20 Smart Garage Storage Shelves To Get You Organized
Garage storage shelves are the backbone of garage organization. Here are 20 ideas to DIY or buy to get your things off the floor!
Most of us don’t spend a lot of time in the garage. It’s a place to park your car and/or store things you may or may not need later.
What happens when your garage gets cluttered and disorganized?
You can’t find what you’re looking for, have nowhere to store anything, and get overwhelmed by the mess.
You can either ignore the mess and continue living with it, or you get it organized once and for all, and garage storage shelves are the golden solution to all the garage organization woes!
Shelves can hold many items and are a great way to get the mess up off the garage floor and organized.
What can you store in the garage?
- seasonal items like decorations or clothing (keep them in totes to keep the bugs out)
- tools
- sports equipment
- camping gear
- bikes
- extra household goods like toilet paper and paper towels
- canned goods
- Christmas presents you’re hiding from the kiddos 😉
- Automotive supplies
What types of garage storage shelves are most common?
There are three popular types of garage shelving:
- Freestanding – these aren’t attached to anything and can be moved around when needed. You want to ensure they are sturdy and well-built to hold the items you will put on them.
- Wall-mounted – are attached to the wall into studs, making them safe and durable.
- Ceiling-mounted garage storage shelves use vertical space, free up your garage floor, and are great for storing totes and seldom-used items.
Remember to declutter before you start organizing.
Check out this post for the easiest garage shelves you can DIY.
Once you’ve decluttered, it’s time to get that garage organized. You can either purchase storage shelves or you can build your own. As it turns out, building simple garage shelves is a great beginner project that may require only a few tools.
Here are 20 garage storage shelves ideas you can DIY or buy. I am sure you will find at least one option that will work for your garage.
Garage Shelving Ideas You Can DIY
1. Wall Mounted Garage Storage Shelves from Ana White
This DIY garage shelving unit is one of the easiest storage racks you can build. The top shelf can store seasonal items, like Christmas decorations, and the other shelves will be great for totes, tools, or sports equipment.
You can customize this garage organization to fit what you need to store, making it the perfect solution for your garage. As a bonus, mounting a shelving unit to the wall of your garage will help make it sturdy and cut down the cost when building the frame.
Build your own and get organized!
2. DIY Heavy-Duty Floating Shelves from Anika’s DIY Life
Floating shelves are a great addition to any space. They can be added to any wall without building an entire frame.
These DIY wall-mounted shelves are heavy-duty and will hold as much weight as you need them to because of the design. They are great for storing plastic bins, hand tools, and household goods like toilet paper and paper towels.
The advantage of DIYing your shelves is you can customize how much space you want between them to accommodate what you will be storing.
Learn how to build your own heavy-duty floating garage shelves!
3. DIY Paint Storage Shelf from Charleston Crafted
I’m a huge offender of having extra paint cans and spray paint in the garage. It takes up space on the garage floor, and we constantly move it from one place to another.
What do you do with all the paint sitting in the garage? Build a paint storage shelf! Storage shelves for paint cans and spray paint give you a designated spot to keep them in, and you can organize them so you know what you have.
If you label the top of the paint cans, you can easily see exactly what you need! Of course, you need to ensure they are tightly closed to avoid spills.
Build your own paint storage shelf!
4. DIY Garage Freestanding Shelves from The Handyman’s Daughter
Buying freestanding shelving units for your garage can get expensive. The good news is, if you’re willing to DIY, you can build your own high-quality sturdy shelving for around $40 per unit. I’m all about saving money and this DIY project is an easy build anyone can do!
These shelves are perfect for storing heavier items, large totes, Christmas decorations, sports equipment, and more. This shelving will fit easily against any wall in your garage and keep your storage organized and easy to get to.
5. Sliding Storage Shelves from Just Measuring Up
Make garage storage even easier by building sliding storage shelves. Pull-out shelves mean you can make your storage deeper and still be able to reach what is sitting in the back. Genius!
This DIY project is made entirely of 2x4s, so it won’t cost a lot to build, and any beginner can do this project. It’s the perfect solution for that unused corner in your garage.
There is still plenty of room under the bottom shelf for bulky items, and the shelves can hold tools and smaller items. These wooden shelves are built to last!
6. Ceiling Mounted Garage Storage Shelves from Ideas for the Home by Kenarry
Free up floor space with this DIY garage storage rack. This shelving system idea utilizes vertical space and is an easy DIY project you can do.
The shelves are plywood and spaced perfectly as storage space for totes. Be sure to attach the frame to the ceiling rafters so they don’t fall. This is one of the best garage shelving options for using vertical space as an organizing option.
