why is there a tennis racquet under the car? Because it doesn’t have a home and my 5 year old decided that was good enough.
So when The Container Store wanted to partner on garage organization, basically I said how fast can I start?! Before we get to the before and afters, my biggest tip is to break up this project into several parts. I’m starting with the sports, outdoor toys and yard items. Let’s take a look at what it looked like before I started, shall we?
The Before
The Before
It’s not bad…but it’s not great. The kids can’t find anything, the bins are obnoxious to move around to get what I need for yard work, and the scooters. are. everywhere. Did I mention my son has 3 lawnmowers? Yes, three. And he needs all of them. Garage organization takes very specific products to make everything function efficiently.
The After
Organization! Finally! Now let’s chat about how we got here…
Step 1: Take Everything Out
You heard me…take it out. Put it in the driveway and sort through it. I ended up finding tons of broken sand toys, damaged inflatable pool toys, empty bubble bottles, and old bike helmets that no longer fit. Garage space can be very limited, so try to keep only what you need.
Step 2: Prioritize Space
Because of the awkwardness of our garage space, I wanted to give the kid’s the priority space. That way, it’s easier for them to access, and HOPEFULLY they will put things back when they are finished. I’m kinda done crushing sidewalk chalk every time I want to get to my car.
Step 3: Categorize
The kids have a lot of random outdoor toys. Sidewalk chalk, water balloons, bubbles, mini gardening tools, etc. They never had a good home. I needed them contained and put in a cabinet. I used my favorite cost effective clear bins from The Container Store to organized all the little things. They have handles so the kids can carry the bin outside, play, and bring it back in and put it back.
Bubble Tip: If you buy bubbles in bulk and want to scream every time your kids spill the entire thing on day 2, decant the bubbles into a dispenser like this one from The Container Store making it easy for kids to refill their smaller bubble bottles on their own. Spill free.
Step 4: Utilize Wall Space
In Minnesota, our garages get a workout. Snow, rain, salt, leaves, dirt, you name it, our garage floors see it. I’m so jealous of warm weather climate garages that have pretty floors and pristine spaces, but that’s just not a reality here making it even more important to keep everything up off the floor. I LOVE the Ultimate Track Storage Kit system to store my leaf blower, weed trimmer and other heavy, bulky items. Before, these were just laying on the garage floor. Now, they are safely stored out of the way and easy to access. There are a variety of different sized kits you can purchase with multiple types of storage hooks. You can really customize these for your needs. I used one for lawn equipment, one for the scooters (my favorite part) and another for miscellaneous outdoor and sporting equipment such as hockey sticks, kid’s shovels, and that ball and tee that always gets in the way! These also work great for skis and fishing rods…I may just have to get another one!
I also love this Heavy Duty Wall Storage grid. Tennis racquets, bean bags, balls, etc are all stored vertically, easily accessible for the kids to grab what they need.
*Note: These CAN be installed on any type of garage wall…even my cement block and brick walls! Just use the right drill bit and you’re set.
Step 5: Out of Sight
I wanted the kid’s stuff behind cabinet doors to make the garage feel less cluttered. I love the Titan High Cabinet heavy duty garage storage cabinet for this very reason. It hides ALL the things! Semi transparent plastic bins make the contents visible, but organized and the kids love having all their things in one place. I also store my gardening supplies on the top shelf of the cabinet. Finally, my things have a home too!
Step 6: Use Specialized Storage Items
That clumsy golf bag. We’ve had it propped up against the wall, laying on the ground, stuffed in a corner, and nothing works. The Heavy Duty Golf Storage Rack from The Container Store keeps it upright and off the floor, with designated space for your accessories. It also works for other sports items as well.
Summer is a great time to go through your garage and get organized! I promise you will feel so much better when you’re finished! This typically neglected space deserves some organizing love too.
Happy Organizing!
Ashley + Lindsay
