- Part 6

Garage Bike Storage Ideas: Pros & Cons Of Each Type

With gas prices continually rising, you may have switched your mode of transport to cycling, at least some of the time. Whether you ride to work or school, to stay fit or for fun, you will need somewhere to store your bike when you’re not riding it.

The main conventional garage bike storage ideas are floor stands, wall hooks or racks and ceiling hoists.

But how about this innovative idea to store your bikes on the side of your garage? Might be a tad over the top though!

Manifesto Bike Hanger

Photo credit: Manifesto Architecture

So which conventional option is best for you? Below are the pros and cons of each.

==> Click HERE for our favorites: prices from approx. $7 to $60 <==

Floor stands

Floor bike stand

These are the kind seen at schools and other public places.

Garage bike storage ideas - Floor bike stand

Pros:

They are easy to use, especially for children, as you just wheel your bike into the stand.
Your bikes are ‘ready to ride’ straight out of the garage.
They hold multiple bikes.
They are portable so easily moved around the garage with your changing needs or to take with you if you move home.
They can be used in the trunk of your car too if taking your bikes out.

Cons:

They take up valuable garage floor space.
You need to negotiate your way around the bikes and stand on the garage floor as you move around your vehicle.

Cost: from approx. $28.

Gravity bike stand

These are freestanding bike storage racks.

Gravity Bike Stand

Pros:

Vertical storage takes up minimal floor space.
They are efficient, holding 2 bikes in a small area.
They are not mounted to a wall, but rather lean on one so are easily repositioned or taken with you if you move (although they can be anchored to the wall or floor if you are concerned about stability).
They are easy to assemble.

Cons:

The top bike has to be lifted quite high making it unsuitable for children to use.

Cost: from approx. $50

Bike pole

These are tension mounted floor to ceiling poles with integrated bike hangers.

Bike Pole

Pros:

Being tension mounted, these bike poles are easy to set up and take down. No installation is necessary.
They can hold 2 bikes using minimal garage floor space.
They gain stability by being tightened to the ceiling and floor.
They are easy to move around anywhere in your garage as and when necessary.
The bike hangers are height and angle adjustable, making them ultimately customizable.

Cons:

The top bike has to be lifted quite high making it unsuitable for children to use.

Cost: from approx. $60

Wall bike hooks, hangars and racks

These are screwed into wall studs.

Wall Bike Hanger

Pros:

They free up garage floor space and are ideal if you don’t have a high garage ceiling.
They are often the cheapest option.
They are often quite small so look neater and don’t take up much room if you are short on space.
Some incorporate useful features such as extra hooks, shelves or baskets which can be used to store your cycling accessories like helmets.
Some fold away so they are not a nuisance when not in use.
They can be found as part of overall garage organization systems such as Fast Track Rubbermaid which can organize everything in your garage in one go.

Rubbermaid Bike Hooks

Photo credit: Rubbermaid Products

Cons:

They need to be firmly secured to your garage wall which makes them more difficult to install. You will need to be able to find wall studs and have basic DIY experience or you will need to employ a tradesman.
If you decide to move them to another location at a later date, you will be left with holes to fill. This may not matter depending on the aesthetics of your garage unless you are renting or moving home.
With horizontal racks, you need adequate wall space to accommodate all of your bikes.
With vertical racks, the bikes will intrude into the garage space unless they are hung in an unobtrusive corner.
As they protrude from the wall, they can be annoying unless they fold away. They may get bashed into or catch on things.
Depending on how high they are mounted, you will need to lift the bikes up to varying heights. This will not be suitable for children.
If you hang your bikes so they float about your car’s hood, you may have to move the car to get the bikes down.

Cost: from approx. $7

Garage ceiling bike storage

Ceiling mounted bike lifts and hoists work like window blinds – you pull the rope to lift the bike and release the rope to lower it.

Garage ceiling bike storage

Pros:

These use no garage floor space and do not interfere with walking around your vehicle by keeping the walls clear too. They make use of all that unused space overhead.
There is no need to lift the bikes onto wall hooks or bike poles and stands. No ladders are required.
They use easy to operate pulley systems to raise and lower your bike and take about 2-3 minutes in each direction.
They are surprisingly affordable for such a convenient system.
They are ideal if you are short of floor or wall storage space.
They are a safe storage option as they cannot be bumped into.
You can raise your bike to a suitable height to perform maintenance tasks more easily.
They add an extra level of security from thieves – a bike on a floor stand will be easier to steal than a bike floating in mid air.

