The main purpose of a garage is to add storage space to your home but many families make poor use of this space by allowing it to become stuff full of useless junk that, instead of being disposed of, gets dumped in the garage to deal with “later”.
Most of the time these items are forgotten about instead and still accumulate, filling what could be useful space with garbage. Even those who have gone out of their way to make good use of their space by purchasing storage cabinets and trying to maintain order often find that they simply do not have room for everything.
One of the best ways to counter this is to lift your items up off the floor and store them instead in overhead cabinets and racks. Not only will this allow you to move about more easily in your garage it will give you extra space to store items and encourage greater organization.
Start by separating your items into three categories:
- Daily use items such as coats, shoes, and gardening gear;
- Seasonal items such as:
- Holiday decorations;
- Camping gear; and
- Patio furniture.
- Items used infrequently such as outdoor toys, tools, and other household items.
Once sorted, you can determine the amount of storage you need as well as how it should be organized.
Choosing a system
Available in many sizes and weight capabilities, overhead storage systems will hang from the rafters or ceiling joists in order to provide convenient, out of the way storage for anything from Christmas decorations to bikes. Made of heavy gauge, powder-coated steel these racks can hold up to 600 lbs and come in a variety of sizes meant to fit any garage. They are also available in custom sizes to fit unique spaces if necessary.
There are three main types of system you can choose depending on the type of storage you are looking for:
- Pulley storage rafter lift
- These systems are easily raised and lowered by hand crank in order to allow greatest ease of access to the items stored there. This is a great option for small garages with very limited storage on the ground level.
- Metal frame system
- Strong and durable, these systems are intended for heavy items and are built for industrial strength.
- Bike storage racks
- Designed to be lightweight and hold all sizes and styles of bikes, overhead mounted bike racks are a great idea for any family as they keep kids’ bikes safely off the floor and out of the way.
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