An Incredibly Organized Garage

While we are in between houses, I’ve been scouring Pinterest like a mad woman, searching for possible decor and organization solutions for our new house. When I came across this organized garage from my friend Samantha at Simply Organized, it stopped me in my tracks– it is absolutely incredible! I’m so delighted that she agreed to share it for the My Favorite Organized Space series. I’ll let her show you around!

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Hey everyone! I’m Samantha from Simply Organized, a professional organizer by day and blogger by…well, whenever I can find the time! I absolutely love blogging about organization, but what I love more is the friendships created just from writing and sharing content online. Abby is a great blog friend and I was so touched when she asked me to join this fun series. I mean, hello – hard for me to say no to anything organizing related! But also hard to say no to her cute face!

When people find out I’m a professional organizer, they suppose my house is perfectly organized. Everything in its place. Clean, tidy and well-sorted. Laundry washed, folded and put away. Not so true. I have 3 children that are not so organized (much as I teach) and we live a busy, full, fun life. What has been the key to organization is simply having systems in place…so when I want to pick up and organize, it’s easy with minimal effort. These are the same principles I teach my clients.

While every space in my house does have a system, I have to admit one of my favorite spaces isn’t even inside…it’s outside. It’s my garage!

How do you and / or your family use this space day to day?

Some might say their kitchen is the heart of their home. Would it be crazy to say the garage is mine? Joking aside, as an active family and full time organizer, this space is used, loved and appreciated daily. It keeps us organized during the school year, during sport seasons, gives me a space to workout and provides a zone for me to work on larger DIY projects. It also gives me the space to contain organization materials and tools for client work. And most importantly, it bring a sense of calm because I pretty much know where to find everything from baseball bags to that one Christmas ornament my 11 year old made last year. It’s stress-free and never find myself running around in panic-mode trying to find something. When we purchased our home nearly 3 years ago, I had big dreams for the garage. I took my time zoning off and organizing each and every space to satisfy everyone. It’s been a labor of love and have to admit…those envious neighbor eyes when they pass by? It’s the best! #imforhire

What are some of the systems you’ve implemented to help the space stay organized?

When it comes to an oversized space like a garage, my number one tip is to create zones. My next tip would be to use as much vertical space as possible. Remember, it’s a garage…so use all of that glorious wall space!

For starters, I created a DIY mudroom on a wall just outside the entry into the house…

By adding a wall-mounted shelving system, I was able to customize a space dedicated to backpacks, sweaters, shoes, socks and even high storage for stowing out of season / bulky clothing. I love that the shoes have somewhere to live. Since we come and go from the house through the garage, this was a natural landing spot for a mudroom.

My boys are Little Leaguer’s and also love to play ball at home. Their gear used to be strewn across the garage floor and front lawn. Instead of pulling my hair out, I carved out a corner of the garage all their own using a simple shelf and some add-on accessories…

My work space was created using a wall-mounted drawer system and large pieces of pegboard…

With 9 drawers, 2 shelves and a spacious table top, I’m able to get a lot of projects accomplished at home – and if I can’t finish a project, there’s a dedicated space where it can sit until I have the time to revisit.

I managed to also create a small work-out space in the center of the garage which has been especially useful while the kids are home this summer.

Using carpet tiles, I laid out a soft surface that’s zoned off as “mommy’s work-out area”. I follow a mainly body-weight circuit training program, so there’s little equipment required. There’s a place for the weights and my bands are hung with simple Command Products…

The largest project I tackled was an entire wall of mounted shelving…

Previously there was free-standing shelving with nearly fixed shelves. Fixed shelves add the stress of finding bins to fit perfectly. This shelving instead is adjustable as well as easy to install…

This wall of shelving not only allowed me to contain everything from holiday decor to camping gear to toys currently out of our playroom rotation, but it also free’d up a ton of space on the opposite wall.

Oversized lawn tools or brooms are best kept vertically. I added utility track throughout the space to keep those tools contained and away from the kids…

My overflow garage fridge is even organized!…

What did you do to make sure this space was both functional and beautiful at the same time?

To make the space functional and organized yet still beautiful, I painted the entire garage a bright white. And whenever possible the shelving I choose is white. Besides being able to find everything, it makes the space look even bigger and brighter.

I’ve also incorporated runners and other rugs in the space to keep those zones defined while also providing soft surfaces for bare feet. We have a lot of bare feet people in this house! We had a gently loved oversized outdoor rug that was without a home after we moved here. Turns out it made the perfect landing spot for bikes. The kids know to park bikes here so mom doesn’t trip on her way out the door. This carpet, the runners and the bright white walls make the space look clean, pretty and spacious.

Whenever necessary or possible, I’ve also added simple labels…

And I love clear containers!

The mudroom bench was the perfect touch under the shelving while also giving the kids a spot to sit for putting on and removing shoes…

Do you have any funny/happy/sweet/interesting stories about this space?

We’ve had so much fun living in and loving this space, but I’d have to say the most interesting story is that it was featured in a book! Abby and I have a fellow blog friend, Toni of A Bowl Full of Lemons, who wrote an amazing book called The Complete Book of Home Organization. Her publisher contacted me to see if I was interested in having a space featured and of all the spaces I submitted – turns out, my garage stole the show! It was an honor to share this useful space in her book and truly hope it inspires everyone to do it themselves. This garage really is my favorite space!

What is it about this organized space that makes it your favorite?

Our garage is my favorite space because it’s functional. It’s added another room (or more) to our home that we live in and enjoy! We can play together, workout, work on projects and to be totally honest, I feel more inspired to get things done when I can find and see it all. Having an organized garage motivates me to work on projects because I can easily find my tools and other gadgets.

Thank you so much for checking out my favorite space and a big thank you to Abby for inviting me!

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Isn’t Samantha’s organized garage amazing?! She included so many brilliant storage solutions AND managed to make it look pretty at the same time, which is really saying something for a garage space! 🙂

If you’d like to follow along with the rest of the My Favorite Organized Space series, you can do so with the posts below:

A Beautiful, Organized Kitchen by Abby at Just a Girl and Her Blog

A Neat and Tidy Entry Closet by Ginny at Organizing Homelife

A Fun, Organized Garage by Becky at Organizing Made Fun

A Beautifully Organized Living Room by Lauren at Bless’er House

An Inspiring and Organized Home Office by Amy at 11 Magnolia Lane

An Incredibly Organized Garage by Samantha at Simply Organized (You’re here!)

A Playful and Organized Boy Room by Angela at Blue i Style

A Perfectly Organized Mudroom by Erin at Sunny Side Up

A Creative and Organized Home Office + Craft Room by Megan at The Homes I Have Made

Happy Organizing!