Cons:

They attach to the garage ceiling, so the ceiling joists need to be strong enough to support the load.
You need to have experience of DIY work to install them unless you employ a tradesman.
Due to their inherent safety risks, you should only buy good quality products with locking mechanisms that cannot lose control when you are lifting or lowering your bike.
You need a tall garage ceiling to be able to use such a system. The height should be sufficient for the height of your car, your bike and any clearance required for the hoist.
Most options only hold one bike.
They have their own safety problems if not installed correctly or if the maximum load is exceeded.

Cost: from approx. $11

Garage Bike Storage 101

When you and your family are not riding your bikes, where are they stored? Are they flung on the garage floor to be tripped or driven over anytime soon? Or are they leant against the garage wall to fall down like dominoes if given the slightest nudge?

If so, read on to learn about some easy to use, innovative and affordable garage bike storage ideas.

Racor Gravity Bike Rack

Why you need garage bike storage solutions

Bicycles, by their very nature, are an awkward shape and size to store easily. They are often left leaning against the garage wall where they can be knocked over or laid on the floor where they could be driven or tripped over. Either way, you are putting not only the bike at risk of damage but also your vehicle and your family.

If your family bikes are taking up your garage floor space, the chances are your vehicle is left parked outside. If so, you are among the 42% of garage owners in a similar position. What a waste!

So take control and regain that floor space in your garage. Look at the many garage organization systems specifically designed for bikes – floor bike stands make the most efficient use of your floor space but you can also use the under-utilized wall and ceiling storage space.

This way you will keep your bikes safe from scratches, rust and other damage.

How much does garage bicycle storage cost?

Our top picks in all categories of bike hooks, hoists and stands range from about $7 to $50. This is a real bargain for the added convenience, space savings and safety you will end up with.

==> Click HERE for our Garage Bike Storage TOP PICKS <==

Types of garage bicycle racks available

Garage bike storage solutions can be categorized by where they are located and style.

Firstly you need to decide whether you want a floor, wall or ceiling mounted system.

Then you need to choose between stands, racks, hooks or hoists.

To learn about the pros and cons of each type, please read our other article covering all the garage bike storage ideas.

How to choose the best garage bike racks for you

Simple to use

As well as cost the main thing to look for when choosing between the many garage bike storage ideas is ease of USE as opposed to ease of STORAGE. This may seem like an odd thing to say but although you want your bike to be safely stored when not in use, you also want easy access to it.

If it will take you half an hour to get your bike out or down from storage the chances are you will not bother with that Sunday afternoon family cycle ride. So look for something that is easy to use.

Even the more innovative bicycle garage storage options are easy to use. Just look at how quickly this 15 year old boy raises and lowers this bike hoist:

Ease of installation

Where your garage bike rack is going to be located will determine how easy it is to install. If you are not that great at DIY, you might be better off choosing a floor stand that just snaps together. If you are comfortable with finding and screwing into wall studs and ceiling joists you can consider wall and garage ceiling bike storage.

Available space in your garage

If you have plenty of room in your garage then you can really choose any storage solution. If you are short of floor space, then a wall or ceiling mounted option would be best.

With wall bike racks, make sure you position them high enough that you can park your car but leave easy access to the car and bike. You don’t want to struggle walking around your car or be banging your head on the bike. They should also store the bike quite close to the wall, without giving rise to damage from scratches.

With overhead bike storage, make sure you have enough height in your garage to accommodate the clearance of the hoist, the bike and your car.

Safety

If you buy a quality product in terms of stability and built in safety features then you are half way there but there are other safety issues to consider.

If you have children and you don’t want to be having to put away and get out their bikes for them every day, choose a solution that is child friendly. This may well be a floor stand that bikes roll into easily rather than a wall hook where bikes need to be lifted up and down.

Even if you don’t have kids, consider your own physical health and whether you have the strength to be lifting your bike on and off of wall racks.

Look for hooks or racks that can be folded away when not in use if your garage is a tight fit, so you do not walk into them and hurt yourself.

Consider the weight of the bike and whether it is too heavy for the bike storage rack you are looking at. In this day and age, this is unlikely but is definitely worth double checking. You should also check your bike’s instruction manual to see if there are any warnings about storing the bike incorrectly. For example, bikes with hydraulic disc brakes should not be hung upside down.

