Whether you intend to use your new Lidget Compton garage to store your car(s) or for general garage storage such as DIY equipment, tools, gardening equipment, it is important to make the most of the space available. You’ll find the following suggestions for garage storage helpful.
Not only will this enable more storage, it will also make items easier to find when you need them.
Declutter
Prior to starting we would recommend having a good clear out. You will probably be surprised at how much you can actually throw away! With the garage decluttered it is easier to see how much garage storage you actually need. This will in turn determine the garage storage ideas that will best suit your needs. You will also need to consider things such as how much you want to spend and the size of the garage.
Utilise Your Storage pace Effectively
Before beginning to plan what storage options to buy or build, think firstly about what items you use most often and ensure they are easily accessible. Things like Christmas decorations for example that you will only need once a year are best placed at the bottom if storing boxes on top of each or at the back or higher up when storing items vertically.
Wherever possible you should try to look to utilise the walls and ceiling for storing items in order to free up floor space for larger items that cannot be affixed or to allow room for working.
Note: It is important at this point to note that we do not recommend using roof trusses in a concrete garage to hang storage units from. The design of our roof trusses is such that they support the weight of the roof but not additional heavy items.
Any garage storage units or brackets should be fixed to the wall panels via the use of lining clips, pictured here (available from us) and timber batons. The specially designed lining clips are fixed to the walls using the bolts that hold the concrete panels together. Timber batons can then be secured to the lining clips giving you a safe stable surface to attach to.
Affixing wheels to work benches, storage units and boxes will allow you to adapt your space more easily when taking things in and out as well as temporarily give you more space when needed.
A common storage problem many people have is storing things away so effectively that they forget they have them and then end up spending money buying items like electric tape, screws or weed killer when they already own them.
If you are organisationally inclined, try keeping an up-to-date itemised list, either with in a notepad in the garage or on your phone, of everything you add or remove from your garage. This way you can quickly see what you have in your inventory and save yourself lots of time and money in the long term.
So, let’s take a look at some different garage storage ideas;
Garage Racking
If you are looking for more heavy-duty garage storage ideas, then garage racking might fit the bill. This type of storage tends to be larger but has much higher weight limits making it perfect for storing heavier items. The design of many garage racking units means that multiple units can link together to create a much larger storage area.
Garage Shelves
Shelf Units are the most common type of garage storage and come in different forms.
- Homemade wooden shelves
- Store bought shelves
- Heavy duty racking (we will deal with racking later)
Wooden shelf units can be quite straightforward to make and only require basic DIY. skills. Quite often people make rudimentary shelf units from old bits of timber they have lying around the garage or shed. If you fancy tackling this yourself there are plenty of free plans available across the internet. There are also useful DIY garage shelving videos on Youtube.
The great advantage of DIY shelf units is that you can make them fit the space you have available. If you don’t fancy a weekend of shelf building, there are plenty of store-built options available from as little as £20-£30 depending on size.
Garage Cabinets
Garage cabinets are generally of steel construction and are often fitted with wheels or castors meaning they can be moved around the garage. This type of garage storage allows you to keep everything stored tidily out of sight and secure due to their metal construction.
Garage cabinets come in a range of sizes and can include integrated drawers, another useful feature.
DIY Garage Storage Ideas
One of the simplest garage storage ideas is to use clear plastic storage boxes. The benefits of this storage method are that they are;
- Very cost effective
- Available in a variety of sizes
- Portable
- Usually, stackable
Clear storage boxes can be stacked on the floor, or on a shelving unit. Plus, they are clear so you can see the contents making it easier to find any items you are looking for.
Need more garage storage space? Browse our range of Concrete Garages here
Storage Bins
Plastic storage bins can make an excellent addition to any garage.
They come in a variety of handy sizes. And they are perfect for storing anything from nails and screws to spanners and gardening gloves.
With storage bins like this you can either hang them on brackets or pegboards, or simply stack them on a shelf.
Pegboards
Pegboards are a great garage storage solution if you have a lot of tools or smaller items you need to store. Hooks and brackets can be positioned wherever you need them on the pegboard making for a very flexible storage device. Use a pegboard to store hand or power tools, small gardening tools, cleaning or craft equipment. They are widely available from retailers such as Amazon.
Tool Racks
Tool racks come high on the list when it comes to simple garage storage ideas. They are cheap to buy, easy to install and supply a storage solution to a number of different items from larger hand or power tools to gardening tools and equipment. Another item you can fix to the wall, a tool rack is a versatile way of helping organise your garage storage. Tool racks are widely available but also very easy to make yourself using a timber baton and some hooks. Don’t forget, to use this type of storage in a concrete garage lining clips are the safest method of securing them to the wall panels.
Shelf Brackets
If your garage storage needs are fairly minimal or you have limited floor space, then shelf brackets could be the answer. You can attach shelf brackets to the wall panels (via timber batons) at various heights and lengths depending on your needs. Space at floor level can be freed up by mounting the brackets higher up. This is also a very cost-effective method of garage storage as virtually any piece of flat timber is suitable for a shelf. They simply need fixing to the shelf bracket.
Shelf brackets are also really useful for hanging tools on or wrapping hose pipe around.
Need more garage storage space? Browse our range of Concrete Garages here
Multi-Storage Units
This type of garage storage includes a number of different elements. For example, it may consist of a pegboard with shelving on top and a workbench, much like the image shown. This compact method of storage helps you keep everything neat and in the same place. Which is great where you have limited space. You can also mix and match different elements to suit your storage needs. And it doesn’t need to expensive, for example old kitchen floor and wall cupboards are an easy way of creating this kind of storage space. Along with old kitchen worktops which can make a great workbench.
Bespoke Garage Storage Systems
These garage storage systems are the ultimate in garage storage. Often bespoke builds tailored to the customers’ needs they are also the most expensive. But this type of garage storage offers the most comprehensive storage solution with a place for everything. They can include cabinets, drawers, workbenches, cupboards and pegboards in a range of combinations.
Mount Bikes on the Wall
One of the most common items stored in garages are bikes and are also take up a large amount of space. Storing bikes vertically or horizontally on a wall mount is a quick and easy way to free up some room and reduce clutter. Wall mounted bikes also can make it easier to work on for things like changing inner tubes or cleaning chains.
Although bikes generally tend to be quite light, if affixing the wall mount in a concrete garage ensure this is done using lining clips and timber batons as described previously.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, you should now have some inspiration and ideas to try out at home. Remember, space is everything, so firstly remove anything you no longer need, think about what items you most use, utilise the space on the walls and ceiling and invest in the range of storage options listed above.
Need more garage storage space? Browse our range of Concrete Garages here