7. Plywood Garage Shelves from Sawdust Girl
Garage shelves don’t have to be fancy, in fact, they shouldn’t be since they will get dirty and dusty. Simple wall-mounted shelves can add just the right amount of storage to your garage.
The brackets for these plywood shelves are a DIY too and easy to make when you follow the tutorial. They will be sturdy and stay in the wall with no worries of your organization coming tumbling down.
These shelves are great for storing lumber, tools, totes, and anything else you might need to store in your garage. They’re a great way to utilize the space just inside your garage door.
Tutorial to build your own here.
8. Garage Shelving Between the Studs from The Handyman’s Daughter
This is a genius idea if you have an unfinished garage! Using space you already have to create storage is a great idea in a garage.
The less space you take up with storage solutions, the more room you will have for parking your car. You can use plywood or boards to create wall storage between the studs of your garage wall. You will have a ton of room for storing paint, tool cases, and other small items.
9. DIY Corner Shelves for the Garage from Ideas for the Home by Kenarry
Don’t let your garage corners get cluttered! Build your own corner shelves using plywood and 2x4s. It’s an easy beginner DIY project anyone can do.
This wall-mounted unit takes full advantage of the corner of your garage by giving you space for storage totes, tools, camping gear, sports equipment, and more.
10. Easy DIY Garage Storage Shelves from Fix This Build That
Here is a four-tier shelving unit with room under the bottom shelf for even more storage. It’s easy to build yourself using 2x4s and OSB.
Customize it to any size you need to fit your space and get your garage organized once and for all!
11. DIY Garage Storage Shelves from Crafted Workshop
What’s better than being able to store a tote on a shelf? Being able to stack them in pairs for even more storage in your garage!
These ceiling-mounted shelves leave plenty of headroom in your garage and you will finally be able to get all the clutter up off your garage floor!
Build your own ceiling-mounted garage shelves!
12. Ultimate DIY Garage Storage Shelves from Modern Builds
I’m not gonna lie, I may have some serious shelf envy looking at this ultimate DIY garage storage unit.
This is a large DIY project, but still a beginner-friendly build using 2x4s and particle board. You’ll have double-decker storage for totes above and even a place for work jackets and boots.
Get organized with this project!
13. Cheap and Easy Garage Shelves from Pneumatic Addict
Store anything you need on this 4-tier garage storage shelves unit that will fit anywhere in your garage. It’s an easy DIY project that anyone can do.
Perfect for totes, tools, and coolers. You can even hang extension cords on the side for easy access.
Build your own garage storage shelves!
14. Overhead Garage Storage Shelf from Her Toolbelt
Do you need somewhere to store seasonal decor and clothing? Above the garage door is the perfect place for garage storage shelves.
Utilizing the dead space above the garage door is genius! It’s out of the way and the best place to store things you don’t need to get to all the time.
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Garage shelving solutions you can buy
If DIY isn’t your thing, don’t worry! I have you covered with garage storage shelves you can buy to get your garage organized.
15. FLEXIMOUNTS 4×8 Overhead Garage Storage Rack – Buy it on Amazon
This 4×8 overhead storage rack is easy to put together and install. It’s made of durable black powder-coated metal that won’t rust. Perfect for storing seasonal or seldom used items up out for your way.
​16. 5-Tier Laminated Heavy Duty Garage Storage – Buy it on Amazon
A five-tier freestanding shelving unit for your garage. Each shelf can easily hold up to 551lbs and is easy to assemble. It features adjustable shelves to customize it for what you need to store. Use it anywhere in your garage to help you get organized.
17. Black & Yellow 4-Tier Storage Shelving Unit – Buy it on Amazon
You won’t need any tools to assemble this four-tier shelving unit for your garage. It’s the perfect garage shelf for storing totes. Attach it to the wall with the wall mounting brackets for added stability.
18. FLEXIMOUNTS Storage Rack Garage Wall Shelves – Buy it on Amazon
​You can mount These 2ft x 4ft shelves to the garage wall anywhere for extra storage. These heavy-duty shelves are great for storing tools, sports equipment, or even small totes up off the floor and out of your way.
19. Seville Classics Solid Steel Wire Shelving- Buy it on Amazon
This mobile wire shelving unit is perfect to use in the garage. It’s easy to assemble, and you can move it wherever you need it.
20. Garage Storage Adjustable Floating Shelves – Buy it on Amazon
Black metal floating shelves for your garage are perfect for customizing your garage organization. The adjustable shelves are heavy gauge steel and can hold up to 150 lbs per shelf.
Getting your garage organized may take some time, but with a little effort and these great garage storage shelves options, you’ll have it conquered quickly!
There you have it!
Simple garage shelves you can either make or buy! Which is your favorite?
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