Storage Idea, Constantly Shuffling Items

[freebo86]

So I've been setting up my garage in the last few months but I constantly keep myself short on storage or just shuffling items around from here to there. So I'll explain my setup currently and I'll throw some pictures on this evening.

Garage is a 20x20, on the left side of the garage I have a shelving unit I built to fit at the end of my 2-4 foot work benches and my tool cabinet.

On the fair right wall side I have nothing. I do have an overhead storage rack suspended from the ceiling that I use to store some odds and ends that I don't need constant access too.

The 2 work benches both have a shelve underneath them that I have my paint stuff, cleaners, oils etc but I find its just too cluttered up.

I guess I just don't know which is the best way to proceed either go with wall hung cabinets on above the work benches. Or get like a standup 6 foot cabinet in the opposite other corner?

I find tools like, grinder, mitre saw etc that are not frequently used just taking up constant space.

I'll throw some pictures up tonight as I know its hard to explain my situation and would be much easier to visualize.

Cheers!

 

[TAMPAGT07]

How about an outside shed... I built two of them and have yet to trip on anything in my garage...

 

[freebo86]

A shed is in the works, I'm guessing that will help with a lot of some of the tools.

Mainly the snowblower will have to go. Basically the corner where the snowblower is where the Jeep is parked over winter. So that corner can't have anything there permanent.

See the pictures attached, the right corner by the door is also pretty naked and nothing is there. I was thinking of putting some shelving there but then I am hesitant as I wouldn't know what to put there as they wouldn't be big enough for the tools.

What's your guys' advice? Are two tables overkill? Hope the pictures can help.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Two tables overkill? Naaah... I am going to be going to a single fold workbench, due to the fact that when my GMC Canyon is in the garage (Center bay), I have to open up the garage door to walk around it... If I utilize a fold down bench, I will be able to walk around the front of the truck, without opening up the garage door... (The reason this is a hassle, is when I am working on something and the AC is cranked up, when I open the door I lose my cold air.)

 

[freebo86]

Well thats the reason I don't want to put anything on that back wall either due to the depth being 20', if I bring in a car I want space if I have to get infront of it or behind in order to jack it up.

I was thinking of ditching that peg board that's attached to one of the tables with the little overhead and just mounting 2- cabinets there instead.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I'm not a pegboard guy... I like my garage looking neat, and pegboard just doesn't work for me...

 

[freebo86]

I'm not a pegboard guy... I like my garage looking neat, and pegboard just doesn't work for me...

I hear ya, those pictures is way too messy for my liking too. I had just tried fixing a pressure washer... Figure if I get some cabinets it would help clear up some of the stuff out of sight - but the price of cabinets is unreal. And i can't seem to find any used one on local classifieds.

But on the bottom of the table in the right corner I also have a couple of sets of sockets that are in their own case - again clutter. I was thinking of taking those out of their case and throwing them in the actual tool cabinet.

 

[Strouty]

Tampa is more of a handcuffs guy so be careful.

As for the space, it looks like you have nice tall ceilings, I suggest you build shelves all around the place, like the one you all ready have. Also you storage unit that you built has a lot of space in between the shelves, maybe you could reconfigure it so that it fits what you store on it. The space game is always fun, in someone else's garage, I am currently playing this game with my stockroom, I have outside storage and that helps a lot, but you don't want to put anything that you would use on a regular basis there, it becomes a real hassle long term.

 

[taumac]

Shelves, shelves shelves. Build shelves starting at ceiling and work down. Leave 6ft from floor. to bottom of lowest shelf. This will give you tons of floor space.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

It's nice that you have enough room on the sides... I have a typical "Florida Garage" with all of about 12" on the two side walls.... All I really need is about two feet on the sides... I would have gladly paid another couple a hundred bucks to the builder for another foot on each side....

 

[Bluedodge]

Cabinets galore mounted close to the ceiling. The doors will hide the mess and minimize sawdust (you have a table saw). Get as much off the floor as possible.

 

[lakeroadster]

Wall mounted cabinets all across the wall above the workbench and enclose all other storage area.

Open shelves and are ok, but they and everything on them get covered in filth.

 

[freebo86]

Yes the table saw is there temporary as I am doing some stuff in the house. Stuff like that is what I don't want to keep in the garage itself. But I am certainly finding the saw dust filth everywhere...

