Garage build for the transient renter

[LiveandLetDrive]

So living in California now I rent and owning a place of my own is many years away, or never. Now in a new place I want to start putting together a garage organization system that is worthy of the vehicles I'm fortunate to have to put in it, and the many projects I aspire to bring to fruition within it as well. Given my situation (I'm sure a not entirely uncommon one), I won't be fork-lifting in any 800lb lockers or 1" steel plate bench-tops (a la the very inspiring 12ga Garage), but I don't want to live out of flimsy junk either. I have some ideas, but I'm looking for inspiration too. Let's lay it out this way:

Rules and regulations:
1. Nothing I can't easily roll into a moving truck on a dolly.
2. No major alterations to the existing structure; screwing into wall studs is okay.
3. Major components should be modular and adaptable to new spaces.
4. Space is limited so efficient storage is key. Approx. 18.5'W x 20'D in current garage.
5. Not made of money, creativity over big spending. Not a master craftsman but I can manage.
6. Security is a concern in this particular neighborhood I've moved into. Already have a nifty Foscam 8910W that emails and texts me when motion is detected and allows remote, even phone, monitoring.

Major items to be fit:
1. Car ('70 Corvette)
2. Motorcycle 1 ('70 Triumph T100R)
3. Motorcycle 2 ('72 Honda SL100, apt to be replaced with another)
4. Two Bicycles
5. 26gal air compressor
6. Washing machine (usually a fixed location)
7. Engine hoist and stand (former folds, latter is disassemblable.)
8. Many blow-mold boxes with drills, etc.
9. A couple large tools like my electric miter saw, bench grinder, small vice.
10. Tons of auto spare parts, fluids, paint cans, etc. etc.
11. Laptop stand, laptop drives the sound system and provides the YouTube how-tos so it should be by the workbench.
12. Lawnmower and other yard tools. A small shed or lean-to in the back yard is a likely option for keeping this stuff out of this space. I have a ~4' useable alley down the side.

Currently have two 3'x3' solid shelves and a 3'wx5'h erector-set shelf and I could take them or leave them.

I'm thinking I should dismantle my current workbench (massive overkill 4x4 frame just because I had it at the time) to be replaced with a fold-down-from-the-wall workbench (or two), again inspired by the 12ga Garage.



Sorry if this topic has been done, I wasn't entirely sure what to search for. I'll use this post for updates of my own project as well.

Thanks for the ideas, looking forward to putting this together so I can get on with the projects!

 

[LiveandLetDrive]

The post-move-in disaster as it stands today. I'm working on down-sizing as well so a lot of junk will be gone but this is approximately the scale of the challenge.

 

[fringeofinsanity]

First and foremost, congrats

Looks like you'll need efficient storage. You can do shelves, but I'd suggest watching Craigslist or hitting the habitat for humanity and buy some cabinets. Easy enough to yank them when you move.

 

[crewchief888]

one thing i figured out with a small garage, mine is 19x22, is use your wall space to get "stuff" off the floor and out from underneath benches.

stuff like ladders, saw horses hang on the wall, i cobbled together a shelf and put my air compressor up on top, and have a shelf underneath for jackstands.

i'd suggest open wire shelf units, for blow molded cases and power tools,
get ones from a big box store, (not the el cheapo ones, but you dont need pallet racking either). i have one that i've stacked PA speakers, amp racks and amps on with zero issues.

fold up benches are a good idea in a tight space.

most of my garage ( and basement) "furnishings" are leftovers from the apartments we lived in, dumpster diving, house remodeling, thrift stores and trash day curb finds.
i usually salvage anything "storage like" the wife decides she dont need anymore, stash it away or reuse it. she usually gets a surprise a year or so later when she mentions "i wish i hadnt thrown XYZ out, i could use it now"

i rarely toss anything away until i've really, really decided i cant/wont use it in the garage or basement. when something else "better" comes along, i'll take the time to rearrange eveything and toss the old junk

depending on your location, CL and even freecycle may get you what you want.

