INSPIRATION. from my home

Garage Organisation

When your garage turns into a family dumping ground, it’s time for a reset.

After months of sorting, selling and storing, our garage finally feels calm, organised and functional again. What began as a simple tidy-up became one of the biggest home projects we’ve taken on, but the result has been more than worth it.

FROM CHAOS TO CALM

Like most family garages, ours had slowly turned into the catch-all for anything without a proper home — old furniture, boxes, childhood keepsakes, bikes, sports gear and school bits.

Then, after our trip across Australia earlier this year, we came home with an entire caravan’s worth of kitchen, linen and outdoor gear that also needed to fit somewhere.

When a few custom cabinetry quotes came back at over $10,000, that plan quickly went out the window. I needed something affordable, adaptable and simple enough to put together myself.

THE STORAGE SOLUTION

The IKEA IVAR system turned out to be the perfect answer as it was practical, budget-friendly and easy to customise. At 226cm high, it made full use of the wall space, and the white ‘Sockerbit’ tubs fit perfectly - two large or three medium per shelf.

Inside the tubs, everything finally has a home:

Christmas and Easter decor
Party supplies
Dress-ups and costumes
Caravan, beach and snow gear
Baby keepsakes and childhood memorabilia

Matching tubs and simple labels create a clean, cohesive look that’s easy to maintain.

To soften the overall feel, I added rattan doors to conceal bulkier items like suitcases, beach chairs and the Cool Cabana. They bring warmth and texture to the space while keeping everything neatly hidden.

THE MUDROOM REFRESH

While we were at it, we also refreshed our mudroom wall. Our ten-year-old Mocka Australia lockers fit perfectly within the IVAR structure, and with a quick trim to the legs, they now look completely built in.

The lockers give the boys a spot for dirt-bike gear, uniforms, bags and shoes, plus a bench to make putting them on even easier.

Now, every item has a place, the space feels lighter, and best of all, my car fits inside again.

TIPS FOR YOUR OWN GARAGE PROJECT

If you’re planning your own storage overhaul, a few things made all the difference:

Start small, but start
Pick one section or category at a time — progress builds quickly once you begin.
Keep categories broad
Avoid over-labelling. Simple, general groupings make maintenance much easier.
Mix open and closed storage
Everyday items stay accessible while bulky pieces are tucked neatly away.
Reuse what you can
Adjust or repurpose existing pieces before buying new as it saves money and keeps things cohesive.

SOURCES