Several of my clients have had garages on the brain lately, which means that, in turn, I do.

It makes sense, seasonally speaking. People are returning home from camping trips and growing frustrated with the lack of an obvious place to stow their sleeping bags and pads, tents and lanterns. Dads are fed up with their cars being scratched by bike spokes. Moms are flummoxed about where to store all the balls and nerf guns in the current toy rotation.

They all want the easiest, most accessible solution, naturally.

I figured a fail-safe garage organization set-up would be an apt post topic, but recalled that I had written a similar post in the past. So I dug around in the blog archives and discovered a post written just over a year ago, in which I laid out…a fail-safe garage organization set-up.

It often happens that I’ll cover a product topic twice or three times or more. But generally speaking, the options will change. But as I looked at what I had done a year ago, I realized there was no updating to be done. I already did the thing and did it well, IMHO.

So, in case you missed it the first time, or in case you didn’t take action to implement the proposed solutions, here it is again: the one size fits most garages organization situation:

1. Shelves

Unless you have built-in cabinets, you’re going to need some type of shelving. Do not let the standardization of this round-up fool you: what may appear unremarkable is certainly not that.

There are scads of heavy-duty shelving units around; these chrome industrial ones are just plain better. Other versions have shelves that are completely cumbersome (read: impossible) to adjust, or have shelves that, themselves, eat up the storage capacity because they’re so damn thick. The bracket takes up a zillion centimeters and then the cork layer eats away nine zillion more, and before you know it, the shelf space can’t fit anything taller than a cereal box. Substantial storage I think not.

Plus, these offer the option of casters, which, well, why wouldn’t you say yes to those?

2. Bins

The best bins around, if you ask me. They’re hefty enough that they won’t go cracking on you, and their lids clamp down in place, meaning you can stuff them full to the brim. Plus, they’re watertight; you’ll sleep easier at night knowing your belongings are protected from the elements.

(These are another favorite of mine. I raved about them here.)

3. A Hanging situation

Most garages are sorely in need of a hanging situation for things like sports gear, yard tools, ladders, and so on.

While there are many different wall track systems on the market, I defer in this case to the Store Of Containers.

Their elfa utility track is easily installed, has a clean, streamlined appearance, and enables you to customize your storage to fit your particular needs.

Use with: wide ladder hook (fantastic for pretty much everything, no kidding) // straight handled tool hook // accessory hooks (perfect for smaller items for helmets, brooms, etc.) // tool holders // bike hook // mesh storage bag (an ingenious solution for sports items) // bracket posts.

(Entire Elfa garage systems available here.)

4. Cargo lift

There is nothing that quashes the flow of a beautifully organized garage quicker than a Thule cargo carrier or a freaking enormous paddle board. You can’t lean them, they eat up floor space, and they’re generally a storage-pain.

What’s a Simplifier to do?

Hoist that thing up, up, and out of the way. And let us say, amen.

5. Heavy-duty triple storage bin

This three-section, storage bin is a tried and true solution for corralling things like sports equipment. It’s mobile (the whole thing is on wheels), and mobile-friendly (each individual bag can be easily lifted out of the frame, cinched up, and taken away with you as needed).

Ahem. This is also why I love to recommend that my clients get this to act as their ongoing donation situation.

6. Parts organizers

My pick for containing all those small bits commonly found in garages, such as fishing stuff (a.k.a. the only thing I can’t get involved with) and hardware.

Durable, with a secure clasp lid, these are also customizable thanks to their removable inner dividers.

(These would do, too.)