Lastly but certainly very importantly, think about the strength of your wall studs and ceiling joists. Are they up to the job of supporting your garage bicycle storage unit?

Functionality

How many bikes do you want to store? Will your proposed solution accommodate them all or do you need to buy two or more?

Are there built in features that make the storage rack more useful? Examples would include shelves that could be used to store bike helmets, maintenance equipment etc. Or can the rack offer you a dual purpose as a maintenance stand too, where you can oil the chain or change a tire easily?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on garage bike storage. Please leave me a comment.

How To Organize Kitchen Knives

The chances are you will have quite a few sharp knives in your kitchen. Ever wonder why they get blunt quite quickly? Because you’re storing them loose in a drawer.

For maximum ease of use, protection of fingers while rummaging in a drawer and to avoid sharpening them every five minutes, your should invest in some specific kitchen knife storage. Here are our favorite kitchen storage solutions for knives:

TOP CHOICE: a magnetic knife rack

Mount your knife holder in a convenient location in your food preparation area to free up countertop or drawer space. Make sure it is out of reach of children and store knives with their blades pointing down. This is safest and stops slippage but make sure that you do not keep anything on your countertop under the knife holder. Magnetic racks will also hold your kitchen scissors.
Kitchen Knife Storage - Magnetic Knife Holder

This 20″ stainless steel holder by MIU is the perfect example and costs under $30. With 100+ 5 star reviews on Amazon, it should be hard to resist.

==> Click HERE for more details <==

ALTERNATIVE: a knife block – countertop or under cabinet

Useable counter top space in a kitchen is hard to come by so help to keep yours clear with an under cabinet knife block.

How To Organize Kitchen Knives With An Under Cabinet Knife Block

This attractive oak block from Wusthof needs only 3 screws to attach to the underside of your cabinet. Use it to hold 8 knives (up to 10″ long) plus a sharpening steel and take advantage of its pivot feature to keep handles out of the way when not in use. The knives are held in the block with a magnetic strip so you don’t need to worry about them falling out.

==> Click HERE for more details <==

ALTERNATIVE: in drawer knife protectors

If you’re really set on organizing kitchen knives in drawers, then you will need to keep the knives separate from one another and to cover the blades so they are not dangerous. Storage options include knife organizer trays or plastic blade protectors.

Knife Organizer Tray

This in drawer knife organizer tray again from Wusthof is made from oak and has 14 slots. The slots are different sizes so you can store a range of knives including 6 large (up to 10″ blades) and 8 small (up to 5″ blades). There is also room for your sharpening steel. The wave design ensures you have easy access to your knives and the blades are completely covered to prevent accidents.

==> Click HERE for more details <==

Store knife accessories together

Keep your knife sharpener and chopping boards close by (I’m right into these Chop 2 Pot cutting boards – saves me chucking veggies all over the stove!).

Chop 2 Pot Cutting Board

Just remember that before you transfer all of your knives from your kitchen drawer to a knife rack, give away or sell any that you don’t use regularly or toss those that are either broken or rusty.

Do you have any other ideas for how to organize kitchen knives? Please leave me a comment.

Get Organized With Kitchen Island Storage & Rolling Carts

How To Organize Kitchen Islands

Moveable kitchen islands and carts are the most versatile of all kitchen organizers. They create space without needing a whole kitchen remodel.

Why you need kitchen island storage

If you don’t have enough food preparation workspace, islands and carts are the answer. As well as offering extra countertop space, these great kitchen organization ideas provide extra cabinets, drawers and shelves.

Many are moveable so they can be wheeled out when needed, to wherever you like, and pushed away again to store. Most are very stylish so they also enhance your kitchen décor.

Even Martha Stewart has a kitchen storage cart by her stove!

Martha Stewart Kitchen Storage Cart

But which kitchen storage cart is best for you?

If you need extra workspace to cut, slice or chop, choose one with a butchers block top.
If you need extra heat resistant countertop space, look for those with stainless steel or granite tops.
If you need extra cabinet space to store things away neatly, buy one with cabinets.
If you want easy access to frequently used equipment and utensils, opt for one with open shelves.
If you want extra countertop space but only at certain times, find one with a drop leaf.

Optional organizing features you can look out for include knife racks, towel racks but perhaps most importantly, wheels. Wheels are what really make these kitchen organizers so versatile.

