Garage storage is more valued than ever before.
The latest What Home Buyers Really Want Study found that garage storage space is one of the most desired features for homebuyers. 81% of people buying a home want sufficient storage space in their garage.
Choosing the right storage systems for a garage can be a challenge since there’s no universal solution for all garages. Everyone has different storage needs and storage systems offer different types of functionality.
Anyone looking at which garage storage systems to buy will most likely be considering cabinetry and shelving. If you’re weighing the pros and cons of garage cabinets vs shelving, we’ll help you make sense of what each storage solution offers.
Choosing the best garage storage systems
One of the biggest reasons for poor garage organization is having a lack of adequate storage systems. Even in some garages with storage systems, they may not be practically incorporated into the room. This leads to wasted storage space.
Your garage storage system choices influence how efficiently you use your space, how easily you can access your items, and even how your garage looks.
Having multiple types of garage storage systems provides you with greater storage flexibility. Having a balance of the following types of popular garage storage systems is ideal:
- cabinets
- shelving
- slatwall or pegboard
- overhead racks
- car lift
If your garage is a mess, you’re not alone
If you’ve seen the chaotic state of some of your neighbors’ garages (or perhaps even your own), it may not surprise you to learn that having a disorganized garage is very common.
How common? Consider the following stats from some recent surveys and polls:
- 20% of homeowners can’t park in their garages due to clutter (Garage Living poll)
- the garage is the most difficult home storage area to keep organized (OnePoll survey for The Container Store)
- 24% of homeowners are embarrassed to leave their garage doors open (Impulse Research survey)
- 52% of people who own a home aren’t satisfied with how their garages are organized
.jpg?width=1200&height=750&name=OnePoll%20clutter%20survey%20infographic%20(from%20StudyFinds.org).jpg)
Infographic from StudyFinds.org
Garage cabinets vs shelving: making the right choice
Both garage shelving and cabinets have their pros and cons. Choosing how many shelves and cabinets to install in your garage depends on these main factors:
- the kinds of items you need to store
- how you want to use your garage
- what type of garage aesthetic you desire
If you’re planning a garage remodel project, learn more from our garage cabinets vs shelving comparison so you can make more informed buying decisions.
Advantages of using garage cabinets
Using cabinet storage in a garage has several advantages compared to using shelving.
1. Aesthetic appeal
Cabinets provide garages with an appearance that is cleaner and more organized than shelving. Since the stored items are hidden, a garage will look less cluttered. Professionally installed high-end cabinets also give the garage a very professional, finished look.
2. Customization options
There are many reasons why you should avoid buying cheap garage cabinets. A big reason is that most cheap cabinets offer little to no customization options.
Garage Living’s various lines of high-quality cabinet systems can be customized specifically for anyone’s garage space so you don’t have to compromise with your storage needs. Our cabinets come in a wide variety of attractive colors and styles to elevate your garage’s visual appeal.
3. Secure storage
Many items we keep in our garages are better suited for secure storage which cabinets with locking doors and drawers can provide.
This includes not just pricey items like hand and power tools, but things that may pose a safety risk to kids and pets, such as sharp tools and hazardous materials like cleaners, paints, and fertilizers.
4. Better protection and less maintenance
Garages get quite dirty, so it’s helpful to have enclosed cabinet storage to protect your belongings from dirt, dust, and moisture.
Cabinets are very practical for garages that are used regularly as a home workshop. By keeping many of the items in your garage in enclosed spaces, you’ll have less cleaning maintenance to do. Your things may even last longer, too!
5. Heavy-duty storage
Cabinets, particularly those made with high-quality steel and aluminum, are ideal for storing heavy or bulky items. They are sturdier than wall-mounted shelving and can handle the weight of storing things like power tools, generators, and other heavy objects.
6. Storage flexibility
Cabinets offer lots of storage versatility and can hold many of the things that we keep in our garages. That includes things like sports equipment, tools, yard and automotive supplies, and small items like containers holding hardware fasteners.
