Now I am sure you all have perfectly organized and decorated garages, basements and tool areas. We, on the other hand, do not. My garage is brown, ugly and disorganized {hangs head in shame}. Our tools are tossed in cardboard boxes and nails are in a broken tool chest {sorry Martha}.
Yes, we are the type of family that has six drills somewhere (not sure where), goes out to buy new screwdrivers every time we have a project because we can’t find one and if that isn’t humiliating enough, we keep all sorts of broken things around just in case we might decide to repair them someday. We are due for a garage makeover. So glad I saw these inspiring photos and ideas from BH&G!
Organizing ideas to love:
- Fresh colors on a whimsical checkered pegboard wall
- A bunkbed style ladder on a rail to slide across storage areas
- An old wood hanger used for string and tape
- Cute shelves to store items
- A towel rod to store paper towels within easy reach
- A magnetic strip to hold those tiny drill bits & tools
- Storage lockers to keep things organized
- Tools hanging in plain sight on painted peg boards
- Nails in glass jars
- Drawers painted with chalkboard paint for quick labeling
A garage makeover not only makes sense, but in my case it would make “cents.” Finding everything we have in a matter of minutes would save us lots of money each year in those quick trips to the hardware store to buy yet another screwdriver!
Do you have any organizing projects planned for this weekend?
photos from: Better Homes & Gardens
You might also enjoy these articles on organization for other rooms of the house:
You have been peeking in my garage! How many times in the last week did I say this: “Honey, where is just ONE of our 47 drills/screwdrivers/paintbrushes/rolls of tape….” I mean seriously, it’s getting ridiculous. Oh, you know things are bad when you get flushed over pegboard.
Mmmmm…..pegboard.
Thanks again for your great tips!
~Angela :-)
Angela (Cottage Magpie)s inspiring blog post..Pear Tree Cottage Open House
I’m so impressed that you can READ MINDS! In a way, I kinda wish you didn’t post this because now I want to get some organizing action going on in the dreaded garage. Maybe I’ll just fully delegate it to the hubby. ;-) Hey, it’s his ‘domain’, right? Actually, he’s been in the garage the past two days trying to clean it up. Poor guy.
Seriously though, the painted peg board- SO CUTE!
~melody~
The green and white checkered pegboard is a really good idea!
dwellings and decors inspiring blog post..Mood Board: Natural Decor
I will be organizing all the “stuff” that was in our bedroom closet and eliminating a lot and organizing the rest. You’ve definitely given me
some “things” to think about.
Suzanns inspiring blog post..Come Into my Bedroom (and see what I’ve been up to)
Oh this is a post after my own heart. While I don’t have a garage or basement, I do love to organize. And I love nifty storage stuff and I love creative uses for old things (like that hanger) even more! Great, great post full of great, great ideas! Thanks, Melissa!
Kristens inspiring blog post..Help!
Hubby and I keep talking about spiffing up our garage. We leave it open a lot so the dogs can get to their water and I would prefer people driving by not see that as a first impression of our house with the way it looks now. LOL! It isn’t really a mess because we have a pole barn for the mess but it is just drab, unfinished walls.
Smiles!
Jennifers inspiring blog post..Free Taco Anyone?
We are fortunate to have a beautiful solarium that runs the length of the back of the house.
Beautiful, that is, when it isn’t a catch all spot for everything!
Now that I am hosting more people than I thought for Thanksgiving, I’m motivated to get the space “company” ready….starting this weekend! I have a LOT of organizing to do!
Jinxs inspiring blog post..Caramel Apple Pie
You’re speaking my language right now! We also have an unsurmountable number of drills (which the fiance claims each have a “special” purpose…hmmm..riiiight) that need to be heavily organized. Thanks for the inspiration!
Jeni from Kansass inspiring blog post..No Leftovers
um… that is a gorgeous garage. now i want to re-do ours. ahhh!
feisty tourists inspiring blog post..Jamaican in the Triangle
The clothes hanger with the tape…oh my! I can DO that right now! Thanks…
Vee~A Haven for Vees inspiring blog post..Journal Making
This is JUST what I needed to get motivated for the weekend. Thank you!!
