Buying guide
Garage Storage Planning Guide
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A garage that stays organized starts with a plan. Work out what you store and where it should live before you buy shelving, cabinets or wall systems.
1. List what you store
Group things by how often you use them: every day (shoes, bags, sports gear), every month (tools, garden supplies), every season (holiday decorations, camping gear) and rarely (keepsakes, spare parts).
2. Match each group to a type of storage
- Every day: low wall hooks, slatwall or wall track near the door.
- Tools: pegboard above a workbench, or a tool cabinet with drawers.
- Bins and boxes: shelving units sized for your bins.
- Chemicals and valuables: lockable cabinets.
- Seasonal and rarely used: overhead racks or lifts.
3. Measure the space
Draw the garage floor and mark the cars, doors, steps, outlets, the garage door’s path and the opener. Note the wall length and height available on each wall, and the ceiling height. For overhead storage, read our clearance guide.
4. Check how each product mounts
Some shelving and cabinets must be anchored to the wall, wall systems usually need studs, and overhead storage needs suitable ceiling joists. Read each product’s mounting and anchoring requirements and its load rating conditions.
5. Compare before you buy
Use our Fit Finder for shelving, and the side-by-side comparisons on each category page. Every specification links to the manufacturer document it came from, and anything the manufacturer does not state is marked “Not listed”.
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