Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

DIY

Affordable & Easy to Install Garage Organization Options

October 18, 2018

This post is part of a paid partnership with Lowe's

Over the past year we have swapped out our garage doors, garage door openers, and put an epoxy coat on the floor. The saga finally came to a close this week as we finished all the garage organization, and I can't even express how happy we are about getting this part of our lives organized. We have a true two-car garage, designed to fit two cars and nothing else, but here's what our garage looks like now:

Garage storage and organization options

The biggest problem with our garage is that it's so narrow. Four inches from the garage doors to the wall on one side, nine inches on the other. So we knew that whatever we chose, needed to have a small footprint and large impact. After looking at all the options from Lowe's, we decided to go with the Rubbermaid FastTrack system, which was affordable and versatile.

Rubbermaid FastTrack system

There are a lot of similar systems to this, but the ease of installation and variety of accessories were what sold us. Each rail comes with the support and a cover. Simply level the support and screw it directly into the studs.

Garage storage and organization options

A single rail costs less than $10, and you can do so much with each one.

Garage storage and organization options

On the left side of the above picture, you can see all of the yard tools, as well as a couple shelves above. We used the steel hook attachment for the yard tools, and upright shelving units, shelf supports and wire shelves to hold boxes (paint sprayers, power steamer, buckets, etc.) above. For reference, the total cost for the two shelves was $53.86.

Garage organization

On the right side of our garage is shelving to the max. The steel shelves are perfect for paint cans and their shallow depth means A: nothing gets buried, and B: my truck can still fit in the garage! And the shelves cost less than $30 each. Jules has each can labeled on top, but is going to add a label to the front so we can easily locate touch-up paint. When sharing a sneak peek on Instagram, there were a lot of questions about paint freezing. Our garage is insulated and last year we also added a heater (you can see it in the corner 2 photos up), so it doesn't get too cold in here.

Our garage all organized

We also used a bunch of the black plastic bins to corral things that don't sit so well on a shelf. Caulk, painting tools, wall patching materials - all the little things that get cluttered and lost now have a place.

Rubbermaid FastTrack system

Below, we also used the same rails and cooler hooks to hang our extension cords, and the utility hook for longer things like paint poles, sledge hammers and crow bars.

Rubbermaid FastTrack system

Along with this, we also needed a workbench. But how do you turn a flat wall into a work space?

Foldable Work Bench for Small Garages

Pegboards are a great way to get hanging storage in tight spaces. We used a few heavy duty hinges to mount a butcher block below it that folds up and hangs from a chain for use when needed.

(Here's a photo of it in its usable state from when I was building it.)

Foldable Work Bench for Small Garages

And the last bit of unused space we had was the ceiling. The ceilings in our garage are so tall, so a hanging rack made a lot of sense for things we don't often use but like to keep on hand (folding tables), as well as scrap lumber.

Scrap wood storage

The hanging racks are adjustable from 6ft wide to 8ft, depending on how your joists sit, and cost only $170. I climbed up into the rafters and added a few supports between joists to get placement where I needed it, and we now have 16 ft of storage in a space that is out of the way and has previously been unusable.

Garage Organization Options

For our most used tools and supplies (hammers, drills, drivers, screws, measuring tape, stud finder, etc.) we have used this tool chest for the last few years. When we epoxied the floor I took the opportunity to rebuild the stairs so they had a smaller footprint, which allowed the tool chest to fit perfectly to the side.

Garage Organization Options

It's especially convenient because we can grab our most used tools from the landing without stepping too far into the garage usually. It also has power, so all of our battery packs are always ready to go.

A lot of times, renovation progress comes in layers. But we can finally say that our garage is completed, and we could not be happier with it. How is your garage? Do you have any disorganized or unused corners you could turn into something that makes you happy?

Rubbermaid FastTrack Pieces Used:

Rail Shelf Bracket Wire Shelf
Steel Hook Steel Shelf Shelving Upright
Black Plastic Bin Utility Hook Cooler Hook
Multi Purpose Hook

Other Materials Used:

Ceiling Storage Galvanized Pegboard Butcher Block
filed under: 
— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Love this post! Did you use the Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage Satin Nickel Steel Multipurpose Hook for the ladder storage? Also, has the ladder fallen down while stored? Do I see a bungee cord to secure it? I am asking to make sure the car doesn't get damaged. Californian here, worried about earthquakes.

    1. I set the butcher block up on saw horses against the wall and boosted them up to the height I wanted, then put a level on it and made sure it was level. Then I went underneath it and used 7 of these hinges directly in the studs, making sure the butcher block edges were lined up perfectly with 2 studs.

