Show Me Your Organized 1 Car Garage

[rennch]

Hi there. I have a one car garage, and I am looking for tips and strategies to keep it organized. I'm particularly interested in tool storage, small items storage, (such as nuts and bolts) and how you label things to find in the future. I have a number of bins, I have pegboard, I have built-in storage, I have a toolbox, but I'd love to see best practices of organization for the future.

Also, I have a certain number of tools that I bring with me in the car, and I'm not sure if I should duplicate or not for the workshop.

Would love to see some pictures.

Thanks!

Michael


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[CBRacerX]

While this is my 2 car, you might get some ideas since I renovated 2 years ago and it is very much a "working space"

https://goo.gl/photos/2i3FRfUgFYznavfz6

[Bleedsblue]

Ooooh in for this, I'm in this boat. Hilarious that the first response is a two-bay, but it IS nice!

My goal is to take queues from Jack Olsen (minus the lift and second bay). I respect his aesthetic and style.

[Jesse16]

As Bleedsblue mentions, look up Jack Olsen for the ultimate one car garage. Videos, etc.

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

It's not a 1 car garage, but it's a very small sized 2 car garage so I'll share what we did. Since we do a lot of racing/like a lot of garage toys we attempted to utilize as much space in the small garage that we could. We put up wood shelving above the car spots that holds a lot of storage items (first image). We also put up a tire rack for the motorcycle racing tires on the side section that attaches to the upper shelving (second image). Then, we just added basic shelving for additional boxes and misc items. Plus, added in some tool box storages and the stack of winter/track tires sits in the corner (third image). We do plan to redo a few of these things, but this is what we did quickly to utalize the space when we moved in. We also installed a heater for the winter so the garage stays a somewhat warm temperature. Don't mind the wine bottle collection, I'm building a really cool wine bottle chandler. The only thing that sucks is using jacks and a stand for misc work done at home on the vehicles. I'll be investing in one of these soon enough: QuickJack Lifts - PelicanParts.com. They work for small spaces and are great for storing out of the way. Anyways, if you have any questions let me know!

[Jack Olsen]

Did somebody mention my garage?

I think emptyo is familiar with it, but for others there are some ideas about making a lot out of a little (including tool storage, parts storage and so on) if you go through the 'tour' at The 12-Gauge Garage



I keep duplicates of my track-day tool sets, since it's a pain to go through too long a list every time you go out.

The essential thing, especially with a small space, is to look at the particular way that you work and then fit the design to that. (Oh, and don't use the floor for storage.)

[rennch]

What I'm working with.

I've got about a foot on one side, and 8 inches on the other


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[rennch]

Decent built in storage though


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[Ayles]

Mine is slightly wider than one car. You can do a lot with a little!

[rywats]

Originally Posted by emptyo

What I'm working with.

I've got about a foot on one side, and 8 inches on the other


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I could trade you my narrow body for your wide body.... that will clear up some space!

[Bleedsblue]

I said Jack's garage, but for a one car garage. That doesn't mean a two car garage like Jack has, in which you only park one car--that's cheating for the purposes of this thread!

[Jack Olsen]

I won't argue with you on that. But there are some things I faced with my setup that might be useful for Michael. I had the pillar in the center of the place, which limited my at-the-doors space pretty severely. So I put in work surfaces that swing down so that I could roll the car out and have useful space that wouldn't be available otherwise. You could even store the bikes along the wall above that fold-down (or fold-up) bench.

I think in Michael's shop, there's a lot of space up high that could be used -- and some storage down low -- specifically on the passenger side -- that might work better if it was opened up (with the storage removed).

A bench at the nose-end of the garage might be the best place for a fixed work surface. You could put some storage up above.

The bottom line on Michael's place is that he's got '10 pounds of Porsche awesomeness stuffed into a 5-pound sack.' I don't know if a shed would fit into his situation, but it would be great to get a lot of the non-automottve storage out of there. It'll always be a snug fit, but the shop could be tailored to the car a little bit more.

[steenkamp]

[rockabillyjay]

Originally Posted by emptyo

Decent built in storage though


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GT Agressor bash guard! Killer!

[Bleedsblue]

Originally Posted by Jack Olsen

I won't argue with you on that. But there are some things I faced with my setup that might be useful for Michael. I had the pillar in the center of the place, which limited my at-the-doors space pretty severely. So I put in work surfaces that swing down so that I could roll the car out and have useful space that wouldn't be available otherwise. You could even store the bikes along the wall above that fold-down (or fold-up) bench.

I think in Michael's shop, there's a lot of space up high that could be used -- and some storage down low -- specifically on the passenger side -- that might work better if it was opened up (with the storage removed).

A bench at the nose-end of the garage might be the best place for a fixed work surface. You could put some storage up above.

The bottom line on Michael's place is that he's got '10 pounds of Porsche awesomeness stuffed into a 5-pound sack.' I don't know if a shed would fit into his situation, but it would be great to get a lot of the non-automottve storage out of there. It'll always be a snug fit, but the shop could be tailored to the car a little bit more.

I agree that your approach is very valid in Michael's case (and my own, though I have less junk/I mean non-car related things), which is why I immediately brought you up . You raise a good point about the pillar, that small and necessary vertical component effectively almost gives you two one car garages! Also, I agree that a shed or any other method of removing the non-car related storage goes a long ways towards a good car person garage. Bikes are okay, though.

Side note, Jack, I'm not sure if your pillar serves the same purpose as it did in Larry @ Ammo NYC's new garage, but check his recent garage build video for a pretty cool solution to removing those pillars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FK3EyRPPA). That's another cool garage build not just for detailers, but for any car person.

12 Gauge is still my #1 best executed, car-focused home garage.

[rennch]

Originally Posted by rywats

I could trade you my narrow body for your wide body.... that will clear up some space!

Now why didn't I think of that?

[rennch]

Originally Posted by rockabillyjay

GT Agressor bash guard! Killer!

I still ride it!

[rennch]

PS...it's a rental, so I can't mass-remove too much. That said...I'll bet I could get rid of at least 1/3 of the stuff in there.

[aschen]

got room for one of these thingamasprings outside? Could help a bit

[DanielDudley]

Pictures of the outside too please.

I had a garage with stuff all around my car once, until the Great Collapse took place, and hammered my hood and one fender. I'd get rid of the side bench and have high shallow storage on that side, if at all. Then get rid of the stowage at the far end and put a bench there, and tool storage.

That car is worth way too much for it to be surrounded with less than 1000 dollars worth of stuff you don't need, or at least doesn't need to be there. A Garage is a dedicated car and work space, and storage should be separate.