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

So living in California now I rent and owning a place of my own is many years away, or never. Now in a new place I want to start putting together a garage organization system that is worthy of the vehicles I'm fortunate to have to put in it, and the many projects I aspire to bring to fruition within it as well. Given my situation (I'm sure a not entirely uncommon one), I won't be fork-lifting in any 800lb lockers or 1" steel plate bench-tops (a la the very inspiring 12ga Garage), but I don't want to live out of flimsy junk either. I have some ideas, but I'm looking for inspiration too. Let's lay it out this way:

Rules and regulations:
1. Nothing I can't easily roll into a moving truck on a dolly.
2. No major alterations to the existing structure; screwing into wall studs is okay.
3. Major components should be modular and adaptable to new spaces.
4. Space is limited so efficient storage is key. Approx. 18.5'W x 20'D in current garage.
5. Not made of money, creativity over big spending. Not a master craftsman but I can manage.
6. Security is a concern in this particular neighborhood I've moved into. Already have a nifty Foscam 8910W that emails and texts me when motion is detected and allows remote, even phone, monitoring.

Major items to be fit:
1. Car ('70 Corvette)
2. Motorcycle 1 ('70 Triumph T100R)
3. Motorcycle 2 ('72 Honda SL100, apt to be replaced with another)
4. Two Bicycles
5. 26gal air compressor
6. Washing machine (usually a fixed location)
7. Engine hoist and stand (former folds, latter is disassemblable.)
8. Many blow-mold boxes with drills, etc.
9. A couple large tools like my electric miter saw, bench grinder, small vice.
10. Tons of auto spare parts, fluids, paint cans, etc. etc.
11. Laptop stand, laptop drives the sound system and provides the YouTube how-tos so it should be by the workbench.
12. Lawnmower and other yard tools. A small shed or lean-to in the back yard is a likely option for keeping this stuff out of this space. I have a ~4' useable alley down the side.

Currently have two 3'x3' solid shelves and a 3'wx5'h erector-set shelf and I could take them or leave them.

I'm thinking I should dismantle my current workbench (massive overkill 4x4 frame just because I had it at the time) to be replaced with a fold-down-from-the-wall workbench (or two), again inspired by the 12ga Garage.



Sorry if this topic has been done, I wasn't entirely sure what to search for. I'll use this post for updates of my own project as well.

Thanks for the ideas, looking forward to putting this together so I can get on with the projects!

Items to go in that small shed you will be getting:
4. Two Bicycles
5. 26gal air compressor
7. Engine hoist and stand (former folds, latter is disassemblable.)
10. Tons of auto spare parts, fluids, paint cans, etc. etc.
12. Lawnmower and other yard tools

Put the cars/cycles in the garage and then whatever else fits.

A true key survival skill to develop if renting is to keep the clutter to a minimum.

No cruising thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, swap meets...when renting space is a prime resource and it can be squandered by slowly filling it up with stuff.

Buy only what you use when you use it...I know it can feel wrong when paying extra for that tool that you could have bought for 10 cents on the dollar at a garage sale but the Just In Time approach is cheaper. Cruising for cheap used stuff always brings more stuff home than needed...and space suffers while the wallet benefits.

 

[pendragon1998]

I also rent, and my garage is about the same size as yours (1.5 or 2 cars). I've probably run into some of the same problems you have in terms of space. I'm also concerned about theft, although I'm not in a bad neighborhood; my neighbors are all college guys, and they throw tons of beer parties, so I'm never sure who might wander over and take a look in the windows.

I haven't done a ton of stuff to the garage, mainly due to not being able to permanently change anything (I'm not about to put money into something I can't take with me when I move), and plus, I can't be too loose with my money right now. Here are some photos I happened to have to give you some ideas.

The best thing I've done for organization was to add the plywood shelves along all of my walls. If I get to it, I'm going to add another entire run around, because despite having roughly 24' by 10" of shelves, plus the two 4'x8" fluids shelves, I've still got **** sitting on the floor. I'll probably add the next run higher up, then put all the longer-term storage stuff up on it.