Built in?

Your kitchen may already have an island built in, but if not pre-made islands on wheels are far more practical. They do not take up permanent kitchen space as they can be wheeled away and stored when not in use.

Cost?

For those on a budget, Honey Can Do make a popular storage cart with wire shelves, wheels and a cutting board for under $100. To make it a bit prettier, why not add some curtain panels that could hide the contents when guests come round.

For slightly more you can opt for Winsome‘s wooden 2-door cabinet cart with a drawer.

Or for around $350, you can find a highly thought of 4-door natural wood cabinet cart with 2 drawers, knife caddy and towel rack by Home Styles.

Kitchen Rolling Cart

==> Click HERE for more bestsellers <==

Customization?

Add in upright steel slats to separate out spots for trays or baking sheets.

Add warmth and texture to any open shelves on your island or cart by using pretty storage baskets. You could also mount baskets to the sides for extra storage space if you do not have open shelves.

Mount some hooks on the sides of your island to hang oven mitts, hand towels or pretty dish cloths.

Consider attaching recycling bins to the sides of your cart to create a recycling station.

Can you share any ideas for how to organize kitchen islands and rolling carts? Please leave me a comment to let others know how you get the most out of yours.

You might also be interested in:

How To Organize Kitchen Drawers

Read our quick & easy tips to learn how to organize your kitchen drawers. From what not to store in them to what to do if you’re short of drawers, it’s all here.

8 Kitchen Organizers For Under $20

Is money a little tight? Don’t miss these kitchen organization products that cost < $20. From expandable shelves to lid, bakeware, spice and wrap racks.

Family How To Organize Your Kitchen To Be Family Friendly

If you have kids, you will love our tips on how to organize your kitchen to be family friendly. Ideas incl. safety, accessibility and getting them involved.

Photo credits: this_could_be_my_house and MarthaStewart.com.

How To Organize Your Kitchen To Be Family Friendly

The kitchen is often the command center of family life. It is where you spend a lot of time with your kids, getting them ready for school, helping them with their homework and of course feeding them.

Kids In The Kitchen

Organizing family life

The kitchen is the ideal place to keep on top of important family matters – dates, activities etc etc.

At a minimum you will need a wall calendar or planner but you may want to extend this to a dry wipe board for each family member where you can keep on top of school projects, homework, tests and after school activities for the kids as well as social engagements and bills to pay for the adults.

For supreme kitchen organization ideas, check out the Daily System by PotteryBarn which is fully customizable.

How To Organize Your Kitchen To Be Family Friendly

For something smaller, MomAgenda has some great Family Planners and Chores Pads.

To help your kids learn to organize themselves, try this craft project and make some home to school place mats so they have a daily tick list of what not to forget.

Kitchen safety

Keeping a handle on family life is not the only way you can organize your kitchen with kids in mind. From a safety point of view you should ensure you have child proofed all low cabinets and drawers with safety catches if you have very small children.

Accessibility for kids

For slightly older children, you should consider creating a snack station – an easily accessible cabinet specifically organized with kids in mind. Fill it with plastic plates, cups, drinks and healthy snacks so they can help themselves when the ‘I’m hungry’ time starts. Just make sure they know it is out of bounds an hour before each meal.

Alternatively you could label drawers and cabinets with the names of items they are likely to want to find. You’ll be amazed at how quickly young ones will learn to read c-h-i-p-s.

The snack station is also a great place to hook up some brightly colored cleaning cloths so they can clean up their own spills.

Getting kids involved

As they get a bit older you may want to organize your kitchen with ‘getting them involved‘ in mind. Rather than stacking dishes, plates, cups and glasses in upper cabinets, move them to lower cabinets, yes even breakable items. This way they can help to set the table or help with emptying the dishwasher and putting things away.

Why not also invest in some kid friendly utensils or cleaning tools so they can help out with food preparation and cleaning up. Kids learn by copying and the younger they are, the more likely they are to want to help out.

If your kids often do their homework in the kitchen, make sure there is a drawer dedicated to school type stationery to save it from lying around on the countertops or getting mixed up with the rest of the junk in the junk drawer.

Finally if you have room, invest in some different colored plastic bins, one for each family member or at least each child. This will allow you to do a quick tidy round removing clutter into the relevant bin for that child to store in the correct place.