Use garage walls as efficient storage spaces
Fortunately, with their high ceilings and open-frame walls, these utilitarian spaces can take on many storage solutions while still leaving room for cars. Task-specific zones that are compact or even movable will help you make the most of the space.
Start by claiming every vertical inch. An exposed frame can provide endless shelving for small objects. To hold tall, lightweight items, including garden stakes, loop bungee cords around screw hooks fastened to adjacent studs.
Place rakes and snow shovels on a wall-mounted track system. Some track systems come with tiered shelving for storing objects that don't hang easily, such as tool kits and buckets.
Store bikes by mounting hefty steel hooks to a central support post. If there isn't one, consider ceiling-mount hooks.
Think logically about where to put things. For example, in summer, a beach chair will get more use than a snow shovel, so hang it up front.
If you've been meaning to set up a recycling station or a spare pantry, consider placing it against another wall. Attach casters to a thick piece of plywood to create a rolling platform for the recycling bins. A large metal office cabinet could double as the pantry. Attach a clipboard to it with magnets for keeping inventory of pantry supplies.
Putting a mudroom along the wall of an attached garage makes perfect sense. After all, it's better to remove wet, muck-covered shoes and outerwear before you enter the house. What's more, a garage's rugged walls and durable concrete floor can shrug off minor spills and scuffs.
The whole family will use the mudroom, but in most cases it should be designed primarily for kids, with plenty of room for storing book bags and jackets. Mom and Dad can definitely take advantage of it, too — for example, when extra coat space is needed during large parties.
A painted pine storage chest would provide a convenient perch for removing muddy boots. Add metal bins to the inside to keep sports equipment organized, either by season or family member. Above the chest, add pegs for hanging coats, caps and knapsacks.
Placed by the door leading into the house, a dry-erase calendar, a magnetic message board and a small basket for outgoing mail will help keep the lines of communication open. Boots will air out quickly and cleanly in a door-side tray, which you can create by setting a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Place a flower bucket, which doubles as an umbrella stand, beside it.
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