It is safe to say in most parts of the country that spring is finally here and the desire to get outside and start getting some things done is in the air. The last few weekends I see people everywhere working outside, hauling stuff to the landfill and limbs to the local recycling area where they accept yard waste to mulch down to compost. Besides the yard, another area of focus for spring clean up is the garage. If most garages are like mine, a lot of extra junk has been thrown in there throughout the winter and it is time to do some serious organizing and cleaning up. But this year I decided that I needed to do more, my makeshift shelving just isn’t working anymore, I need a more intelligent use space, I need some real garage storage solutions.

With a little looking around, I discovered that there is a lot available on the market, not just different brands of garage organizers, but different solutions within each brand. There is literally something for everybody depending upon what you use your garage for and the types of items that you store in your garage.

The basis of many garage storage solutions is the cabinet. Garage cabinets come in various sizes and configurations. You can get floor cabinets that are tall with shelves inside, or shorter ones that have shelves or drawers with a work space on top. Cabinets for the garage are often made from a press board with laminated finish or metal. Some cabinets are designed with certain hobbies in mind; such as sports, gardening or wood working. For example, inside a cabinet with sports in mind, you may find a special place to hang bats, a bungee ball restraint or storage bins for smaller items. Some cabinets are designed to be hung on the wall, leaving the floor space underneath for other uses.

Workbenches are another form of garage storage solutions, and are often placed beneath wall cabinets. A workbench can be just a table type design, sometimes with a few drawers or shelf beneath, and other times workbenches are cabinets with a special top for a work surface. I have even seen wall hung cabinets where the door actually swings down to become a workbench. This works great if you are really tight on space.

Tool carts are a popular garage storage solution for mechanics. Often like a tool chest on wheels and other times more resembling a cabinet or cart on wheels, the concept is the same. You can store it by the wall, but then move it with you when you are working on your car or other project.

Special garage organizers are a really flexible form of storage. These are often special wall systems for which you can purchase a variety of sizes of hooks, bins, and shelves for storing anything from garden tools, wheel barrows and ladders to bikes, balls, skis and sport rackets. From there the list goes on to whatever you might need to store.

One of my favorite categories of garage storage solutions is overhead storage. I can just imagine that this system was thought up by a very frazzled home owner who just needed more storage space than his floor and walls allowed. These systems hang from the ceiling, some are shelves or bins that you reach with a ladder, others are actually on a pulley system so you can lower it to the floor for easy access.

If you are like most people, one of these options alone will not do the trick, you will need a variety of them to come up with the best garage storage solutions for your home. But it is worth the work to get it done, your garage will become a place you do not dread going, and you will be the envy of the neighborhood!

One of the most innovative companies when it comes to garage storage is Gladiator Garage Works. They offer complete garage organization systems and products. From storage cabinets to work benches, to wall hooks and ceiling storage to garage flooring and appliances. Everything you could possibly need to not only get your garage organized, but also looking top notch.

Gladiator prides themselves in their products and for good reason:

As already mentioned, they offer a complete system for your garage, regardless of your need. They give you a choice of full or partial wall coverage, with a lot of flexibility based on what you need to store. They are very versatile because all of their products are modular. The wall slot garage storage system allows you to rearrange or add components are your needs change. Casters are optional on many cabinets so that you can move your tools with you as you work. Gladiator garage storage cabinets are very durable. They are made from heavy duty materials that are built to last. This means the strength of steel with a sleek tread plate design and a durable powder coat finish. They also use oversize casters and piano hinges on their cabinets. Gladiator has many of their products UL tested. This includes their hooks, cabinets and wall systems. Being tested by an independent lab gives you confidence that their garage storage products will hold the weight they are rated for, and in extreme temperatures. Gladiator gives your garage a unique style and uniform look. Their garage storage systems are rugged, stylish and easy to clean. Your garage becomes like another room in your house where you enjoy to spend time, not dread going out to when you need to locate something.

Another great thing about Gladiator, is they make it easy for you to organize your garage. Regardless of you activities or interests, they make it simple by offering special garage packages. These packages offer everything you need from flooring, to cabinets, to wall systems with the specialty garage storage baskets, shelves and hooks for your special needs. The packages they offer are:

Sports package which makes it easy to lace up, grab your gear and go. Includes plenty of baskets for holding sports gear and balls as well as shelves, a fold away work station and gear locker. And of course, a refrigerator for holding cold drinks so that you don’t have to go in the house when you are sweaty and dirty. The Outdoor Activities package is similar to the sports package, but with some differences to make it easy to pack up and hit the slopes or the trail, regardless of the season. This package is set apart by the special hooks for storing outdoor gear, such as skis and bikes. The Automotive package will make you feel like you have a professional shop. It includes flooring, and plenty of cabinets of different configurations for storing your tools. Cabinets come on castors so you can take your tools to your project for easy access. Workbench tops with power strips also come in handy. If you love gardening, then the Gardening package is for you. Among other things, it comes with hooks and loops for hanging your tools, plenty of shelves for storing pots and other gardening supplies, as well as cabinets, a garage compactor, a work bench that is great for potting and a clean-up caddy. Last but not least, the Home Projects package is great for the DIY person in your home. This garage storage package comes with plenty of hooks for tools, various cabinets, work bench with power strip, small item bins, stool, garage compactor and fridge.

So, if you are looking for a good looking and efficient garage storage system, look not further than Gladiator. With a little work, you will have your garage organized in a manner that is best suited for your lifestyle. You will never again have to go to your garage and stand there wondering where to look for your missing tool, racket or potting soil.