This Hidden Spot In Your Garage Is Perfect For Extra Storage

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Somehow, no matter how much you attempt to organize, it seems you are always running out of space in your garage. A car, home gym, or workshop might take up a large part of the square footage, or you might not have much space to begin with. In addition to investing in vertical shelving units or cabinets to maximize your storage capacity, look upward for a hidden spot you may not have considered. Your garage ceiling, particularly the space between the garage door tracks and the ceiling, often goes unused to avoid impeding the garage door's ability to open and close. With a clever storage trick, you can take advantage of this space while leaving your garage door free to move.

By installing ceiling-mounted racks, like the FLEXIMOUNTS Overhead Garage Storage Rack, you maximize your storage ability. These racks are built to adapt to your unique space needs, so you can adjust the rack's height to sit just above your garage door when it's open, leaving the door and its components undisturbed. Once you move your Christmas ornaments and leftover wood to this nifty storage spot, you'll have more freedom to consider other garage makeover ideas that will inspire you to get organized.

The most vital part of the overhead storage rack installation process is mounting the unit. Anything hanging above your head can be a bit unnerving, but with proper mounting, you can rest assured that the rack — and whatever you've stored on it — will not budge. The most reliable way to mount something overhead is by securing it into the ceiling joists. Joists, which frame your house in the same way as wall studs, provide a solid wood base for your screws to sink their teeth into, with individual joists able to hold over 100 pounds.

Before finding the joists, measure the distance between your open garage door and the ceiling, and adjust the rack to fit in that space. Then, determine where you'd like your rack, preferably in a spot that you can reach when the door is open and when it's closed. While you can use a stud finder to locate the joists, knocking on the ceiling works perfectly fine. Spaces where there are no joists will sound hollow, while the joists will sound solid. Mark the center of the joist, and predrill holes for the ceiling brackets that came with your rack. These brackets should each span at least two studs for maximum security. Finish the installation according to your product's instructions. While you're up there, consider turning your garage into a statement piece with these gorgeous ceiling options.

Once you're finished putting up your overhead storage racks, you must determine what to actually store on them. Since they won't be in the most convenient place, especially for those on the shorter side, it's best to store things that don't see daily use, such as holiday decorations or bulky sports equipment. If you've installed multiple racks spanning the entire ceiling, they can provide support for a long structure like a canoe or surfboard as well as long pieces of wood or other building materials that need to be kept off the floor. When storing things on your racks, make sure nothing dangles below the rack's wire deck. Anything hanging below the deck could damage your garage door or interfere with its mechanics.

While overhead racks are useful for storage, they don't come with many style options straight out of the box. Luckily, you can make your garage storage shelves look more luxe and aesthetic with a few modifications. From painting the shelves to using coordinating storage tubs on the shelves, little changes make the storage system more aesthetically pleasing.