Take as much advantage of your vertical space as you can. The bikes, I would rig so they are stored up in the air:

I might also build a set of shelves to get the compressor and bigger power tools up off the ground so you can park other stuff underneath (maybe even the dryer?)


Here's my garage:

This is most of my garage. Rear wall opposite the main door is on the left, outside wall is on the right. I hadn't finished all my 10" wall shelving at this time, but I extended the outside wall shelves all the way to the front of the garage and later added some 8" shelves in the corner. I'm not happy with the lighting, but it is easily moved. I have a heavy drop cord coming down from the rafters, where it's plugged in next to the opener. I love having it there, and I can plug in stuff and have it reach anywhere. When not in use, I drape it over the garage door track, behind where the door stops.

Here, I've added my vise and some short 8" shelves in the corner for fluid storage. The big bench is 6' long and the short bench is 4'. I hang everything possible on the wall, if I can get it to attach to a screw in a stud. I don't want anything on the slab if I can help it, but I've still got a bunch of **** to sort through and either store properly or trash. I've got black widows in there so I really need to get all the piles off the floor. I love having my tool cart in the corner there - it's the perfect spot for me.

I knocked together a little box to store my fire extinguisher in. I was always worried I'd knock it off the wall and it would explode on me (lol). This makes it more secure. This one is on the outer wall, near the front of the garage. I also have one on the opposite wall, next to the door to the house.

The shelving above the extinguisher goes another 5-6 feet to the right, now. You can also see more **** I'm hanging off the ground. lol

You mentioned security. My rear man door is a piece of ****, and I could probably shoulder it open with little effort. I bought two metal pieces from the fencing section at Lowes and lag bolted them into the studs. Then, I slide a 2x4 section to bar the door. The 2x4 has a screw on the upper part of either side, so it cannot be bumped through. The screw on one side is just resting in a hole, so you can simply lift it out and slide the bar out (takes 1 second). The scribbled note is so if someone happened to be in the garage and trapped by a fire, they wouldn't be confused about how to get free.

Now, I'm sure that you could still bust in the door if you wanted to, but the bar should at least require you to destroy the door to do that, which should hopefully wake me up enough to come out and clobber you.

You'll also note that the window is covered with a simple piece of wax paper, taped to block the view into the garage, while still allowing light to enter. I don't want people looking into my garage to see what there is to steal. The jury is still out on whether that just makes it more tempting - lol. I've got the same thing on the main garage door. From the outside, it just looks frosted (if backlit) or dark.

I keep my brute can next to the back door, so if it caught on fire, it would be easy to kick out the door. I'd rather it was near the main door in the front, but my bench is on the rear wall, so it was easier to put it there. I never allow anyone to throw food or drink trash in there, because I don't want ants or bugs in the garage. Only non-food trash is allowed.

The place is a ****** mess right now, but I haven't had the motivation to clean up since I have a herniated disc in my back that's slowing me down lately.

 

[LiveandLetDrive]

Great idea with the wax paper, I've been wondering what I should use to fog the windows! Progress begins in the morning...

 

[John in OH]

If you haven't done so already, read through the following GJ threads. These three are full of good ideas on how to organize, compact, store, and optimize available space. Most are for permanent garage set-ups, but you can get lots of inspiration for how to deal with your particular garage/shop issues.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103738

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464

 

[LiveandLetDrive]

A quick update on my (excruciatingly slow!) progress.

I actually ended up using some matte clear spraypaint I already had to "fog" the garage door windows. Worked great and still lets in tons of light! I didn't do the best job of spraying evenly but even so it is a low-impact modification. I also did the door latch zip-tie trick to prevent anyone popping the garage door emergency release.