Drawbacks of using cabinets
While cabinets offer many benefits, they also come with a few downsides.
1. Less accessibility
Keeping your items hidden away in an enclosed storage system may not be for everyone’s taste. The biggest drawback is that it does make your things a little less accessible.
Taking a few extra seconds to open and close a door or drawer isn’t a big deal for most of us, but it may be a consideration for anyone who values peak work efficiency. If you don’t have a great memory and have lots of things stored away, locating what you need may be more time-consuming than you’d like as well.
2. Higher cost
Cabinets are typically a more expensive storage option than shelving because they use more materials and have a higher degree of design complexity.
High-end custom cabinets can be a significant investment, but we’ve previously written about why luxury cabinets are worth the expense. If you’re on a tight budget, the cost of buying high-quality cabinets might be prohibitive.
3. Space requirements
Cabinets take up more space than wall-mounted shelving. Because they’re enclosed, you also need to account for the space required to open doors and drawers.
That may be a consideration if you have a small garage. Shelving, like cabinets, maximizes a garage’s vertical space for better room space efficiency.
Pros of using garage shelving
Shelving is one of the most popular garage storage solutions for several good reasons.
1. Easy accessibility and visibility
One of the main advantages of shelving is the accessibility it provides. Open shelving allows you to quickly locate an item and access it easily without needing to open anything to get it. This ease of access can be more convenient for the things you use more often and for certain tasks.
2. Cost-effectiveness
When comparing garage cabinets vs shelving, it’s clear that shelving is a more cost-effective option.
Wall-mounted shelves and their hardware don’t cost much and many homeowners repurpose an old bookcase or kitchen cabinet shelving for use in their garage. Most freestanding storage racks are also quite affordable.
3. Storage flexibility
Shelving also allows for plenty of storage flexibility, just like cabinets. A storage rack with wide shelves may be more suitable for storing certain larger items that may not fit inside a cabinet.
4. Ease of installation and adaptability
Installing shelving is usually straightforward. Many systems are freestanding, which only requires a quick assembly of the product. Wall-mounted shelf installation requires minimal effort, too.
Some shelf systems can be easily moved around and let you adjust the shelf heights, which is a handy option as your storage needs change over time. Slatwall-mounted shelves are super-easy to reposition if necessary.
5. Lots of product choices
As one of the most commonly used garage storage methods, there are a wealth of shelving products to choose from.
Cons of using shelving
As practical as it is to use shelves in a garage, they do have a few shortcomings you should be aware of.
1. Cluttered appearance
A garage looks more cluttered if everything stored in it is within your vision. Even if your things are neatly organized on their shelves, the space will feel less tidy than it actually is. This overwhelming and distracting presence of visible items creates what is known as “visual clutter”.
2. No protection for your belongings
Because shelving is open, your belongings are much more exposed to dust and dirt compared to cabinet-stored items. Valuable tools are significantly more vulnerable to theft and hazardous items become a bigger safety risk.
3. Weight limitations
Most wall-mounted garage shelves aren’t a viable option for storing heavy items. Metal shelving units can handle higher weight capacities, but you’ll need to invest in a sturdy, higher-quality shelf rack for your heavy-duty storage needs.
4. Less aesthetic appeal
Other than having clutter on the floor, nothing makes a garage look messier than having a bunch of disorganized shelves. And if you’re using a bunch of different styles and colors of shelving, or shelves that look cheap, it detracts from the garage’s aesthetic appeal as well.
Garage cabinets vs shelving: which is right for you?
Garage Living has the best storage systems on the market to transform your garage into a more functional part of your home.
Our designers will work with you to choose the right storage solutions for your space, whether it’s a high-quality cabinet system, slatwall with shelf accessories, overhead racks, or a combination of all three systems.
Schedule a free design consultation with us today.
See also:
Share this post
