Garages are great; there’s no doubt about that. They keep your car clean and help it last longer. They’re a great place to store sports equipment and lawn care tools. Some homes have a single-car garage. It’s better than nothing, no question, but a single-car garage can run out of space quickly. That’s why we put together this list of 1 car garage organization ideas. If your 1 car garage is filling up fast, read on for some tips and ideas to maximize your storage space! Also, for a cost-friendly project, check out our blog on how to organize a garage on a tight budget.
Get Rid Of Everything You Don’t Use
Before you organize your 1-car garage, you need to clean it out thoroughly. (There’s no sense collecting unwanted, unneeded junk you’re going to eventually trash.) A great rule is that if you don’t need it, want it, or use it at all, get rid of it. There are several different ways you can quickly get rid of stuff, including;
- Selling things that still have value.
- Donating things to local charities and Goodwill.
- Throwing away anything that’s pure junk.
- Having a garage sale.
- Putting a ‘Curb Alert’ on Craigslist.
Garage Organization Ideas: Use Wall Space
The floor space in a one-car garage is small, no doubt. If you place everything on the floor, you’ll fill it to the brim. This makes wall storage a great option. You can put up cabinets like in your kitchen and hang bikes on the wall. You can also use hooks mounted on to the joists and the old favorite; metal shelving racks. Anything you can do to keep things off the floor will increase your space and keep your garage organized. Hanging shelves also work great and are an affordable solution.
Garage Organization Ideas: Overhead Space
The typical unfinished garage has taller walls than inside your home. That leaves open all sorts of valuable space overhead to organize your 1-car garage. For example, you can make a simple PVC-pipe rack and store garden tools, camping equipment, and more. You can purchase hooks, put them in the joists, and hanging baskets from them. There are many ways to use that overhead space to organize your 1-car garage, so don’t overlook it!
Use Concrete Forming Tubes to Organize
This is one of our favorites! At your local big-box home store, purchase 2 or 3 concrete forming tubes. Contractors use these to make concrete pillars, and they make excellent storage tubes! You can cut them to size for large tools and short, which is fantastic. Also, you can attach them to walls or studs with large, metal straps. It’s easy, affordable, and will keep all that stuff supremely organized.
Hang Lawn Chairs from DIY Wooden Brackets
Lawn chairs are great on the lawn or at the beach, it’s true. Storing them in your 1-car garage? That’s a bit more tricky because they’re so big and bulky. A great solution is to use scrap wood to make DIY brackets and hang them on the wall! They’ll stay clean, dry, and organized until the next time you need them. Here’s how to make DIY wooden brackets to hang your lawn chairs,
- Use two pieces of scrap 2×4 stud.
- Cut each stud 8 inches long.
- On both ends of each stud, cut the ends off at a 30-degree cut.
- Screw the two wooden brackets at the same height to two studs next to each other. (2 or 3 screws each, 2-inch screws.)
- Hang your folding lawn chair up and out of the way.
- Repeat for all the lawn chairs you own.
- Put Your Workbench on Wheels
For some, their 1 car garage doubles as a workspace. If that’s you, and you have a workbench, we suggest putting it on wheels. That way, when you need the workbench, you can roll it out quickly. After your project, it rolls back just as quickly. It’s the perfect way to keep your garage organized and make tasks more manageable. (We suggest getting lockable wheels so that, when you’re working, your workbench stays in 1 place.)
Garage Organization Ideas: Ceiling Rack
Several manufacturers make a ceiling-mounted storage rack that can increase your storage space. They mount permanently to the ceiling, using that valuable space we mentioned earlier. Once they’re up, they make excellent storage that can help keep your 1-car garage well organized. To use this type of storage, you’ll probably need a step ladder.
Garage Organization Ideas: Bins and Labels
Although it might be small, if your 1-car garage is full, it makes it hard to find stuff quickly. That’s why to find things more efficiently, using clear plastic bins and labels is your best bet. Clear plastic containers let you see everything inside, even if they’re stored high. If they’re labeled, your job is even more comfortable. (You can’t hide now, Christmas balls!) Plastic bins, even the big ones, are also relatively cheap and last forever. They’re one of the top 1-car garage organization ideas!
Garage Organization Ideas: Use a Storage Unit
OK, let’s be honest; a 1 car garage will fill up fast. If yours is already full, and you desperately need more storage space, a local storage unit can help. Storage units are safe and clean. You can store practically anything there too, and getting in and out is easy. Some storage units are even climate-controlled, for things that can’t take extreme temperatures.
Now Get Organized!
We hope you enjoyed these ideas on how to organize your 1-car garage. We wish you the best of luck getting and staying organized. Remember, if you do it right, even a 1-car garage can store a considerable amount of stuff!
What more storage tips and tricks? Check out our other blogs:
- Decluttering vs Organization: Which is Right for You
- Top 8 Fun and Exciting Things to Do in Charleston, South Carolina
- Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Move to Norman, OK
- Why do People Love Living in Bryan, TX?
- What Is It Like Living in Rosamond, California?
