Organize Your Garage to Make Room for Your Hobbies

In a previous blog post, we offered step-by-step solutions for turning a cluttered garage into an organized space. All homeowners can reclaim their garages with the tips found in that blog.

However, not all homeowners use their garages in exactly the same way. Yes, garages act mainly as a storage space for personal vehicles and possessions that don’t belong in the main house.

But many homeowners also use their garages as workrooms where they can participate in their hobbies and enjoy their free time. And an avid gardener has different storage and workspace needs than a car collector, so their respective garages should reflect those differences.

In this blog, we’ll discuss techniques for organizing your garage in a manner that prioritizes your hobbies. Use the tips below as a springboard for further enhancing your garage’s organization.

Gardeners

Do your green thumbs cry out for opportunities to dig into soil and make plants grow? Your garage likely contains spare pots, extra seed packets, numerous gardening tools, and larger equipment like wheelbarrows and lawnmowers. Keep all those essential tools in order with the organization hints below:

• Buy a small kitchen cart on wheels. Use this as a workbench for small gardening projects. Then roll it against the wall for easy storage.
• Hang pegboard on the wall if you want to keep your smaller tools visible at all times. Adjust the pegs so each tool fits on the board and stays put when not in use. Hang gardening gloves on the board using small hooks.
• Put a tool tower in one corner so you can keep taller tools like rakes and hoes upright and easy to access.

For many people, gardening is a seasonal hobby. If that’s the case for you, designate one corner or section of your garage for your gardening supplies so they stay out of the way during cold seasons.

Sports Fans and Fitness Buffs

Do your primary pastimes involve working up a good sweat? Perhaps you like to go on long bike rides or practice the perfect jump shot. Your garage may even double as your home gym, with a few free weights and a workout bench stored in one corner.

Whatever your favorite sport or exercise, you likely have equipment for that activity in your garage. Keep that equipment organized with these tips:

• Use mesh laundry baskets to store balls so they don’t roll off shelving or countertops.
• Mount large equipment, such as bicycles or skis, on the back wall or the ceiling-whichever offers more space.
• Place bike and hockey helmets on wall-mounted hooks or adjustable-height shelving.
• Store hockey sticks, baseball bats, and other long equipment in tall, narrow laundry baskets.

If space allows, keep all your sporting equipment in one section of the garage. Then encourage family members to always return items to their proper place so you can easily find them every time you want them.

Car and Motorcycle Collectors

Do you not only drive cars and motorcycles but collect them too? If so, you probably see your garage as a hybrid mechanic shop and classic auto museum. Your primary garage storage goals involve keeping clutter and debris away from your vehicles so they can stay in pristine shape. Plus, you want plenty of space so you can upgrade and polish your rides.

Invest in a durable metal storage cabinet for your tools. Opt for a taller unit with various drawer sizes so you can take advantage of vertical storage space.

• Build or buy a long wooden or metal workbench. The main shelf should rest about the height of your hips. Leave the space underneath the bench open for generators, air compressors, rolling floor jacks, and other large equipment.
• Use built-in shelving or a tall storage cabinet to store your bottles of automotive liquids. Make sure the unit has doors so you can keep the products out of sight when they’re not in use.

A truly tricked-out automotive garage isn’t complete without durable, stain-resistant flooring. Check out our blog post about garage flooring for hints.

DIYers and Crafters

Do you watch HGTV daily, looking for inspired ways to update and improve your house? You may set up a carpenter’s bench in your garage regularly to make precise wood cuts or stain chairs you found at a local flea market. And thanks to all those DIY projects, your garage is packed with half-used paint cans, scrap lumber, and scattered tools.

Try these tricks for keeping your home improvement supplies organized:

• Create a workbench that folds up and down-pull down the bench when you need a workspace, and fold it up when you finish to save room.
• Use chalkboard paint on drawers and cabinet doors. List the cabinets’ contents on the outside so you can see what’s inside at a glance while maintaining a clean, uncluttered look.
• Store scrap lumber in a durable plastic garbage can.

Careful organization helps you find the tools and accessories you need so you can spend time on this weekend’s project, not on locating your favorite hammer.

Your garage acts as a great workspace and storage area, no matter what your hobbies are. Use the tips above to organize your garage according to your hobbies.