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12 garage storage ideas to make the most of every inch of space

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Three car garage attached to a home in a residential community. The garage is very neat and clean. It is well organized with shelves, bicycle racks,,a work area and storage cabinets.
Yes, you can have a garage that looks this neat and tidy. Start deciding what to do with all of that extra space. (Photo: Getty Images)

The best garage storage ideas don’t just clear the way for you to pull your car in. (Although we know that in itself is a pretty huge accomplishment.) Smart garage organization can actually help you do the things you want to do better and more conveniently, whether it’s maintaining your home and car, shooting hoops in the driveway, or decorating for the holidays.

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According to, well, survey after survey of Americans, many people have a garage that's too crowded with junk to be used for its primary purpose —that is, parking your vehicle out of the weather—never mind additional uses like a personal gym or home workshop. The garage is by far the most cluttered and underutilized space in our homes. After all, you can just let down the door and ignore the mess. But it doesn’t have to take a lot of time or trouble to turn it into your favorite “room” of the house.

Just like when you're organizing a closet or pantry, the first step is always clearing out the things you no longer need. Once you’ve set them aside to sell at a yard sale, donate or throw away, it's time to sweep the floor (or whip out the leaf blower). Now pat yourself on the back! When was the last time you saw this much polished concrete?

Then take a look at what’s left. What does it say about you? Do you want to spend more time gardening or playing with your kids? Now’s the time to set yourself up to do it. Enter these garage storage systems and solutions. You don’t need to go full-on HGTV. Just sort what you have, then stow it smartly.

Ready to meet your garage goals? Decide how you want to put your carport to use and go for it with these storage and organization ideas. Or go crazy and mix them up to create the ultimate multipurpose space.

Garage Organization Goal: Sports Center

To get your gang’s equipment under control, give it a lift. Balls, bats, sticks, and wheels trap dirt and cobwebs when you leave them on the ground. Elevate them and they’ll stay cleaner. Bonus: You’ll be better able to see the pieces you need when you’re ready to play.

Don't limit these clever gadgets to holding up cleaning gear — they are great for corralling hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, and even fishing rods.
$23 at Amazon

Stagger the heights when you hang these grippy hooks to allow the business ends to lie flat on the wall without bumping into each other. If your kids move on to a different sport, you can donate the gear and pull the hooks off the wall without any damage.

"Awesome for the intended purpose," says one reviewer. "Various brooms and similar held to the closet wall, removed and replaced regularly, no issues. Top notch."

A mesh bag makes juggling a lot of balls at once a cinch, at home and on the go.
$8 at Amazon

Champion's mesh sports bags corral sports balls at home and make it easy to throw in the car for a trip to the park or beach. They're also lightweight and machine washable. To help them stay clean (and keep balls easily in sight), hang them on wall-mounted hooks. Feel free to toss in mitts, protective pads, and other gear too.

Bikes are major space hogs, plus debris likes to hang out around their wheels. Keep your ride — and the floor — cleaner by mounting them on the wall. This clever rack even has hooks for helmets and a shelf where you can line up all your bike maintenance supplies.

Garage Organization Goal: Workshop Wonder

If you’re a fix-it-yourself kind of person, you owe yourself a command center. It's beneath you to dig for a Phillips head screwdriver in the junk drawer every time you need one, right? Arrange a corner of your garage to neatly organize all your VIP tools and supplies.

The joy of the tool aisle, but in your garage.
$160 at Amazon

This incredible pegboard comes with everything you need to organize all your tools, hardware-store style. To really trick it out, trace the outlines of your tools on the surface in a paint pen. That way, you’ll always know where to put them back and be able to easily spot missing wrenches and pliers.

Keep track of projects without going back inside.
$136 at Amazon

You might have seen a utilitarian shop desk like this in a warehouse, but you can have one at home too. It's easy to mount on the wall and incredibly practical. Stow pencils and permanent markers, project instructions, manuals, and invoices from contractors inside for all your outdoor projects.

The handle of the Huck bucket won't dig into your hand, even when it's full.
$100 at The Huck Bucket

A sturdy five-gallon bucket is essential for emptying the boiler, carrying tools, mopping the floor and so much more. It's a great place to keep your car washing supplies, too. The handles on cheap ones can break or be super uncomfortable to carry. The Huck Performance Bucket is a worthy investment—and/or the perfect Father's Day gift. It comes in a rainbow of colors in addition to the original blue.

Garage Organization Goal: Garden District

When you're well organized, it's easier to let your green thumb go wild. These clever gardening essentials neaten up your tools when you're not using them and make it easy to tote them into the yard.

A "reel" fix for your garden hose.
$135 at Amazon

This sturdy garden hose cart travels with you around the yard and won’t give up on you when you’re reeling it in. Plus, it's easy to wheel inside the garage when you’re finished — and to remember to detach the hose from the spigot, which can help prevent water damage when it gets cold.

"It is such a lifesaver with our hose," says a happy shopper. "Having to move the hose before was a PAIN. With this now, we can easily move it from one side of the house to the other. We can also bring it inside for the winter. HIGHLY recommend this to everyone."

Flip through all your flowers and veggies with ease.
$16 at Amazon

A binder filled with clear divider sheets like these—with packet-sized pockets—is the best way to contain your seed collection. You can see them easily and sort them by season, color, or preferred sun exposure.

Pick and prune on the go. This garden shed on wheels will save your back. We love that it has a ton of pockets and a separate bin for yard waste.
$70 at Amazon

Garage Organization Goal: Holiday Headquarters

If your hall closet looks like Santa's workshop, you might want to move the whole operation into the garage. Save your primo space for items you use every day, and give special occasion items a new home.

Put your holiday decor up and out of the way during the offseason.
$190 at Amazon

A high-up spot, like the ceiling, is ideal for items you need to access only once a year (think that inflatable Santa and his sled team.) Hoist them up any away and add more square feet of storage with this easy-to-install pulley system.

Go ahead, take a peek: Transparent boxes like these let you see what they hold without looking cluttered or messy on the shelf. The holiday color scheme also immediately signals what's inside. Pro tip: Buy smaller size containers so that they don’t get too heavy–you’ll be less likely to drop and break your fragile keepsakes.

Your future self will thank you when you’re spending the holidays decorating, not detangling. These smart spools for string lights or extension cords help prevent knots, not to mention make it easy to light the tree and porch railing. They also help them last longer. Just like your phone charger, they're more prone to fray when they're wound tightly around themselves. The included storage bag also helps protect the contents from dust and wear.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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