A Quick Guide to Garage Shelving and Cabinets

When you're at the department store, you're bound to see endless rows and stacks of storage products of all shapes and sizes. We've all thought in one way or another, "If I can get one of those, maybe I can get my life more organised." While having a storage box or two can certainly help in making your home tidier, it's not as simple as getting the shiniest plastic box at the discount store.

One quick trip to a big-box store and you will see that storage tools come in many forms. Not all storage tools are designed the same. Storage comes in a near-infinite variety of sizes, shapes, colours and materials. If you're thinking of getting some storage for your home, you have to know what you're delving into first.

The garage

In this day and age, very few people use their garages for its intended purpose. Many people have turned their garage into an overflow storage room, full of garage shelving and racking. For people who want to organise their homes, starting from the garage seems like the logical step. Garages are often the most difficult to optimise, and once they have done so, the rest of the home will follow.

The first step is usually to compile an inventory of the items in the garage. Divide the items into three groups: frequently-used items, items that require easy access, and items for long-term storage. Anything else that doesn't fall under the three has to be discarded or given away. For instance, the bicycle falls under the first group, while gardening tools fall under the second. The reasoning is that bicycles are used often while gardening tools don't have to be readily accessible. Old clothing, mementoes and holiday decorations fall under long-term storage. Once you have completed your garage inventory, you can begin planning your garage storage system.

Cabinets

Garage cabinets are ideal for storing small objects that you need immediate access to such as cleaning supplies, power tools and other hardware.

This type of storage is also ideal if you have a lot of objects that are considered clutter. Normally, you want to keep them in safe storage so that you'd have easy access to them while keeping them out of sight. The secure nature of cabinets also makes them excellent for storing light, dust and heat-sensitive items such as chemicals. If you want to maximise your storage, partner a good cabinet with some garage shelving.

Cabinets are made of a diverse sort of materials. They range from cheap and dependable plywood, particle board and plastic to the relatively pricier and more durable metal. The most affordable cabinets are often made of particle board. However, not all particle boards are made the same. Look for cabinets made of industrial particle board instead of standard particle boards.

Particle boards, while cheap, are susceptible to moisture. If you want a cabinet that is resistant to moisture, look for plastic cabinets or laminated cabinets. Laminated cabinets are made of particle board or plywood coated with a laminate or plastic layer. This protective layer makes for a water-resistant and more durable version of a particle board cabinet.

Shelves

Garage shelving is designed to store longer and bigger items such as electronics, gardening tools, boxes and other hardware. They can be either closed or open, allowing for greater versatility in planning.

Wall-mounted shelves are often paired with cabinets. While cabinets are more expensive than shelves, this storage format allows for greater flexibility in space options. Most wall shelves are open, which means you may need to use containers and the like if you need to store large objects that have to be protected from dust and moisture.

Garage shelving offers more space than cabinets and are more cost-efficient. They are made of stronger materials such as steel and aluminium since they are designed to handle heavy objects.