Even though the garage is a big space, finding space to store things can be challenging. Your car or cars use up a lot of the available floor space. Sure, you can add shelves or hooks to the walls to hang things, but there’s only so much wall space, and not everything you need to store can fit on the walls. The answer to your storage problems may literally be above your head. Take a look at some of the ways that going high might be the answer to your storage woes.
Install Overhead Storage Bins
Your ceiling is a large area of mostly empty space, so why not put it to good use with overhead storage bins? The idea is simple enough. You put the things that you want to store into heavy-duty plastic bins, similar to the kind that you would use to store items on the ground. But instead of stacking them on the floor, you simply slide them into racks installed on the ceiling.
This is a great way to store items that you don’t need very often, but that you definitely want to keep safe. Christmas ornaments, Halloween decorations, and baby clothes and toys that you may want to reuse at a later time are all good examples of items that are perfect for overhead storage. This frees up floor and wall space for items that you use more often and want to be able to access easily.
Hang Your Bikes from the Ceiling
The garage is usually the best place to store a bike. In the garage, your family’s bikes will be safe from the weather and from potential theft, and you won’t need to worry about tripping over them or creating tire tracks on the rug. But because of the awkward shape of a bicycle, they can be in the way in a crowded garage. If you find yourself frequently needing to move bikes out of your way so that you can work or find things in your garage, you should consider getting them off the floor as well.
Hanging bikes from the ceiling may sound difficult, but it’s really not. You can create a DIY bike hanger with some rope and inexpensive hooks, or you can buy a bike rack that’s designed to be installed in the ceiling. You may need to help your kids get their bikes down and put them away, but that’s a small price to pay for the extra space.
Consider a Car Lift
While you’re looking up, you may also want to think about lifting your car off the floor as well. A car lift designed for a residential garage can make a big difference and give you a lot of extra space. Turn a one-car garage into a two-car garage, a two-car garage into a four-car garage, or just lift one car off the floor and give yourself the floor space you need for other projects.
Sometimes finding the storage space that you need requires thinking outside of the box. Don’t focus on only the space that you can easily reach – find ways to utilize the space above your head as well. For more great garage design ideas, schedule your free design consultation.
