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If your garage has become a collection point for all the junk that you don’t know what you do with, watch this video on how to make it one of the most utilitarian “rooms” in your home. It has the potential to become a space where you can be proud to hang your tools and park your car.

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Throughout history, garages have borne the brunt of man’s disorganized habits. They are commonly referred to as the "man cave," which even sounds dark and dingy. Whether you are male or female, I encourage you to think of your garage in a different light. It can be one of the most utilitarian rooms in your home ... A space where you can be proud to hang your tools, let alone park your car in. But to be fully functional, it needs to be well organized.

Today we’re going to show you some different methods of organizing all the stuff in your garage. We’re going to teach you how to utilize space that you might not be using so you can keep everything organized and still pull your car in at the end of the day.

When you think of organizing a garage, you need to think three dimensionally. And that means utilizing as much of the space above the garage floor as possible. Most garages have three walls that can be used for storage. And there are many different components that can be hung from these walls to hold all your stuff. Shelves and brackets across the top of the room help keep everything in clear sight. Even old cabinets torn out from a remodeling project can find new life in a garage. It’s really only limited by your imagination.

The most basic system for hanging things on the wall is pegboard. Retailers have been using pegboard in their stores for years to display merchandise on hooks. Just insert a hook into a hole in the pegboard and hang a tool. It’s that simple. And it’s great for organizing all your small hand tools. But what about larger items?

The garage organization system we’re going to install today is basically the same concept as pegboard. It’s a mounting rail that is screwed to the wall. It accepts a variety of hooks and holders designed for specific tools and even things like bicycles and shelves. We have the perfect blank canvas for this project right here.

So let’s get started.

This project starts by installing the rail brackets. As you can see, there are a variety of holes spaced 8" inches apart on center. Since our walls have studs spaced 16" on center, this means every other set of holes will be driven into a stud. For the holes in between studs, the manufacturer included expanding plastic sleeve anchors that need to be inserted between the studs. First, we’ll mark our holes. Make sure the bracket remains level when making your marks. For more information on finding studs and using hollow wall anchors, see our video "Picture Hanging Basics."

Once you have marked all your holes, drill the pilot holes for the screws that will be inserted into the studs. Then drill the pilot holes for the expanding plastic sleeve anchors. This requires a different drill bit than we used to drill the pilot holes into the studs, so be sure to use the correct drill bits outlined in the manufacturer’s instructions. Insert the plastic sleeve anchors.

Now, install the bracket with the screws provided by the manufacturer and place the plastic sleeve over the mounting rail, again following the manufacturer’s instructions.

To span the length of the wall, we’ll need to install two mounting rails end to end using the same procedure as before. We’ll do that next.

Now we can install the centerpiece of our organization system ... the shelving unit. It has standards that are screwed to the studs in the wall so it will be stationary. Don’t forget to keep the standards plumb.

Now we’ll insert the brackets into the slots in the standards and install the wire shelving pieces on top of the brackets. It all snaps together to let you know it’s secure. The assortment of hooks and holders all attach to the mounting rail the same way. A snap lets you know the bracket fits securely on the mounting rail.

The beauty of this system is that the other hanging hooks and holders can be placed anywhere you want along the mounting rail. It’s all up to you. And if you don’t like it, you can change it later.

Whew! That was fast ... A place for everything, and everything in its place ...off the floor. We’ll save that space for the car.

If you have questions about this or any other home improvement project, be sure to read our list of Frequently Asked Questions for this video. And be sure to print out our Project Instructions, which includes a Tools and Materials checklist, before visiting your local independent home improvement retailer. That’s where you’ll find all the products and helpful advice to complete your project. If you’re not sure where to find your local store, check out our Store Locator.

Good luck with your project and thanks for watching.

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Steps

  1. 1.peg board

    One quick fix is installing peg board to hang your tools.

  2. 2.trim

    You can screw a mounting rail to the wall to hang larger items.

  3. 3.mix

    Screw on the rail brackets. See Wall Hanging Basics

  4. 4.paint

    Snap the sleeve to the mounting rail.

  5. 5.paint flakes

    Shelving units: screw the bars on the wall.

  6. 6.paint flakes

    Insert shelving brackets.

  7. 7.hole saw

    Install shelving on top of brackets.

  8. 8.hole saw

    Place mounting hooks anywhere you want.

 

Project Faqs « back to project


I’m installing some wire closet shelving as storage. Do I need to secure the brackets into wall studs?

Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, but it probably depends on the total weight that you’ll be placing on the shelves. See our... More »

I want to put some shelves in my garage, what kind should I buy?

It’s always a good idea to keep things off the floor if possible, so invest in some shelves and brackets that you can hang on the... More »

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A garage door has a predictable load and span, and constructing one out of stock dimension lumber can be difficult. Try a laminated stock intended... More »

All my hand tools are in toolboxes and drawers scattered throughout the house. What’s the best storage method and where I can find them easily?

Installing pegboard on a garage wall is an excellent way to keep your tools in sight so you can easily get them when you need them. Some people even... More »

How do I insulate the top and side of my garage door?

Aluminum and vinyl weather stripping is available for this. There is also a weather strip made specifically for garage door... More »

What should I use to insulate the top and sides of my garage door?

Aluminum and vinyl weather stripping is available for this. There is also a weather strip made specifically for garage door... More »

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Yes, since 1990 all garage doors are required to have an optical sensor and/or a door edge sensor that will stop or reverse the... More »

My garage floor has cracks. Can I still use an epoxy finish, or is it primarily for relatively new floors?

You can use an epoxy floor finish on your garage, but you must first fill all the cracks using cement crack filler or a hydraulic cement patching... More »

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A piano hinge is a good... More »

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You need to know the size of the door and the number of panels. Information on the replacement spring packaging will indicate which spring is... More »

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