Garage organization is one of the trickiest aspects of home ownership. The garage contains a wide variety of things, and few of them are related in function or form. Additionally, many of the items housed in the garage are large, bulky, or difficult to store. Despite all this, there are some key ideas and tools that can help any homeowner understand the chaos that is the garage. The following ideas can help you get started organizing your garage.

1. Make them obvious

Identify those things that you use frequently. If you use something daily, don’t keep it hidden. Keep it easily accessible and available for use. Take garbage bags, for example: you don’t want to hide garbage bags in an out-of-reach place. Instead, try hanging small curtain rods or other forms of rods somewhere within arm’s reach of the door, and make a “bag dispenser” that’s convenient, easily accessible and organized, tucked away, but still available for its use. Another thing to watch out for is the trash bins. When organizing, make sure your trash and recycling bins are easily accessible from the door and have a clear path to the outside.

2. Smart classification

Before you build, buy, or pack anything, it’s important that you sit down and sort through all the items you’re trying to organize. Decide which items can be logically grouped. Items that you often use together or that share a similar purpose should be grouped together. Once they’re organized, be sure to label them. It will be very difficult to find what you are looking for if you do not write it clearly on the outside of the storage container.

3. Shelves

Shelving is a great way to use wasted space and a key element in setting up garage storage. Instead of placing arbitrary shelves throughout the garage, you can use a shelving system to organize your storage bins. For seasonal items and things you don’t need to access regularly, ceiling-based storage is a great way to go. An excellent system for this is the top storage shelf. It is best to use clear containers for this type of storage, as it makes it easier for users to find things when needed. If you need to access your storage on a more regular basis, a wall unit like the Steel Storage Shelf works well.

4. Arm storage hook

Bikes and other large sports equipment are some of the hardest things to keep out of the way. Wall storage is a great way to get them out of the way, but keep them accessible during the seasons when you’re most likely to use them. Bikes, kayaks, sleds and more can be stored with wall mounts for easy access. Multipurpose Arm Storage Hooks can be used for all of these purposes. The Arm Storage Hook is a great option for this.

5. Corner Tool Shelf

Many garden tools, such as rakes and shovels, are oddly shaped and difficult to store. There are simple ways to get them out of the way. If your garage has obvious studs in the walls, you can simply create a roped-off area where tall tools can be easily stored together, but still accessible. To do this, simply connect a few small crossbeams, or even a strong wire, perpendicular to the posts, which will create a kind of “basket” for storing them. This type of storage can also be used for camping chairs, tents, etc., anything that will roll up and fit in the space of the containment system you have created. If this isn’t your style, or your garage doesn’t have bare studs, you can also find a corner tool rack, which will serve the same purpose.

6. Pegboard

A pegboard is a great multi-purpose tool that can be used in a garage to organize just about anything, depending on what accessories you use with it. Pegboards are reasonable and can be found at just about any hardware store. Hooks can be added to organize tethered extension cords, cups or baskets can be used for small hardware, large pegs can be added to hang larger tools or garden implements; the list is endless. Pegboards are an incredibly versatile element of garage organization.

7. Tape dispenser

If you own a wide variety of tapes, it may be helpful to create a wall-mounted tape dispenser. This not only ensures that your tapes remain useful, but that they are easily accessible. This can be accomplished by hanging a wall mounted paper towel bar or small wall mounted box. Either way, the tapes will be useful and less likely to get lint.

8. Consistency

This one is important. Regardless of how you choose to organize yourself, be sure to stick with the system once you’ve implemented it. When something new is added to the garage, be sure to put it in its proper place. Don’t just throw it on a random shelf, put it in the right storage bin, on the right hook, etc. “Everything has a place, everything in its place”, as they say.

Garage organization can be a daunting task for any homeowner. By putting a few of these garage organization ideas to work, you can make your garage not only clean and logical, but also attractive and convenient. The benefit to you as a homeowner makes these simple changes worth the effort.