12 Things Every DIYer Needs in Their Garage

With so many DIY projects in progress, our garage is usually a hot spot of disorganization. I finally got around to organizing my garage (again) last weekend. 

When it was all done, I stood by the door admiring my handiwork, hoping that this is the last time I need to do a garage organization overhaul. 

This time, the garage is really efficiently organized. There are tons of DIY garage storage shelves, lots of folding and rolling workspaces, creative nooks that house frequently-used items, and a few fun things as well!

Now that every single thing has a place and is neatly organized in the garage, it makes me want to start a DIY project right away. But before I do so, I wanted to share these DIY garage storage ideas with you.

Without further ado, here is a list of 12 things around my garage that I made or bought to help organize DIY projects and efficiently store tools. 

1. Battery Charging Station

Over time, I have accrued a number of power tools with different types of batteries. I believe I have 8 different types of battery chargers. Now when I buy new cordless tools, I try my best to find ones that will work with my existing batteries.  

Nevertheless, I am still stuck with an existing assortment of battery chargers that need to be organized in my garage. Managing all of them can get messy, so I decided to centralize them into a battery charging station.  

It’s just a simple L-shaped storage shelf off the side of one of my workbenches. This DIY garage storage idea has organized my batteries perfectly.

2. Hidden Workbench Storage

Of all the DIY garage storage and organization ideas, this is one of my favorites. I recently built a new rolling workbench, and mid-construction I thought about how much potential storage space was being wasted inside.

I am always on the lookout for making use of idle spaces, so I came up with the idea of hidden storage for the workbench.  

So, I divided my workbench into 3 sections and attached the top with hinges. Just under the tabletop, I now have huge drawers of garage storage space. 

To make it even cooler, I installed some pneumatic lid supports to keep the lids in place when open.  The supports also make it a lot easier to open since the lids are pretty heavy.

3. Rolling Tables with Storage

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted a workspace in the middle of the garage or out in the driveway.  

So I finally drew up some garage plans for a rolling storage table, with a lot of emphasis on storage and organization.

The rolling table with storage is turning out awesome. My custom table has drawers on both sides for maximum organization. I use locking wheels so the table doesn’t roll when in storage or when I’m working on it.  

Even the height of the table was carefully taken into consideration. It’s the exact height as my table saw. So when I am cutting large pieces of wood with my table saw, I can just roll out my table for extra support. When I’m done with the table, it rolls away to fit under my garage workbench and serves as static drawers.

Don’t mind the missing drawer in the picture! The table is still under construction, but is very usable in its current state.

4. Folding Workbench

As much as I love my garage workshop, it still is just a garage.  As such, our cars need to fit in there from time to time.

So, to strike a fine balance between a solid workshop and a working garage, I constructed a folding heavy-duty workbench.  

The folded workbench is mounted on the walls and supported by 3 floating legs. When I need to park the car in the garage, I push the legs flat against the wall, and the whole table folds down.

See my post for more details on this awesome folding workbench. It’s definitely a must-have for an organized, functional DIY garage. 

5. Wall-Mounted Computer

A computer in the garage can be a really valuable tool.  

I like to sketch 3D designs of my projects on the computer. It makes it easy to visualize how something will turn out in end and helps me determine how much material I will need.  

It’s also great for instructional YouTube videos.

When I’m not using it for projects, I just use it for music at night to keep the projects pumping along.

I built my own computer (made the case out of wood!) and mounted it high up on the wall next to a TV.  

No sawdust is going to get up there. I control it with a mini wireless keyboard and a built-in touchpad for the mouse.

Check out my blog post for full details on my custom-made garage computer – such an awesome DIY garage idea, right?!

6. Shelves Galore

I have to admit – I may have gone a little storage shelf crazy in my garage. In fact, I even have sub-shelves attached to larger shelves. I can’t help it – they are so practical and useful. Here is a whole subset of DIY garage organization ideas for shelving. 

Extra Plywood Hack

Here I have some metal storage shelving in my garage, but I took it to the next level by bolting on some plywood to the side to store an assortment of things (like rakes, brooms, and even a chainsaw).

This has been so helpful to not have these items on the floor haphazardly.

Scrap Wood Bin

Using otherwise wasted corner space, I built a scrap wood bin, and attached some shelves above it to store the smaller pieces (that would normally get lost in a bin). 

The bin and accompanying shelves house all of my scrap wood, emptying out other areas of the garage. Plus, all of my scrap wood is easy to find for my DIY projects made entirely of scrap wood.

