Double The Storage Space In Your Garage Or Basement With This Simple DIY

While there are many ways that we can utilize a garage or basement space — including turning it into a room – most of us are likely using those spaces for storage. Unfortunately, no matter how big our space is, we often find ourselves always needing more room. There are many garage makeover ideas that can help you get organized, but if you want to truly double your storage, consider this simple DIY trick that utilizes your ceiling by installing a track and sliding bins.

This DIY can go two ways: You can build out the entire mechanism from scratch, as Home Repair Tutor shows us on his YouTube, or you can make it a bit easier by using a prebuilt set like @my_homely_decor demoed on Instagram. Whichever method you choose, you will be astonished by how much extra space is suddenly at your disposal. You may even be able to finally pull that car into the garage or create your dream basement game room.

If you perked up just from reading the phrase "basement game room," you are likely ready to get started right away. If you want to follow Home Repair Tutor's YouTube and completely build out the storage unit on your own, you'll need plywood, wood glue, lag bolts, washers, and an impact driver with the set. You will also want to get some sturdy plastic totes — the tutorial recommended these from Amazon. If you add up all the materials, you are looking at an estimated cost of around $200 if you get them all on Amazon, assuming you already own an impact driver kit. If you don't, you'll need to add another $100-$200 to the overall cost.

Once you have your materials, you'll first need to measure everything out, paying close attention to the width and depth of the bins to ensure they fit snugly onto the track. You'll then cut the plywood to size — as many 2 x 4 pieces as needed for the number of tracks you plan to install, a 3 x 4-inch piece, as well as a 5-inch piece for the top of the unit. Then, find the center of the rails and mark the ceiling joists every 10 inches, adding wood glue to the bottom of the 2 x 4 pieces. Attach the 3 x 4 to the 2 x 4, along with drills, before mounting the tracks to the ceiling. Then install the lag bolts, slide your bin in place and ensure everything works and fits well.

If the cutting and measuring just sounds like too much work for your DIY skills, don't fret. You can actually find ceiling storage systems that are premade and ready to buy — all you have to do is install them onto your ceiling, whether that be in your garage or your basement. You can find these systems at places like Home Depot, which sells a three-bin mounted storage system for about $130, or buy the one seen in this TikTok from EZ Garage Storage for about $160.

And while this option may seem cheaper, it actually could end up being more costly when you consider that you will likely want more than just three bins of storage — additional bins could double or even triple your costs. Still, the ease of simply installing the system rather than cutting plywood yourself may be enough to justify the expense. You also want to consider the safety of the system you choose — a premade option is less likely to fall and hurt someone. So whether you are ready to DIY the storage yourself or want a bit of help from a premade option, you'll be ready to enjoy your new game room in no time.