  2. Beautiful and useful garage makeover. Well done! Slightly off topic, but how difficult was it to teach your new doggie the double doggie door solution?

    We have a sliding glass door to our backyard, like you all, but a doggie door slider isn't very pretty and is hard to use given how narrow the entry for humans is. I'm considering a double doggie door (door into garage from house + door from garage to outside) but wondered how hard it was to train your dogs. Also, our dog is a senior dog, so any tips on how nimble the dog has to be to utilize the double door solution is also much appreciated. Just trying to keep a functional, yet pretty home! You all do it so well!

  3. What shop vac do you recommend? And do you use an air compressor to blow things off to keep them clean? Would love to know how to upkeep such a clean tidy garage!

  4. Wow - what an awesome organization system, and a great job you did!! I know this was a sponsored post, but I'm wondering if you'd be able to share how the total cost of your transformation with the new pieces that you used for this post? Thanks!

    1. Some materials were provided, some purchased by us. If you take into account everything we've done (garage doors, openers, epoxy floor, tool chest, mudding etc.) then we're probably around $5000 total between things provided and things we paid for ourselves.

  5. Your organization is gorgeous but I just can't get past that amazing fold-up work table! I need this in my life! This whole post will be incredibly helpful when we finally tackle our garage next spring - and I know I'm going to find space for a work table like that!

  6. Would you mind sharing the source for the tool chest please. Your garage looks fantastic...great work!

  7. Hi, we need to do something like this in our garage. It looks great. My next comment is from a place of caring, not criticism, are you planning on putting railings on the landing and stairs? It may help to prevent an accident of a little kid or an adult hitting that hard floor.

  8. I love this! Will you guys come and do my garage now?!? We need to store 10 bicycles, tools, refrigerator, random garage stuff and keep a space open to exercise all in our single car garage- HELP!

  9. This looks fantastic! Well done! Our garage is a hot mess and I would love to do something like this. As a fellow DIYer, where do you store your large tools like the miter saw, table saw, & wet saw? Those are constantly a struggle for us as well as extra tile.

  10. This whole post was so helpful! The garage is typically my husband's domain, but this even got me excited to clean it up. Thank you so much for sharing!

  11. #GarageEnvy! Love the idea for the popup workstation. Ceiling racks were very smart.

    Where do you keep your lawn equipment? Do you have a shed or other storage? We struggle with storing blower, weed trimmer and their battery all in one place (someone please invent storage with built-in charger) and we just end up putting them on the floor which takes up a lot of room.

    1. Found on Amazon here. But there are lots of considerations when picking a heater (the size of the space, wattage etc) so make sure to measure your space and calculate it out so it works for ya.

  12. Where are all the bikes, scooters, helmets, balls, roller blades, etc? That is what KILLS me in our garage! I have fought with the hockey nets alone like a crazy person. We use the fast track stuff to hang the bikes and kids toys up on the side wall as well as a garden stuff. No shed, so we have our lawnmower and snowblower in there too...you must use your shed for a lot of storage? Looks great and organized, I love the power tool storage.

  13. My dream! My ocd house does not match my messy garage. Quick question? Where do you keep your holiday decorations?

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

Beautifully wrapped traditional presents stacked in a doorway
Gift Guides!

Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone in Your Life {2024}

Remember the thrill of unwrapping a gift that felt just right? Let's bring that magic back this holiday season!! Our curated gift guides for 2024 are filled with thoughtful picks that will make your loved ones feel special. That's what it's all about, after all. Whether you're shopping for your main guy, your clutch coworker, […]
Modern traditional kitchen with marble island and gold barstools
round up

The Best Cyber Monday Deals for Holiday Hosting

This post is sponsored by Wayfair. By the time Cyber Monday rolls around, I've usually grabbed the Christmas gifts I plan to buy for others and have moved on to home decor (my other favorite thing to shop for). My head is spinning with ideas on what my home needs for holiday parties on the […]
Sales

The Best Black Friday + Cyber Monday Deals in 2024

We collected all of the best deals of the holiday season—from tech to home decor—in one place for easy reference. Whether you want the lowest price on one of the best gifts of the year or you have a furniture item in your cart waiting for a discount, we’ve rounded up our recommendations. We're also […]
A white dish of peppermint brownies next to a red & white tea towel
Chris Cooks

Holiday Peppermint Brownies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Baking Dish | Striped Dish Towel (similar) I have a few recipes that are perfect for the holidays, and this is one of them. I make a really delicious brownie that can be made gluten-free and dairy-free, but you won't even know it's missing those elements when the peppermint flavor hits. It's really simple, and […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES