Garage storage

[LeslieG]

How do you store your soccer balls, basketball, etc. in your garage? I've seen the Claw for basketballs, but we have three of them, plus soccer balls. At $10 each, that would be a little pricey. Does anyone have a good suggestion?

One of the kids left a basketball laying in the garage yesterday, and it lodged under the wheel well of the van when we started to back out, and we had an awful time dislodging it.

 

[encinc]

Ours are in a large Rubbermaid bin on a shelf in the garage. Not the most elegant storage, but at least they have a place. We're having more trouble with the loose baseball bats, gloves, etc, so I'll be watching for ideas too.

 

[sissy_ib]

An old Pack n Play. Collapsible mesh laundry basket. Plastic bins.

 

[herdtoDisney]

We use a plastic garbage can (for outside toys only, never used for trash).

 

[Colleen27]

Mesh laundry bags. One for larger balls (basketball, soccer, football) and one for baseballs/gloves/helmets (with the bats on the kind of rack you'd use to hang brooms/mops), hung on hooks at kid-level for easy access and clean up.

 

[Swimalie]

We have a mesh pop-up hamper for all balls. For the other toys we have a large rubbermaid box that I let my son decorate with markers.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Thanks for the great ideas on this thread for garage storage!

My biggest problem is bikes. The only place we have for them is along the wall in the garage and they don't stand up well and any slight bump and they fall over. So frustrating! I don't want to hang them on the wall because I am not convinced my kids could get them off the wall without hitting my van. I would like some sort of bike rack, but the ones I find online are too wide or my husband says they won't work in a narrow space. Does anyone have a suggestion for storing bikes?

 

[pamjb]

I use a large outdoor garbage can as well. There is one for bats, hockey sticks, and whatever someone drops in there. I have one for balls too, but I also have a wall-mounted rack that I bought at BJ's (or maybe Sam's) five years ago. Two rows of racks that hold about 3 basketballs each. There are also hooks at the bottom.

 

[Sandy61]

My DH built shelves in the corner by the garage door. They are triangular since they are in the corner and have a board in front so the balls can't roll out. We painted them and they look fantastic. I think we have four shelves. We left enough room underneath for rubbermaid tubs but didn't need them and the kids never used them. The kids grab a ball or toy and out the door they go. When they come back in they just toss it back on the shelf. Best idea I ever saw. Neighbor had built them in our old neighborhood.

 

[SaraJayne]

We keep balls and other misc stuff in rubbermaid bins on the floor. All the other stuff we have a rubbermaid wall system (like this http://www.rubbermaid.com/solutions/pages/solution_Details.aspx?SolId=5&Item_Id=108 ) we use for tennis rackets, a basket for gloves/baseballs/etc.

Bikes just sit on the floor.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

My DH built shelves in the corner by the garage door. They are triangular since they are in the corner and have a board in front so the balls can't roll out. We painted them and they look fantastic. I think we have four shelves. We left enough room underneath for rubbermaid tubs but didn't need them and the kids never used them. The kids grab a ball or toy and out the door they go. When they come back in they just toss it back on the shelf. Best idea I ever saw. Neighbor had built them in our old neighborhood.

This sounds like a great idea, but I'm having trouble picturing it. Could you please post a photo?

 

[Straitlover]

For the bikes - could you put a couple of screws (eye hook or whatever) in the wall per bike and then they can wrap a bungee around the frame and hook the ends into the screws? that should keep them against the wall and they won't fall over w/ the kickstand in the up position.

 

[de8212]

Thanks for the great ideas on this thread for garage storage!

My biggest problem is bikes. The only place we have for them is along the wall in the garage and they don't stand up well and any slight bump and they fall over. So frustrating! I don't want to hang them on the wall because I am not convinced my kids could get them off the wall without hitting my van. I would like some sort of bike rack, but the ones I find online are too wide or my husband says they won't work in a narrow space. Does anyone have a suggestion for storing bikes?

I have the hooks in the ceiling but kids can't get to those either. Google PVC Bike Rack.

Something like this would work. And it can either go in the garage or in the back of a truck for transport.