In today’s world, you hear a lot about getting organized, it is the “in” thing to make life easier. We organize our closets, our shelves, our drawers, our laundry rooms, our desks and our calendar all in hopes of straightening out our lives. There are even garage organizers to fix our outdoor, where do I put it type stuff. As technology has improved, life has become more hectic and we often feel out of control as we try to juggle so many things. So anything we can organize gives us a sense of control and accomplishment.

So, say you have every thing else organized in your life, you have probably left the garage for last. It is a bit intimidating because probably while you were organizing the house anything you didn’t know where to put, was put in the garage. Plus you have your seasonal items out there (from summer camping to winter skiing), gardening supplies and any handyman tools are all stored in your garage. But spring is finally here, so it is the perfect time to tackle getting your garage in order.

Organizing your garage is going to be a big enough project, so when looking for what type of storage system you should use, there are three things to look for:

Easy – the items in your garage organizers should be easy to access, easy to find and be organized in a systematic fashion that is easy to understand. This includes using all of your available space, not just your floor space but also your wall space, and sometimes your ceiling space. Keeping many of your items off the floor also keeps them safe and dry. Versatile – this means that the garage organizers that you choose should be able to be adapted for many different functions or activities. Your storage options should be flexible and adaptable to the many different things that you need to organize. Modular and Expandable – a modular system is made up of different modules as the basis of design. These various modules should allow your garage organizing system to expand as your storage needs or pocketbook allows.

There are a couple of different storage systems that fit all of these criteria, two of these being Flow Wall and Gladiator Garage Works. These types of garage organizers have panels (slats) that are attached to your garage walls, available in different size configurations. Onto these panels you can easily hang a variety of hooks, shelves, baskets, small cabinets and workstations.

The panels themselves are designed to be both easy to install and easy to use. All of the many accessories mentioned above easily hang on the walls. And, the various storage accessories make these garage organizers very versatile. The different hooks vary is size and configuration to hang things from bikes and skis to heavy duty hooks for ladders and wheel barrows. Along with the different length shelves and various types of baskets a cabinets, these systems are very versatile and can be adapted to anyone’s different needs.

When necessary, you can easily add more panels for additional storage space, or rearrange the hooks, shelves etc. into different configurations for different storage needs. These two options make these types of garage organizers both modular and expandable.

So, when you finally get the courage to organize your garage, remember ease, versatility and modular expandability, and if you match all of these criteria in your system, you will be happy with the garage organizers that you choose for your garage.

Keeping a garage organized and looking good is not always the easiest task to overcome. If you have a small garage, it is unfortunately that much harder to keep tools, sports equipment, trash cans, and outdoor furniture clean and organized. When you have a small garage, with an abundant amount of items that need to be stored, the best way to stay organized is to invest in storage equipment that can help you make the most of the space you are working with.

Most people reserve the bulk amount of interior space in their garage for one or more cars. This often leaves you with precious little space in which to keep all of the items that you want to keep stored in there. The trick in organizing any garage, especially a smaller one, is to find and use storage organizers that can help you make proper use of your wall and ceiling space. Since most of the floor space will be used for vehicles, using up the extra, free vertical space is the best way of getting equipment organized. For a small garage, there are plenty of wonderfully helpful types of storage containers and organizers that will help you make the most of your space.

Shelving and Cabinets

While shelves and cabinets can always be well-used in garages, when you have a smaller garage, you will need to become knowledgeable and choose carefully. The best option in a small garage is to select tall shelves that help you make use of the thin, vertical space you have open. Choose tall, free-standing garage shelves with four or more tiers so that you can stack multiple items on them. There are also items, such as stackable organizing cubes, that allow you to custom design your storage to fit your limited space.

If you need portable storage, your best bet is a folding utility cart. This helpful tool can be stored in flat form in the garage, and then folded out whenever you need it. These are perfect when you need a cart to take with you to the beach, picnics, and other outdoor events. These are also great for a permanent place in your garage since it enables a good amount of storage without taking up to much space.

Tools and Garden Equipment

Garden and maintenance tools can take up a lot of room in your garage, especially if they are not well organized. The simple solution, and the most practical for a small garage, is a wall-mounted tool rack that can effectively hold shovels, spades, rakes, hoes, forks, and any other items that you need for garden maintenance. Choose a rack that can hold a good amount of weight while being damp resistant, in case your garage usually gets wet during the rain.

