Planning help

[garandman]

We have a smallish two car garage in Boston. When we moved in I added pegboard to the walls and a narrow shelf for bottles, but nothing else.

We have tools, sporting goods, 1-3 motorcycles, motorcycle lift, pressure washer, small air compressor, a bike or two, and a snow thrower. Also a commercial 3D Printer (about the size of a fridge) as well.

I’d like to get it better organized and have no idea where to start. The goal is to be able to park one car inside during snow storms. I’m sure that racks, cabinets etc. would help.

Next step?

 

[ddawg16]

How high is your ceiling? How much space do you have above the garage door?

And, what is on the wall right now?

Pics would help

 

[garandman]

I’ll get some pics, no space above doors.

 

[Blazinzuk]

I just built my shop and have resigned myself to the fact no matter how much I think, well too much thinking at this point. Just gotta start doing. Everything that will be on my floor will be on casters. So when I realize I did it all wrong I can change it easy

 

[bad_idea]

Look up. There is much more volume in the garage than square feet.

Heavy duty shelves made of framing lumber and plywood can hold the weight of the pressure washer and other tools. May need a hoist mounted to the ceiling to lift the pressure washer up there. Build the shelves in a corner with the first shelf at ~4' high, then park the bikes/motorcycles under the shelves.

Build 'soffit cabinets' (do a search on the forum). Can build those out of 2x2s and plywood using the walls as the back of the cabinets. Build them up against the ceiling, around 18" deep and 2' high. Will provide a large amount of storage using a space that is out of reach/out of the way.

 

[ddawg16]

For nice cabinets....keep an eye out on Craig's list for people doing kitchen remodels and getting rid of their cabinets.

I built my cabinets....but I used the doors from my in-laws kitchen. I sanded, primed and painted them (solid oak....I know, it's a crime).

I made my cabinets out of gray melamine....came out great.

 

[crewchief888]

to make some room for "stuff" i built a shelf in the corner out of some scrap steel and plywood. compressor is up on top, portable hand boxes of misc parts and supplies for my off road truck, and jackstands underneath.

ive moved stuff around and rearranged things multiple times in the last 12 years as i added to the tool "collection" and moved my working tool boxes, from the shop, back home.

woodworking tools, and machinist tools are kept in the basement. most of my wood projects are done in the house over the winter.

small detached garage and too many tools.


i put in a shed a couple years ago to keep the riding mower, snow blower, and yard equipment in.

a month ago i did another rearranging and clean up to get the wifes new car in the garage for the winter

 

[Stuart in MN]

It's worth getting aggressive about either tossing, consolidating or relocating any 'stuff' that may nor may not be actually worth keeping and is just getting in the way.

 

[crewchief888]

It's worth getting aggressive about either tossing, consolidating or relocating any 'stuff' that may nor may not be actually worth keeping and is just getting in the way.

this year ive been on a big "purge" in both the garage and in my basement and reloading room. i started shooting again this year, and found out i was too disorganized, and didnt have the storage space i needed in the reloading room for the amount of ammo i need for the season.

going to wait till spring to get rid of the off road toy, and all the associated stuff that goes along with it.


i try to keep up on it, but usually fail trying to get "stuff" from piling up.