Most people who live in houses with garages aren’t able to park their vehicles inside because they store so many other items in that space. On line sites like Yahoo put the number at around 50%. Other sources like Ask.com put the number as high as 85%.
Some can’t park all of their vehicles in the garage because they have three or more vehicles (and bikes) and a two-car garage. Or they have to buy very expensive parking spaces in city environments and just can’t swing the additional expense.
Of the people who aren’t able to get the two cars they own into their two car garages, the biggest reason is because they have other “stuff” inside the garage. That stuff can include things like power tools and equipment to do yard work as well as children’s toys, bikes, skateboards, bats and balls. You name it. It gets tossed into the garage.
Which makes this space even more prime for custom storage solutions. You need to take advantage of the wall space and even the ceiling space to store these kinds of items.
So here are some suggestions for creating “Garage Envy” in your neighborhood:
From a storage and function perspective 
Shelving is a must. Solid shelving is much better than wire shelving because it can hold more weight and things won’t fall through the open slots in the wire.
At least one section with doors and a lock are helpful because you can safely store chemicals and cleaning products and not have to worry about kids getting in to them by accident.
Another excellent way to utilize the walls is with a “Slat Wall”. This is plastic sheeting with grooves in it. The manufacturers make all kinds of baskets and sports equipment hooks and things so you can both see and store your items. And devices are adjustable and easy to move around, so as your kids get older and equipment and toys change, so can the location of your storage solutions.
From an “I want that” perspective
Add color. You can do it with the just the edgebanding or with the doors and drawer fronts or with the entire system. The garage is a terrific place to add a favorite color since the space typically involves lots of gray cement.
Add a television. And this can go beyond just the “game day gathering”. If you’re organized enough and have the space, having a television in your garage is a very cool thing that allows you to keep an eye on the game while still tinkering with your toys. What could be better?
Add a “dog wash station”. Having a hose and water in the garage can be useful for cleaning up many messes, the most popular and frequent being hosing down that muddy dog before he sets paw inside the house.
We realize that most people don’t have the resources to add these “I want that” features, but isn’t it fun to look and dream? Or add some things to your Houzz ideabooks? Connect with us on our page for more ideas:
http://www.houzz.com/pro/closetos/closet-organizing-systems