Karas inspiring blog post..Weird Bloggy Habits
These are wonderful tips – love the color blocks in the tool area and those glass jars. I like seeing what’s in there!
please sirs inspiring blog post..Bathroom Idea
Okay, so yesterday, I ripped into our file cabinet at the Nut House- kind of like a mini garage- {because everything gets dumped in there} I may need to redo it again , after reading your post. Thanks for some good ideas.
It’s funny your post is on the garage today. Two days ago, after I purged 2 filing cabinets of 19 years of “stuff” in the garage: http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-declutter-20-years-of-stuff-in.html)
I began to “attack” the other side of the garage. To say the least, I’m proud of my work and the ideas above are fabulous! There’s just something so nice about walking through the garage (no car in there yet) and being able to not trip and find things. No car – because of kids and grandkids moving back home and a gazillion bikes back in there. Would rather have the gazillion bikes and kids and not car :-) Great post, my friend!
lylah ledners inspiring blog post..what in the world is twitter and who are tweeples?
LOVE the tips. Yikes. It reminds me of how much I really should be organizing this weekend….or next:) Check out my blog for a pic of how to use a pegboard in the kitchen! It has saved me so much cabinet space.
Jana Nordstrands inspiring blog post..Guest Blogger: John Short (Keeping it Real with Pop Culture and Food)
Thanks for some great ideas. The garage. The last frontier people organize, but oh, it makes life so much easier.
Blessings,
Sher
Sher’s Creative Expressionss inspiring blog post..Well, It’s About Time ~ Partial Master Bedroom Reveal
perhaps this house would sell if the grage looked like this…hugs, rebecca
Oh, your timing is perfect! We just moved the garage shelves out to the shop…I was trying to figure out how and where to hang the old pegboard….wahoooo! Now I need to decide what colors to paint my groovy new pegboard grid. Cool post, thanks for all the great ideas.
;)
Shellys inspiring blog post..Playing Tag
I love getting organized and doing little facelifts around the house…seems like I am always helping everyone else with there projects!!!
I need to take some TLC time for my house too:)
Thanks for the reminder:)
Kay
kayellens inspiring blog post..Feeling Better
Okay, you’re just going to HAVE to check out the most organized way you can go for the garage (the new company my hubby works for): http://www.mobile-shop.com
Debs inspiring blog post..Fatness Friday
I love the checkered peg board idea! Alas this weekend I am nursing my injured hand…so no organizing work for me. Typing this one handed….
P
we are half way through a garage clean up, we painted the floor and then it came to a halt, too much like hard work!
nice inspiring photos, the coathanger with the ribbon has given me and idea, thanks
Sarah
sarah @ a beach cottages inspiring blog post..ABeachCottage House Tour
Readers may be interested to know that wall storage and organization manufacturer storeWALL, LLC has launched the “My car goes where? In the garage?!” contest, which ends on October 31, 2008. This new contest is designed to educate and inform consumers about how to safely store items in their garage while maximizing space to park their car(s) – especially important as winter approaches.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/storeWALL/garage-organization/prweb1357854.htm or http://www.storewall.com
OK Melissa you are making my idea links tab a mile long. Love these ideas! Most of them are so simple and useful. I just bought to large metal cabinets, but not for the garage–for my basement to store decor items.
Hi Melissa. You really did read my mind. I have been after my husband to please clean out the garage. I am going to show him this post so that he can get ideas. Thx for sharing. Gloria
Have a great weekend.
glorias inspiring blog post..MY S and T FRIDAY Number 4 and ON MY 100TH. POST!
We SO need to do this. We have almost no storage at all in our garden home. I have a guy finishing our home remodel, and he’s talking to me about making more in the garage. So I can find things too!
Brenda
Brenda Kulas inspiring blog post..Planning, planning…
Thanks for the organization tips- heaven knows most of us need all the help we can get!!