The ceilings are I think just shy off 11feet high (great for lifting off my Jeep hardtop and leaving it hoisted, that's what the hand crank is for in the corner).

When you say reconfigured your shelve - as in add more shelves to it by dividing some of them in half?

 

[bczygan]

Cabinets everywhere?

I don't agree.

With everything behind doors, you are always getting things out and putting them away.

Examples are some of the museum like garages on this forum, and even Jack Olson's 12 Gauge Garage. He may like the clean look of everything put behind doors, but he pays the price of having to drag things out and putting them away for every task.

It's personal preference, but I like more things out and ready for use.

On the other hand, with no storage, everything is out and collecting dust. Visually cluttered.

A balance works better for a working space.

Some things permanently out and mounted, ready for use, and some things behind doors. Some things on shelves. I would even consider dust covers for some items that are out all the time.

Think functions and processes.

Bill

 

[NUTTSGT]

Like the others are saying, wall mounted cabinets and shelving too for the right things.

Some like while others hate pegboard. I have some on one side of the garage. I'd suggest putting cabinets above your bench and on the wall behind the bench, pegboard. Use it for odd items like your square or a few tools that you constantly/ocassionally use like a 6-in-1 screwdriver, paint can opener or odd tools that don't really fit in the tool box, 24" level. Attach it directly to the wall on a 2x2 frame and put some blocking behind so you can mount a shelf to it. Use the shelf for stuff like Brakleen, WD-40 or often used spray cans.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

It's personal preference, but I like more things out and ready for use.

As far as the garage (for me), and the kitchen (for wife), we prefer cabinets.... As far as the T-mans Fab Four, I like their junk out there and ready to use.. (Thats why you will always find them roaming naked in the house of T-man...)

Bizzy, sometimes out there and ready to use is the way to go, and sometimes it isn't.....

 

[lakeroadster]

Cabinets everywhere? I don't agree.......

Examples are some of the museum like garages on this forum, and even Jack Olson's 12 Gauge Garage. He may like the clean look of everything put behind doors, but he pays the price of having to drag things out and putting them away for every task.....

Bill

Opinions vary. In my experience it actually saves time... clean up time. (Not to mention it looks so much better.)

Anybody who welds, grinds, does wood working, bodywork, etc. knows how filthy everything and anything gets that is left out in the open. If your working space doubles as a working garage, clean up time is a major factor.

It's much easier to keep a working garage clean if everything is put away in enclosed spaces.

And it's safer if you're doing hot work.. open shelves and grinding.. not a good combination.

Cleanliness is next to godliness... or something like that.

 

[kylefitz]

Cabinets work well for supplies in bottles or cans ect. I have some old kitchen cabinets packed full with automotive fluids that I buy on sale.

Shelves don't work for me in a garage. I love them in the basement and shed both have big totes that are labeled with there contents.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I would hang as many things on the wall as you can, shelves etc. I just built a shed, helped a lot. I have a large shelving unit on the floor but it is full so the space takeup is moot.

 

[stewie97]

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/foodservice/wire-shelving/chrome/63-h-nexel-chrome-wire-shelving-24-w-x-18-d?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CJzlsq7I18wCFQMHaQoduI4CyA

I have a couple of these on casters. They work really well if you need storage and need to rearrange constantly. I hold the personal belief that EVERYTHING in the garage should be on wheels.

 

[Raven GT]

I Would personally replace the wood shelving next to the roll up door, with a steel storage cabinet, if on a budget look for old office cabinets. i have a couple that are aprox 18 inches deep, 3 feet wide, and 6,5 feet tall with adjustable shelves. i either got them free or paid up to 25 euro.
About the same value as the dollar.
Paint to match your workbenches, and put the larger and specialty tools in there.

Take your wife to ikea, and while your there pick up a few Raskog steel cabinets for over the workbench to store your spraycans and lubes.
Check out their other storage solutions, like steel drawer cabinets for small parts, drill bits, tie-rips, gaskets, small specialty tool, small consumables, and put them under the workbench on the shelf.

Either get steel pegboard for over the workbench, build a toolboard, or put a whiteboard there.
Sometimes its handy to have a place to write stuff down, or hang stuff like an electrical diagram, or a shopping list under a magnet on the wall.
We do this at work all the time with the construction drawings for the machines we build.