Mini Shelves

Here is a mini shelf I built for holding some plastic drawers. The plastic drawers are holding the items for the computer/TV. Whenever I have an item that I don’t have a great place for, I just make my own little stand or shelf to hold it. 

Sliding Shelf Tower

I also made a storage tower with sliding shelves for the garage. It holds a TON of things on it. Check out the blog post for the sliding shelf organization plans and design. This is Eileen’s favorite part of the garage because of all the storage. In fact, she’s been wanting a few of these storage shelves that slide in the basement. 

Sub-Shelves

Here’s the sub-shelf I mentioned earlier.  I couldn’t stand looking at the empty void beneath one of my larger shelves.  So one day I tossed together some scrap wood for a mini shelf attached underneath.

French Cleat Shelves

French cleat shelves are awesome.  I made these storage shelves from scratch with a french cleat mounting system. They hang very sturdily off the wall and lift off with ease for me to carry around on various projects.

See my blog post about french cleat shelves to learn more about them.

Repurposed Shelves

Here I repurposed some closet wire shelves for spray cans.  My neighbor tossed them out one day, and my eyes lit up. Free storage!

Don’t underestimate something that you or someone else is getting rid of – especially something that can be used as shelving.

Various Storage Bins

Storage bins are great for screws and commonly used things like driver bits and washers.  

I dedicated a number of shelves to just storage bins. I even mounted some storage bins to the wall for easy access.

They are also very portable. You can take them around with you during your project instead of having to run back to the garage every time you run out.

7. Folding Stands for Bulky Tools

If you don’t have the space in your garage workshop to dedicate to certain bulky tools (like table saws and miter saws), then consider folding stands for them.  

My table saw came with a built-in folding stand. It allows me to fold up the saw and store it upright. It saves a considerable amount of space. The stand also makes it very portable.  I can just wheel my table saw where ever I need to use it.

Similarly, I bought a folding stand for my miter saw.  I get the same organization perks in the garage as my folding table saw.  

In addition, it comes with extending arms to help support long pieces of lumber I need to cut.

8. Easy Access to Power Tools

Whenever I need to plug in a tool for power, I never have to wander too far for an outlet. With this awesome extension cord holder, I just grab the cord and pull out however much I need.  

When I’m done, I crank the handle to reel the cord back in.  This extension cord holder is probably the most used contraption in my garage.

To make it even more convenient, I mounted it on hinges so it can fold away when not being used.

Here’s a really good tip.  If you use a lot of power-hungry tools (like table saws, miter saws, or even large shop vacs), I highly recommend a pair of dedicated 20 amp outlets, on their own breaker.

I hired an electrician to install this for me, but it was pretty cheap. I can’t tell you how many times I used to fire up my table saw just to trip the 15 amp family room breaker. My wife was not very happy sitting in the dark when previously she was just enjoying The Bachelor.

Having a pair of outlets on their own breaker also means you can even run multiple high-wattage tools simultaneously and never have to worry about making trips to reset breakers.

9. Overhead Storage

Your garage ceiling is prime real estate for storage.

It’s completely out of the way, but there for you when you need it.

So take full advantage of any free space up there. I’ve been using some heavy-duty U bars bolted to my ceiling joists to store most of my lumber.  

I just grab a ladder or stepping tool when I need to access them.

There’s a wide market of ceiling-mounted storage accessories for you to check out.  Just be wary of their load limits and make sure you attach them to ceiling joists with lag bolts.

10. Magnetic Tool Holders

I recently picked up a handful of magnetic bars to store loose tools.  They are an awesome organizational tool. I tacked them onto any free surface that made sense.  

I use the magnetic tool storage holders to store wrenches, screwdrivers, loose screws, basically, anything that is made from metal. Magnetic bars make it so convenient to quickly grab a tool, then slap it back on the bar when done. And they are pretty cheap!

12. Blowing Off Some Steam

Not all DIY projects are full of bliss.  There are times you will get frustrated. At the end of a hard day, you’ll probably want to let off some steam.

That’s why I built a boxing speed bag platform in the middle of my garage workflow.

It’s stowable too so it rises out of the way when not in use.  It’s even secured to the ceiling with rubber dampeners to reduce the noise.

Check out my blog post for more details on my boxing speed bag platform.

That’s it!  I hope my list gives you some ideas for your own DIY garage storage and organization projects.  

Let me know what cool things you have in your garage, especially DIY garage storage ideas. I’m always on the lookout for more things that can make my garage workshop time be more efficient and productive.