I am calling all my blogging buddies in asking for a big favor! Would you drop by my blog and read my contentment therapy blog and about a giveaway. (I came up with this idea from your blogs iwth the fall decorating and driveby porches!) Would you consider joining me in this 30 day therapy (a Mr. Linky link is at very bottom of the blog) and leaving a note on your blog to inform others about it – or email friends- I would love for this to be great time for lots of us. I don’t have a huge following on my blog but would like to get the word out. Please let me know what you think and any suggestions too! Thanks so much!
blessings to you! mary :)
mary (megardengal)s inspiring blog post..Contentment Therapy- would you please join me? Got mr linky going to sign up!!!
Great article! Along the lines of the glass jars for organizing nails: use empty baby food jars. Get a piece of board and screw the lids onto the board. Hang it over the workbench either horizontally or vertically and voila! Organized bits and pieces. ;)
Brandies inspiring blog post..Erin Doland of Unclutterer.com, The O Myth Recap
My dad (and now my husband) put a 2×4 on the bottom of one of his storage shelves in his workroom. Then he nailed the lids of old baby food jars to the board. Then he filled the baby food jars with nails and screws, and then twisted the jar back onto the in-place lid. That way, when he wants a certain screw or nail, he just unscrews the jar from the lid, and only has the jar in his hand (and doesn’t misplace the lid), and then when he’s done, he twists it back onto the lid.
I don’t know if that all makes sense, but it is genius, and keeps all the nails and screws in a visible and cleaned-up space!
OK, that’s funny — the lady before me, Brandie, suggested doing the same thing, only in less words!
I love these photos… they really inspire me to want to organize! I am constantly organizing because I am constantly working on TOO many projects and my space becomes TOTALLY disorganized… how do I make it PERMANENT… hmmmm
Fifi Flowerss inspiring blog post..Hooked on House Tours…
I would love to have a garage like that, still waiting for my husband to make shelves for me (been waiting three years so far)……
I used to have a very clean and organized garage! BUT then my husband closed his office and moved it home. All of the extra stuff ended up in my garage! I want my clean and organized garage back.
Actually, Greg is generally more organized than I am. So maybe over time … he will sort things out when he has more time. Nothing like starting another company to keep you busy. Lord, please give me patience!
Debbies inspiring blog post..Joy on This Thankful Thursday
Ohhhh {groan} hit me where it hurts!
P.S. Your sidebars are perfect!
Darlas inspiring blog post..Cara’s Biscotti Recipe with an Iowa Twist
What wonderful ideas and a great blog!
kks inspiring blog post..High School Musical 3
Great tips, love them all! Those chalkboard drawers are a FABULOUS idea!!!!
Melissa Lewis – Off The Walls inspiring blog post..A Day At Off The Wall Studio
Great post! Thank you so much! I am in the process of organizing- SO time consuming, but SO worth it!!
Angelas inspiring blog post..Leelou’s Launch Party Giveaway!!
Espero que estas fotos los inspiren a tener todo en orden.
Encontrar todo lo que tenemos en cuestión de minutos nos ahorraría mucho dinero cada año en los rápidos viajes a la ferretería a comprar otro destornillador!. Comenzar pintando con colores alegres, colocar estanterías para almacenar diferentes elementos, las herramientas colocarlas a la vista, los clavos en frascos de vidrio, cajones etiquetados….
Una muy buena idea que encontré en The inspired room. A ponerse las pilas y a organizar nuestras herramientas!
Thanks for all your ideas! I am so glad I found your website!
Mary from KY
As a professional organizer, your post really made me smile! I look at these beautiful photos and it makes my heart sing…I know I need therapy! Thank you for sharing your inspiration to get organized. It is a heart warming feeling to see people want to get their homes in order!
Thank you so much for these ideas. I admit it I am so challenged when it comes to home organization….your blog is so inspiring and I have bookmarked it to help me through my struggles so I can have a pretty home for my family…
Thanks
Trish
.-= Trish´s last blog ..Over 50 Printable Valentine’s Day/St. Patrick’s Day Printables =-.