It’s not the first priority for most homeowners, a garage is definitely a bonus and benefit when deciding what home you want to buy. The good news is that over 82 million houses in America include a garage.
Of course, the irony is that many would-be homeowners don’t want the garage for storing their cars. They view the garage as a place where they can, for example, set up a small home shop or a place for additional storage.
If you’re in the garage-as-storage camp, keep reading for five cabinet storage ideas for your garage.
1. Freestanding Cabinets
One of the simplest solutions for your garage storage needs is freestanding cabinets. This approach is particularly useful if you’re renting, rather than buying, your own home because you don’t make any permanent changes to the garage space.
Most freestanding cabinets are approximately 6 feet tall and around 18-inches deep. That makes them deep enough to store most of the things that the typical homeowner wants to store, such as paint cans, small power tools, and smaller boxes.
In terms of width, the cabinets range from about 2 feet wide to around 4 feet wide. These differing widths let you pick a cabinet that will provide enough storage or fit into a specific area of the garage.
Most freestanding cabinets include doors, so you can protect the contents from any dust or, in the case of a garage workshop, sawdust in the air.
Depending on your needs, you can get them in either plastic or metal versions. If you deal with somewhat volatile liquids, such as woodworking stains and finishes, a metal cabinet is an ideal storage option since the metal itself isn’t flammable.
2. Wall-Mounted Cabinets
For homeowners that aren’t worried about making permanent changes in their garages, wall-mounted cabinets offer a second option for additional storage.
You can get wall-mounted storage designs in several sizes. If you need a lot of storage you can get wall-mounted cabinets in similar sizes to the freestanding cabinet models.
The real benefit here is that you get extra stability in the cabinet. So, you don’t need to worry that the cabinet will tip if you front-load heavier items or if something heavy goes on a top shelf inside.
There are also smaller versions designed to hang above existing cabinets. These are typically around 30 inches long by 30 inches high and around 12 inches deep. You can find wider versions that are 4 to 5 feet long.
In most cases, these cabinets are either metal or wood. Wood works well for storing non-volatile items.
3. Tool Storage and Benches
For the weekend craftsperson or mechanic, your storage needs are a bit more unique. While you can potentially get by with basic freestanding or wall-mounted cabinets, they aren’t really designed with tools in mind.
Fortunately, there are a number of tool storage cabinets out there. These typically feature several drawers of varying depths that let you store hand tools and smaller pneumatic or power tools.
Many of them are freestanding models that come with castors that let you move the cabinet at need around your garage. That’s especially handy when working on a car.
You can also find benchtop tool storage cabinets. You get a similar multi-drawer design but on a smaller scale.
On the woodworking side of things, there are traditional workbench cabinets that offer a work counter on top but open storage beneath. That’s useful for storing things like saws, routers, and larger sanders.
You can combine this style of storage/work cabinet with a wall-mounted pegboard to hang frequently-used tools nearby.
4. Workbench Storage Systems
If you find yourself drifting out of the amateur craftsperson or mechanic realm and into the semi-professional to professional realm, you’ll probably need storage ideas designed with you in mind. This is where workbench storage systems come into play.
These systems typically provide you with everything from drawers and open storage spaces to shelves and workbench countertops. They are often one of the pricier options for garage storage. So, it’s not the first choice for most people.
If you need a dedicated station that consolidates all or most of your tools, however, these storage systems can make your life a lot easier.
5. Semi-Custom Cabinets
If you’re not entirely sure what you need but know you need something, you can also consider semi-custom cabinets from a place like Nelson Cabinetry. This approach isn’t quite as all-consuming as true custom cabinets with its myriad design decisions.
Instead, you work with a set of existing cabinet options, such as:
- Base cabinets
- Wall cabinets
- Tall cabinets
- Corner cabinets
You may get some options in terms of width, although height and depth are usually fixed measurements.
You consider all of the cabinet choices and assemble cabinet solutions that meet your needs. This strategy for managing your storage needs offers a couple of substantial benefits.
You can build a solution that matches your available space very closely, which maximizes your storage capacity. Depending on the offerings from the company, you can sometimes get features that you wouldn’t normally find in a garage storage cabinet.
For example, you could install a lazy susan cabinet in a corner. It’s non-standard in garages but can make accessing anything you store in there a much simpler matter.
Garage Cabinet Storage and You
While your home may come with a garage, it doesn’t mean you can only use that space for storing a car. A garage can prove an excellent space for additional storage for home items or tools.
You can opt for freestanding cabinets or wall-mounted cabinets. It depends on whether you want permanent changes. Semi-custom cabinets can help you work within size constraints.
If you need tool storage, you can look for dedicated tool storage cabinets, workbench cabinets, or workbench storage systems.
Looking for more home or garage storage ideas and solutions? Check out our House section for more posts.
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