Make a grid
For equipment like kayaks or surfboards that would otherwise monopolize floor space (and can’t safely be stored leaning against a wall), create a storage grid—full-wall, or just overhead—so items can stack.
Hang it up
Arrange small athletic equipment on a pegboard affixed to a wall near the entryway. This way, all your sporty essentials are in one spot and in plain view, rather than in a drawer or a bin where you're less likely to find them as you rush out the door.
Think vertical
Bikes are an awkward storage fit and floor space is usually at a premium, so get some bike hooks and line up those beauties on a wall, or hang them from the ceiling. BONUS TIP: If you want to keep your bike in a more visible space like the home entryway, get yourself this beautiful wooden bike shelf (available in walnut or white oak), and be the envy of all visitors.
Identify boxes
Invest in transparent storage boxes so their contents are clear. If you have cardboard boxes, label them on all sides so you know what's inside them.
Maximize walls
Create a potting station
A hip-height table can turn a corner of your garage or shed into a garden workstation. For the work surface, consider reinventing cast-off furnishings like an old kitchen island or a low bookshelf. Arrange tools on the adjacent wall, and a bin for soil close to the floor.
Store it outside
Weather permitting, store yard tools—rakes, shovels, etc.—outside, where they're easily accessible.
Create a drop zone
If your garage is also an entry to the house, create a bench seat and an area for shoe storage. You've heard it before: Keeping shoes out of the house is the best way to keep dirt out of your home!
Have an annual garage sale
Save time organizing by having less to organize. Get in the habit of hosting a yearly garage sale. Take stock of all those items you’re storing for someday but that you don’t use ever, and then sell (or donate) anything of those things that don’t have strong sentimental value.