The space behind your inside man door, would be perfect for a diy shallow bolts and or parts cabinet, or hang a few of the multi mini drawer cabinets, or the tip out bins up top, and place a piece of plywood sheet, nicely painted underneath, with some hooks for hoses and extension cords.
Do build in some form of bump stop for the door so you can't slam the door into the cabinet.

The stuff you currently have on the ceiling rack, looks like it can go in the shed, which would free it up for some large plastic storage bins with lids..
Clearly label and use for spare parts, shop consumables, etc.

Get a few large hooks on the wall to hang that folding workbench thingy on the wall when not in use. Currently working on doing the same with my old workmates.

The back wall that you want to keep empty, could also be used to extend your current ceiling shelf. if you can make it strong enough, you could also put a small compressor up there somewhere. make sure it can get fresh air from outside , and wall it in, then it's out of the way and a bit more silent.
Yo could also ad some art to this wall or use it to store some very flat items.
Tool board, or flip down table also comes to mind.

The corner by your outside man door is also begging for a steel cupboard, be it open or closed, giving you more storage space for jack stands, oil jugs, etc

It al really depends on the work you want to do in your space, the things you neeed to do that, and the way you feel you work the most comfortable and efficient.

For instance my garage confuses a lot of people because its set up "weird"
as they put it. Which seems to come from the fact that im left handed, and everything is on the wrong side according to them.

 

[crewchief888]

So I've been setting up my garage in the last few months but I constantly keep myself short on storage or just shuffling items around from here to there. So I'll explain my setup currently and I'll throw some pictures on this evening.

Garage is a 20x20, on the left side of the garage I have a shelving unit I built to fit at the end of my 2-4 foot work benches and my tool cabinet.

On the fair right wall side I have nothing. I do have an overhead storage rack suspended from the ceiling that I use to store some odds and ends that I don't need constant access too.

The 2 work benches both have a shelve underneath them that I have my paint stuff, cleaners, oils etc but I find its just too cluttered up.

I guess I just don't know which is the best way to proceed either go with wall hung cabinets on above the work benches. Or get like a standup 6 foot cabinet in the opposite other corner?

I find tools like, grinder, mitre saw etc that are not frequently used just taking up constant space.

I'll throw some pictures up tonight as I know its hard to explain my situation and would be much easier to visualize.

Cheers!

i constantly moved stuff around in the garage for 3 or 4 years. finally had so much stuff i'm sorta "stuck" where i am.

one of these days i'll pull everything out and start over...

my point is, it takes a while to figure out what works for you, your space, and your "stuff".

 

[freebo86]

So I just scored a set of cabinets for $20. Their not metal but they feel solid. Thinking about maybe painting them but not sure yet. Their 56" W x22.5"H x12" D Should be perfect for over the desk.

Now I got my eyes on a metal cabinet that would fit right where that wooden storage unit is this way I could close the stuff off and it wouldn't get as messy. But then I'd have to find a new location of the wooden unit I built.

 

[brianw74]

I want to build some cabinets for my garage, has anyone done a thread on building decent inexpensive cabinets with homemade doors on hinges? I am going to start some next week. I would really like to see what others have done or hear some advice.

 

[freebo86]

I want to build some cabinets for my garage, has anyone done a thread on building decent inexpensive cabinets with homemade doors on hinges? I am going to start some next week. I would really like to see what others have done or hear some advice.

Pretty sure it would be more cost effective to buy complete units than building your own. I just see this tallying up pretty fast when you add hinges, knobs, etc to build a cabinet.

On another note, anyone ever paint melamine? The cabinets I got are those just standard white, figured I paint them but not looking to spend a fortune on doing it.

 

[jd_1138]

Shelves, shelves shelves. Build shelves starting at ceiling and work down. Leave 6ft from floor. to bottom of lowest shelf. This will give you tons of floor space.

Yep, shelves are your friends. Can just use an A frame ladder to get to the stuff that's high up. Besides getting the stuff out of your way, it makes it easier to organize and find stuff. Have an area on the shelving for work working tools, trim pieces, etc.. Have one for cleaning supplies, rags. One for consumables.

Neighbor guy has a 2 car garage, and 2 fairly big sheds (barn style roofs), and he has zero shelving. So all his stuff is in a single layer on the floor scattered around his lawn equipment, cars, tractor, etc.. It's kind of ridiculous. Takes him 30 minutes to find a simple tool.

I gave him a couple of boxed Franklin Mint cars and they're still sitting on the floor where he put them 2 years ago -- though now there's a pile of junk on top of them.