Learn how to organize your garage and keep it that way with these 5 simple steps.

Organizing the garage in 5 simple steps.

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Garage Wall Organization Ideas

Did you recently see fireworks and hear choirs singing? No? Well we did. And we had a little party too because OUR GARAGE IS ORGANIZED!! Yes, after lots of purging and planning and even a little painting, we now have a garage that we’re not embarrassed for the neighbors to see. Hallelujah! The back wall of the garage just makes me smile.

The side wall. Smiling at this one too.

How did we do it? That’s the question everyone is asking. To put it in 5 simple steps, here’s what we did.

Plan
Purge
Prepare/purchase
Put together – install
Put up – hang things on the wall

It really wasn’t too bad once we got started on it. And if we hadn’t decided to paint the walls it would have taken even less time and effort.

You could realistically do this project in a day or a weekend, depending on the amount of decluttering that needs to be done.

See all the items used in this project here: FastTrack Garage Organization System Picks

1. Make A Plan

In my previous post I shared how we first came up with a plan, then purged (and purged some more), then purchased the garage organization gear (prepare and purchase) from FastTrack. This stuff is a godsend for us. It might have saved our sanity, for real.

Here’ a breakdown of the FastTrack items we used for this project: (NOTE: you can purchase sets that come with everything you need or buy items individually)

(4) 48″ Hanging rails
(1) 24″ Mesh Basket*
(1) 48″ Wire Shelf*
(3) 24″ Uprights for the shelf*
(3) Brackets for the shelf*
(1) Vertical Ball Rack* (discontinued)
(1) Vertical Bicycle Hook
(4) Cooler Hooks
(1) Ladder Hook (available in this set)
(2) Utility Hooks
(1) Power Tool Hook (available in this set)
(5) Multi Purpose Hooks
(1) Compact Hook

Tools and supplies needed:

Drill
Level
Hardware
Ladder – if you’re installing the rails high on the wall
Safety glasses

That’s a lot of items and a ton of organization. Your project may not require this many items, but I wanted to give you an idea of what we used for two 8′ walls.

Most items can be picked up in the store, but some (the ones with the *) will probably need to be ordered here. FYI, to make it super easy, you can order everything you want online and simply pick it up when your order is ready. They will even ship it to the store for free if it’s not in stock!!

2. Clean out the garage

If you didn’t catch the before pictures and our plan for the space, I’ll give you a reminder of how this space used to look. Be warned, it’s not a pretty sight. Here’s the back wall before we started the cleanout. Keeping it real, folks.

The front area of the the garage had piles of chairs and many other things that needed to be decluttered and moved up off the ground. We purged and sorted and then painted this wall as well.

Here’s the back wall after the decluttering session. Even with all the stuff gone, it’s ugly. Who knew they made pegboard that looks like paneling? Fancy, schmancy. At least it WAS in the 1960’s.

I painted the pegboard to give it a fresh look and bring it into the 21st century. Much better already.

NOTE – if you have paneling that you want to paint, find out how it’s done here.

3. Layout the Pieces

Next, I laid out the pieces and planned the placement of the FastTrack System before installing it. Then I installed the system myself. It was actually quite simple. My husband helped with the decluttering and painted the block wall (thanks, honey!), but the installation was all done by me.

Garage organization project using FastTrack

4. Install the Garage Railing System

Who’s that handy chic up on the ladder drilling into block walls? That would be me, installing the hanging rails. These rails can be installed on virtually any type of wall. For the block walls, I used a special drill bit for concrete/masonry/block and drilled pilot holes first, then used heavy duty concrete screws to hold the rail in place.

Installing the FastTrack system for garage organization

After the rail was installed on the wall, I slid the cover over it and then snapped on the hooks. All that was left to do was hang up our stuff! And since the hooks snap off as easily as they snap on, rearranging them seasonally will be simple.

Installation of FastTrack for garage organization

5. Organize Your Items

After installing the railing, I added hooks, shelves, and a basket. There are a variety of different organizers that you can choose from, depending on your exact needs.

Using FastTrack for organizing the garage

I painted the cabinets and changed out the knobs to make them more fun. They’re actually water spigot handles! And added some vintage character to the area with the old wooden milk crates, vintage license plates, and the very old wooden level.

Here’s what we have on this wall, which is about 8’6″ wide x 8′ tall.

Sports equipment including a bike, helmets, tennis racquets and balls, and bats
Gardening supplies
Grilling supplies
2 coolers
A drill
An extension cord
A wire basket full of car cleaning supplies
A small vacuum cleaner
Our giant galvanized bucket that we use as a drink cooler for large outdoor gatherings
Plus smaller items stored inside the cabinets, and a small luggage cart, caulk gun, and newer level on the pegboard.

Here’s how the block wall on the side of the garage looks now. My husband couldn’t believe all of the things I was able to get onto this wall with the FastTrack system. I was a little surprised too! I put things here that we need outside on a regular basis, hoping that they will be put back into place since it’s so convenient to the door.

Using wall space and FastTrack for organizing the garage

There you have it. A garage that went from a disaster zone to a very organized space in 5 simple steps. Hopefully you can see that any space, regardless of how messy it is, can be transformed into a usable, tidy space with a little work and the right supplies.

Have you done a garage cleanout and organizing project recently? Or is it on your to-do list? It’s such a rewarding project and FastTrack makes it easy.