I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected, not decorated, and that homes should always be as comfortable and functional as they are chic. In addition to writing for Houzz, I work as the Head Copywriter for Layla Grayce and Zinc Door.

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Mountains of snow on the horizon mean that shovels, snow blowers, skis and more are about to come out of the woodwork. Prepare appropriately for the daily use of winter equipment and gear by getting your garage in tip-top shape now. An organized garage that acts as a functional storage space will keep everything you need at hand, allowing you to move through chores and errands with efficiency and ease. Optimize your garage space by following the below tips from the pros.

by Murphy & Co. Design »

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Plan accordingly. Before you make any move, assess your space carefully. Even if you want to do the dirty work yourself, you may want to call in a professional simply to help you create a working vision. “You want to understand exactly what your personal storage requirements are, and then design your garage accordingly to fit your needs,” says Jeff Murphy, president of Murphy and Co. Design. “It’s amazing what a good design can do to the quality of life in your garage.”

by Pro Storage Systems »

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Avoid general floor storage. First rule of thumb: Keep the garage floor as clear as possible. “Snow melting off your car will make anything left out wet and muddy,” says Rozalia Kiss, design manager at transForm.

by Flow Wall System »

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Work your walls. Use all the wall space available; this not only keeps things off the floor, but also leaves optimal space for your car. “Consider a wall track system to hang shovels and other tools in an easy-to-reach place by the garage door,” says Kiss. “For heavy, bulky items such as winter sports equipment, install deep garage shelving with metal stiffeners.”

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Look up for general storage. Running out of available wall space? Use the ceiling. “There are many great companies that specialize in simple garage storage, including overhead storage that can mount on your current ceiling,” Murphy says.

by transFORM | The Art of Custom Storage »

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Consider creating a gear closet. Murphy suggests creating a dedicated sports or gear closet out of a room accessed directly from the garage. “These spaces are simply a larger closet with shelves and open storage, which works great for unloading kids’ sports items right from a vehicle into a room where it doesn’t matter if it becomes wet or dirty,” he says. “This room is typically heated the same as the house.”

by Flow Wall System »

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Hang racks for skis and snowboards. “Mounting a ski or snowboard rack on the wall is a nice way to keep the clutter down in the garage,” says Murphy. “It allows for a dedicated location to keep them off the floor and out of the way of tipping over.”

by Organized Hawaii »

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Keep sand and salt at hand. Use sliding wire baskets or install a tilt-out hamper for easy access to sand, salt and even (well-wrapped) birdseed. “This also helps to keep them protected, stored and off the floor all winter long,” says Kiss.

by Flow Wall System »

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Install motion-sensor-activated and battery-powered LED lights. You never know when a winter storm might challenge your power, so it’s best to be prepared. “Motion-sense-activated and battery-powered LED lights help you find supplies in the event of a power outage and can be easily mounted under cabinets to illuminate countertops, and installed in drawers and closets,” says Kiss.

Comments

olldbobbi Great article. Even though we don't have snow here we do have wet and mud. And if you think about it, all the dirt and muck on your garage floor will eventually find it's way into the house! Better to keep things off the garage floor, I think.

6 months ago · Like ·

karelina Great ideas! Murphy & Co. have created a beautiful functional room.

6 months ago · Like

Michelle Klassen We put a drain in our garage floor for all the water run-off. Highly recommended!

6 months ago · Like ·

spacesprit I found that a garage can also be a good place to hang extra art (or store it) as shown below. It's a great way to add some warmth to the space. Another consideration is to epoxy/finish the floor. Raw cement will absorb spills which create spots and will track residue onto interior floor surfaces. I also like to incorporate slat-wall panels into the space since the storage capabilities are so flexible/

6 months ago · Like ·

amyalexander60 Garage? I could LIVE in that first one!! LOVE the gun safes!! (And the dog of course.)

6 months ago · Like ·

3pointers I love the second one. We definitely plan to seal/finish the garage floor in our next house. I think you'd need an oversized garage to have all that storage though in order to still be able to park 2 cars in it.

6 months ago · Like ·

Stevie Is it weird to get this excited over garage organization??

6 months ago · Like

CAROLE MEYER Only in my dreams!

6 months ago · Like ·

houzyadoin My spring challenge and the 2nd picture is almost Identical to the layout I have in my garage. But love the orgaziation and would live in the first garage pic in a heartbeat. That would make a woman cave for me...

6 months ago · Like ·