Life

Make Your Garage Way More Spacious With These 4 Overhead Storage Options

by Jenny White

Ever feel like you are totally out of room in your garage? Well the best overhead garage storage can certainly help by allowing you to easily increase the amount of space for all of your stuff by maximizing the often-wasted empty space overhead — all while keeping your items organized. And overhead storage also has another major perk — since your items are suspended from the ceiling, they are less likely to get damaged (especially from water).

When looking at overhead storage that is suitable for a garage, the most common design is a rack that hangs from the ceiling. These racks are a great choice since they can hold many different items, can be installed without a professional, and are relatively cheap. There are a couple of factors that you need to take into consideration when looking at these:

  • Weight capacity: Before purchasing a rack, try to figure out what you'll be storing on it, since each pick has a maximum weight that it can hold (usually in the 200 to 600-pound range). It’s super important to not exceed the max weight as this can damage the rack or cause it to fall.
  • Size: Overhead garage storage racks come in a range of dimensions, so pick one that is the right size for your needs. Due to the max weight capacity, you may even want to consider getting multiple smaller racks versus one large rack to store items, so they can carry more weight.
  • Other features: I’ve included a pick that has a crank to raise and lower the rack, making it much easier to access the stored items. Other features to consider include adjustable heights or specialization for specific use cases; I even included a unit that is designed for bike storage.

Amazon reviewers say that these four overhead storage picks have worked wonders when it comes to increasing the organization in their garage.

1The Best Large Overhead Garage Storage Rack

With a 4.4-star rating on Amazon among 700 and growing reviews, this overhead storage rack from FLEXIMOUNTS would make a great addition to nearly any garage. The generous 4-by-8-foot-sized rack can safely hold up to 600 pounds in weight (and a 22 to 40 inch ceiling drop down provides up to 105 cubic feet of storage), so you can get all of your outdoor essentials off of your garage’s floor. This pick is compatible with different ceiling joists, including both wood joists and concrete ceilings, and you can even install it yourself thanks to the provided step-by-step instructions. Choose from a black or white rack, or buy a two-pack for a better value.

What Amazon reviewers are saying: “If you're wanting storage for your garage and have 10' ceilings this is the ticket. Installation is involved but I was able to do it as a one man job. I used bungee cords to hold up one end of the shelf while installing the other. It took me a whole day to install but I was particular about it's position and considered the constraints of surrounding space and aesthetics. This holds a total of sixteen 18 gallon totes... sixteen!!! It occupies otherwise unused space, standard shelving occupies valuable floor space. Keep your garage clean and organized, this is absolutely worth the money.”

2The Best Small Overhead Garage Storage Rack

If you’re looking for a slightly smaller storage option (or want to put several racks in your garage instead of a single big one) then this overhead storage rack by HyLoft is the answer; at 3.75 by 3.75 feet in size, it's more compact than the previous pick. However, the rack can still hold up to 250 pounds of evenly distributed weight, and since it’s height-adjustable (from 17 to 28 inches), you can achieve over 30 cubic feet of storage space. Best yet, the rack will fit almost any joist configuration, so you don’t have to worry about whether or not it will work in your space.

And Amazon reviewers? They certainly approve, giving this pick a 4.4-star rating among 830 and growing reviews. Hardware is included for installation, and you can choose from the shades “hammertone” or white.

What Amazon reviewers are saying: “Wow, this was a great purchase! Worth every penny. I received one as a Christmas present and the day after putting it up I purchased ANOTHER. These babies are durable enough I'll take it with me when I move, and I was capable of putting it up on my own. You'll need a joist/stud-finder handy or just know where your beams are in advance. The finish is good, they come with an extra set of hardware in case you're a dropper, and I'm confident about securing my items above me with it. The adjustable height was a good feature. I'd 100% recommend these racks, and already have, to my friends.”

3An Overhead Garage Storage Rack That Raises And Lowers By Crank

If you’re looking for a less strenuous way to get your items stored overhead, then this rack from Racor can certainly help. The 4-by-4-foot-sized rack can be lowered toward the ground and lifted into place closer to the ceiling via use of a crank, allowing you to easily take items on and off the rack or do any necessary rearranging. And it’s all thanks to the super-strong steel cables that allow for 8 feet of vertical lift. Don't worry — it locks securely into place once you’re finished.

This pick will work with virtually any ceiling and can even adjust to angled ones, thanks to the built-in nylon rings. The rack can hold up to 250 pounds of weight.

What Amazon reviewers are saying: “I was looking for an inexpensive and effective way to hoist and store my Wrangler hardtop during the warmer weather. I saw several posts online where folks had used this as their hoist. Absolutely wonderful! Works great and is soooo cost effective. I researched many options covering several price ranges. Don't waste your money on other products."

4The Best Overhead Garage Storage For Bikes

Lots of bikes to store? This storage system from Titan Track can handle it. The 50-inch ceiling-mountable track has five rubber-coated hooks that you can use to hang your bikes. The hooks even slide and rotate, so you can quickly make adjustments as you see fit. And don’t worry about the weight; each hook can hold up to 50 pounds (most bikes weigh a lot less than this). This pick has a solid 4.5-star rating on Amazon, and you can choose from 74- or 98-inch track sizes as well, in case you need a little bit more storage space. It's worth noting that this item costs $10 to ship, but if you order more than one it should ship free.

What Amazon reviewers are saying: “Works great easy to install. I have 4 bikes hung on it. Once you hook them up you can slide the bikes closer together. I bought two so they would be above my head walking under them in my garage.”

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