The folding workbench came together. The top is off my disassembled old bench and the 4x4 legs were part of the old bench's frame as well. So far my upgrades are all free! My new creation folds down rather than up as others I've seen. It works out perfectly as it folds down to sit above the 3" concrete "baseboard" and takes up zero floor space if I'm ever organized enough to keep it clear! I used four medium duty hinges into studs. I want to add some kind of bracket to the top as well but not sure yet how to make it quick-release for easy folding. As it is I sat on it and bounced up and down and it felt rock solid. Here's the result:

I've since mounted my bin organizer, power strip, and 1'x2' wall board of vice grips on the wall above the bench. Still gradually unloading the steadily decreasing piles of boxes and finding homes for everything. Eager to be done with it and have the space but don't want to make another mess I'll just have to organize later!


Also found a rather unconventional bike hanging method. The indention in the wall by the door lent itself well to having one hook for the handlebars and one for the front wheel. By keeping the rear wheel near the ground, lifting is minimal. Especially good when panniers are added. Just pop a wheelie and lift about 4". The "guest bike" will likely live in the lean-to/shed out back as it won't see frequent use.

 

[Vinci]

Good idea on the folding bench. I am revisiting that option myself.

Nice looking Trucker you have there. I am a big Surly fan.

 

[Jagmandave]

I agree with Too Many Tools, since you're renting you will be hauling it all back out of there at some point, your focus should be on reducing your load and portability.

On the portability front, I took a page from my wife's playbook and put as many things as I can in clear tubs with lids on them - on some I posted a peice of paper on the end with the contents of that tub written on it - saves a lot of time when trying to locate a seldom used tool or item. The plastic keeps rodents out, and the lid keeps the stuff inside dust free. When it comes time to move, all you have to do is carry them out to the truck and into the new place.

Putting stuff in bins like this helps you to understand just how much stuff you can learn to live without too.

Other than that, I'd say just put as much as you can on wheels - large ones roll easier - and don't attach anything to the walls that you don't have to. Rather than a fold up workbench I'd have a couple of B&D Workmates, that way you can use the whole garage as a potential work surface, not just that tiny little bench.

 

[tylernt]

For heavy duty storage, may I suggest the 4'W x 2'D x 6'H Home Depot steel racks. They're sturdy, adjustable, come apart with a mallet and are lightweight for when it's moving time. I have two, they were a little expensive but work great.

For more work surfaces beyond your folding one, I'd build a few freestanding 4'W x 2'D units out of 2x4 and plywood, and use a couple of metal brackets to attach the top to studs so they can't tip away from the wall. If you have space, you can **** two together for an 8' surface.

Underneath, put metal adjustable bookcase standards on the inside of the legs, add shelf clips, then make some shelves to fit.

On top, I'd make a framework out of 2x4 that rested on the work surface and screwed into the studs a couple places such that the weight is on the work surface and the screws just keep it from tipping away from the wall. To the framework, I'd attach metal Rubbermaid cantilever shelf standards (the kind found in your home center's closet organization section) for shelving, or pegboard for hanging tools.

By keeping things freestanding (except for a few anti-tip screws) and modular, they can be easily taken down, put up, and reconfigured for a new space.

 

[LiveandLetDrive]

Thanks Vinci, I'm on my second frame after piling into a parked car like an idiot. Miss the old "Utility Blue" color but it wasn't available anymore. Commuted every day for over a year on it, no long trips yet but hopefully this summer. The Marathon Mondial tires have proven indestructible so far!

Not sure about the Workmate plan. My most common mode of use is disassembling some part into many little parts and it helps to have one contiguous surface to lay it all out now. Granted something like a butcher block would be better than uneven 2x6's but with a sheet of material covering it I've found it to be reasonably useful. Also due to having the car generally in a fixed position my work area is fairly well defined and I don't really feel the need for the main work surface to be mobile, especially as the orange tool cart is kept clear on top and can serve that purpose if needed. The Workmates would definitely be easier to toss in a truck but 8 screws and some plaster patching every two years isn't a dealbreaker.

Plastic bins are definitely part of the plan. Most of the bins I have aren't clear unfortunately which makes them prone to piles of invisible stuff, so I'm waffling over how to use them currently. It's hard to fill a large bin with only one type of thing. However in my experience the plastics that are clear are the plastics that shatter.