Before & After: How a First-Time Homeowner Cleared the Clutter and Transformed His Garage

The pain points, pre-makeover, were vast. We interviewed Mike, who is the one to predominantly use the attached two-car space, about the main problems he was hoping to solve. “Having a garage in general is such a perk, but we need organization help,” he shared. “We only have one car, but we’d like to leave space for a second. The problem is that right now that area is only used for overflow—lawn and gardening equipment, tools, golf bags and more.” The storage potential was there, but they needed to map it out. Enter: IKEA. With help from an IKEA designer, here’s how Mike and Talia brought functionality—and organizational finesse—to a garage they now love.

The range of items that get stored in the garage is vast. They also tend to be items that, on a weekly or monthly basis, need to be within reach. In Mike and Talia’s case, this includes gardening essentials like pots, watering cans and fertilizer, but also household items such as paper towels and seasonal décor. That’s why vertical storage is a must. A piece like the BROR shelving unit is not only functional, but with its gray-green finish, is aesthetically-pleasing, too.

Still, what makes vertical shelving like this such a stand-out is the version of heavy metal offered at IKEA. It’s not only durable and sturdy, it’s totally customizable meaning you can add or expand shelves to meet the needs of your space. Better yet, it is robust enough to withstand dirt, moisture and heavy loads (like those bags of soil). The transparent storage, via the SAMLA containers, only adds to the ease of use.

Drop zones are trending—mainly since they provide a stylish and organized solution when it comes to managing the daily mess. The NIPÅSEN bench is a perfect example of a dual-purpose piece, providing a place to sit, but also to corral the clutter. Shoes can be set neatly underneath while bins like the KNAGGLIG offer ample storage opportunities for daily essentials such as a cute hat or gloves. Still, it’s the way the PINNIG hooks maximize the ability to keep daily items within reach that really makes this garage nook sing. Coats, bags, even a helmet and umbrella each have their own spot.

Once again, in a garage, vertical storage is key. But a pegboard ups the ante, keeping tools, parts and everyday equipment off the floor and in sight. Mike was surprised by how handy the BROR combination wall shelf and pegboard turned out to be. It immediately cleared clutter from the floor (in particular, the space in his garage where he aims to put a second car) and made it easily accessible. Additionally, the online planning tool offered by IKEA was critical to success here, allowing Mike to visualize exactly what he’d need to efficiently display everything from paint brushes to screw drivers to a collection of nails and screws. Better yet, he could source quite a few tools he needed also from IKEA, thanks to the 15-piece TRIXIG set.

Golf clubs, a ladder, even a leaf blower all require a place of their own. But the beauty of BROR’s customizable wall shelf is that it’s sturdy enough to hold them all. For Mike, he wanted to think through the use case as he crafted his final shelving design. Keeping shelves at the top and adding hooks at the bottom provided the multi-use piece he needed to keep things organized and off the floor.

In any garage, there are going to be the critical items—the screw drivers, the golf clubs, even the potting soil—you’re always going to want to keep within reach. But then there are the power tools and perhaps a few items (for example, a nail gun or power saw) that you’d like to keep under lock and key for safety. Mike found that the BROR cabinet to be ideal for this, keeping things organized, but also adding another way to get a grip on the garage clutter that inadvertently accumulates.