Tired of not being able to pull your car into the garage, because all your stuff is in it? When was the last time you needed something, and you threw up your hands in defeat because it was in the garage? You can fix that by putting storage shelves in the garage. They come in all sizes, colors, and materials. You can use old doors you found in an antique shop, old metal ladders and dozens of types of shelves. First, though, you’ll have to get all the stuff out of the garage, so you can install the shelving.
Research
Depending on the weight and amount of stuff, you’ll need to know how far any overhead shelving should extend. If you want to pull the cars in, overhead storage is a good idea. You will need to decide whether to put your stuff in boxes or totes, whether the stuff can stand alone without containment, and you’ll have to locate another place to put things like paints and chemicals that give off fumes. These could cause health problems for the family when they permeate the walls.
Basic Materials
Once you’ve decided these things, it’s time to head for the home improvement center. You’ll need twin track uprights, shelves, screws, and a power tool. If you have or plan to have pieces of an old barn, old doors, sections from an old metal building, or other such materials, these would make excellent shelves. If they’re long and wide enough, they could fit over the garage door roller guide. If you need to buy the floor shelving units, however, they can be obtained through any hardware store for upwards of $80 or at Walmart and Target for $13 up to $70 bucks. The twin track uprights cost about $8 apiece at the home improvement store.
What Kind of Stuff Can I Store?
The balls used in sporting events can be stored in totes on the shelves. Inline, ice, and roller skates should be in a tote. Seasonal items like the Christmas and Halloween decorations could be stored in boxes or totes. Spring and summer clothes could be stored in totes or boxes on the shelves. Outgrown clothing, old books, eight-track tapes, and anything else you plan to give away and haven’t gotten around to just yet could be stored on the shelves. Skis, kayaks, ladders, and lawn tools can be stored on the overhead shelves until the next season. Half-bags of decorative stones, mulch or soil, tomato stakes, and other gardening things can be stored on the shelves until next spring. The Igloo cooler, Coleman stove and other camping equipment could go on the shelves, too.