Another great garden organizer must-have is a hose organizer. This wall-mounted organizer is definitely a great idea for a small garage as it allows your hose to remain un-tangled and un-punctured. For electrical extension cords, a Reel-A-Cord is the perfect solution with the capacity to store up to 175 feet of extensions.

Sports Equipment

Bats, balls, ski equipment, mitts, and gloves can take up a good amount of room in your garage. If your family is active and heavily into many different sports, it is likely that you have a good amount of sports equipment. In a small garage this can be an absolute nightmare to organize. Luckily, there are garage storage items such as the EZNET that can make it a lot easier to cope with. The EZNET is a fantastic wall-mounted, industrial strength, netted “hold-all,” that can serve as storage for a vast array of sporting equipment from balls to bats. It is perfect for a small garage since it is wall-mounted, and the flexible netting allows it to hold all equipment safely and securely.

For those families that love to bike, there are rolling bike stands that are ideal for any garage no matter what the size. The rolling bike stands have tiny wheels that allow you to easily move the bike around your garage without having to remove it from the stand.

Fishing Equipment

To keep fishing equipment organized safely is by no means an easy feat. Longer rods need support as well as safe storage to remain intact and ready for that next big family fishing trip. A couple of great options for storing fishing equipment in the garage are fishing rod racks, and wall-mounted fishing rod holders. The fishing rod rack is a great option if you have the space to spare. With a twelve-rod capacity, drawers to organize lures and other supplies, and four casters that allow you to roll the entire rack smoothly to wherever you need it, this is a perfect option. In a smaller garage, you might not have the floor space for that kind of rack. In this case, the next best solution is a wall-mounted fishing rod holder. With a six-rod storage capacity and a secure ceiling-mounted construction, this is perfect for smaller garages and can be installed  anywhere.

I am not sure when it all started, maybe in 1986 with Lionel Richie’s hit song, “Dancing on the Ceiling”. Perhaps a young child looked up and dreamt about dancing or walking on the ceiling, and though they may never have actually done that, they did realize that the ceiling had potential for other uses, like storage. Maybe someone discovered the use of ceiling space before then, I really don’t know. But I do know that there are a multitude of garage overhead storage options available today.

These options come in a couple of different forms. From shelves that hang, bolted from the ceiling, to pulley systems that you can use to lower and raise a shelf, to special tracks which allow you to hang everyday storage bins. But regardless of what type of garage overhead storage system works best for you, they all have some of the same basic advantages. Here are five reasons why you may want to use your ceiling space for storage.

Whether you own or rent a home, if you have a garage, you have space that you already “own”, so we should utilize all out space in the most efficient way possible. All garages have ceilings or rafters, so it makes sense to use them. Sure, if you have rafter, you can balance some items above them, such as skis or sleds, but a hanging shelf will hold a lot more stuff in a wider variety of shapes and sizes. Many people have so much stuff that they don’t know what to do with, that they go and rent a storage unit. If you already have a garage, this does not make sense. As mentioned above, you are already paying for your living space, why pay more to store your stuff elsewhere? If you can store items in garage overhead storage instead of paying for self storage, you will save money. After all, most garage overhead storage systems can be paid for with the cost of only a few months worth of self storage. Another great advantage of garage overhead storage compared to a storage unit, is that you can access your things at any time without leaving home. Sure, it is not as quick to access as a regular shelf, but it doesn’t take that much effort – definitely quicker and easier than traveling to a storage unit. > If you are like I have been, your indoor closet space is filled to capacity and beyond! Get things like keep sakes and seasonal items out of your closets and into garage overhead storage. They are the perfect storage solution for items that only have to be accessed occasionally. Finally, the best reason to use garage overhead storage is to free up your garage so that your car can fit inside! So many garages become a catch all, that only 32% of people with a two car garage can fit one car inside, and 25% of two car garage owners can’t fit any car into their garage! Winter is coming quick, and you know that you don’t want to have to scrape the frost and snow from your car. Reclaim your garage now, and overhead garage storage is the perfect solution for part of this problem.

So, regardless of the type of garage overhead storage system that you use, it is easy to see that there are reasons why almost anybody would benefit.