If you are in despair over a cluttered garage in your Los Angeles home, the solution might be closer than you think. If there is no more space on the floor, all you need to do is look up! Garage overhead storage in Los Angeles is an often-overlooked solution for homeowners starved of proper storage space in the city.
What is garage overhead storage?
Garage overhead storage systems are professionally crafted storage solutions aimed at homeowners who need to free up space on their garage floors. They are also called garage ceiling storage systems. They come in various shapes, sizes, and configurations.
In the past, Los Angeles overhead garage cabinet storage was predominantly in the DIY realm. You either had to build it yourself, using repurposed shelves, racks, or spare lumber planks. The shelves were mounted on the walls close to the garage ceiling, while flatter planks/rods were placed strategically between ceiling joists.
But these days, you can find ready-made and highly customizable garage overhead storage solutions in the market. With heavy-duty design and industrial-grade steel, garage storage racks from Garage Excell will last a long time!
Advantages of using garage storage systems in Los Angeles
If lack of garage space is driving you crazy, investing in an overhead storage system in LA should rank high on your priorities. It comes with a host of benefits:
- Increase your garage floor space – in many Los Angeles homes, the garage often looks like a dumping yard or storage closet. There is clutter on the floor with storage boxes, ladders, tool boxes, old appliances, and other junk. Overhead cabinets and racks can take a lot of these things off your garage floor, leaving you more space for your car and other facilities like a workspace/home gym.
- Keep things away from kids/pets – many household items pose a danger to young children. Even a simple ladder can lead to dangerous falls. With overhead garage storage cabinets, you can keep such things out of reach of children. If you keep pet food or other edible items in your garage, consider transferring them to overhead storage to keep them beyond the reach of pests/vermin.
- Protection from leaks/floods – even a small leak in your plumbing can lead to thousands of dollars’ worth of water damage to items left on your garage floor. Keep things on overhead racks for maximum safety from water damage.
- Savings on rental storage costs – When you run out of storage at your home, the first option that comes to mind is self-storage units. A medium storage unit in Los Angeles can cost an average of $250 rental per month! Why spend thousands of dollars each year when you can keep your belongings close to you, right inside your garage?
Things you can store in your overhead custom garage cabinets in Los Angeles
Overhead storage is an effective solution to your garage space woes because of its ability to remove large and bulky items from the floor. Here are some of the things you can store over your head inside the garage:
#Bikes
Bikes are a great way to shed some calories and get around the neighborhood (or carve some miles in the wilderness if you are into trail/mountain bikes!). But they are also quite cumbersome when in storage, taking up quite a lot of space in the process. You can avoid this by hanging your bike on a rack or ceiling hook using a custom strap, or carabiner!
#Brooms/Mops/Rakes
Any household tool with a long handle is a significant tripping hazard. In a dark garage, the risks of falls and injuries increase drastically. There are many ways to keep those pesky brooms and mops off your garage floor – one option is to keep them overhead secured on a rack.
#Surfboards/Snowboards/Skis
These types of seasonal sporting gear always create storage headaches for homeowners. While you can surf year-round in California, you may not have the time to do it for months at a stretch. Based on that, where do you keep your board? An overhead storage hanger or rack is a great place to keep them out of sight. If you want them on display, you can also hang them on a slat wall inside your garage!
#Ladders/Wheelbarrows/Garden tools
These are some of the common culprits of garage space problems due to their size and bulk. A heavy-duty Los Angeles custom garage cabinet rack/hanger is capable of holding items that weigh hundreds of pounds. For instance, Garage Excell ceiling racks have a maximum capacity rating of 600lbs!
#Camping Gear
Sleeping bags, mats, camp beds, tents, stoves, survival kits – the list of essential camping gear is quite long indeed. While vital in the woods, they can be a nightmare as far as storage is concerned in the off-season. Garage overhead racks in LA are a terrific way to keep your camping gear safe and out of the way in the garage.
#Kayaks/Canoes
Keeping a canoe on your garage floor is a big no-no. It will waste a ton of space, and there is also the risk of damage to the canoe itself from bumps and knocks. Racks with a motorized hoist system are the safest way to store a canoe or kayak inside your garage.
#Miscellaneous items in bins/sacks
Pet feed, tool bags, linen, old toys/board games, unused appliances/electronics – you can stow them all away close to your garage ceiling using containers. Just place them securely on an overhead rack. It is simple yet incredibly effective at solving many common garage organizing and storage headaches in Los Angeles.
Different types of garage overhead storage systems in Los Angeles
All garages are not built the same. And apart from cars, Los Angeles garages are used to store everything from gardening equipment to home improvement tools, bikes, skis/winter gear, ladders, and more!
Naturally, there is no one-size-fits-all for these kinds of usage scenarios. Over time, various overhead storage solutions have been modified for use in garages. At present, there are half a dozen different types of Los Angeles garage ceiling storage systems:
- Storage hooks – These are simple metal hooks that you can mount on your ceilings or high on garage walls close to the ceiling. With a simple yet effective design, hooks are among the cheapest overhead storage solutions in the market. Installation is also pretty simple, involving a few screws.
- Overhead racks – if you want to store heavy or bulky items, this is the ideal storage solution for your garage. Often, you will have items that don’t fit inside even the biggest custom garage storage cabinets in Los Angeles – ladders are one item that you can store easily on a rack. Depending on your storage needs, you have a lot of choices among racks:
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- Movable metal platforms with pulleys (hand crank or motor)
- Hoist systems for ladders, canoes, car roof cargo boxes, etc.
- Ceiling track systems – instead of having a fixed hook on your ceiling, you can opt for movable hooks on rails. These can be used for holding bikes, lawnmowers, wheelbarrows, and other heavy-duty objects. The hooks can slide and rotate for easy loading and unloading.
How to pick the right overhead garage cabinets in Los Angeles?
Overhead storage is not something you should take lightly. If not executed properly, it can lead to serious bodily harm or worse. In most instances, overhead storage systems are used for heavy items weighing hundreds of pounds.
In the United States, injuries and due to falling objects are a major concern at many workplaces. If you are not careful, your garage could pose a similar threat due to Improper installation, selection of inappropriate storage solutions, use of substandard DIY.
Always consider the following things when opting for garage overhead storage solutions.
#Take inventory of Items in your garage
Before anything else, figure out which items in your garage needs to go into overhead storage. If they are all lightweight and compact, you can opt for smaller racks or hooks. If you have heavy items like canoes, you may need more sophisticated storage solutions with loading mechanisms for maximum safety.
#Check your garage ceiling height
A lot will also depend on how high your garage ceiling is. In older Los Angeles homes, low ceilings in the 8 – 10 feet range of overhead clearance are quite common. You can install overhead storage racks in LA even in garages with low ceilings – storage racks are available in various depth options. But your space options will be somewhat limited.
#Choose the right storage size for your garage
Ultimately, you don’t want the overhead ceiling storage racks to take up all the headspace in your garage. Racks these days are available in various size options like 2 x 8 or 4 x 8 (ft). Pick the ones that best fit your Los Angeles garage.
#Consult an expert
As already explained, take due care and caution while selecting and installing Los Angeles garage ceiling storage cabinets and racks. Ceiling strength is a big concern – some garage ceilings may not have the capacity to withstand loads of 700-800lbs or more. It’s always preferable to bring in an expert to look at these things. At Garage Excell, we offer free consultations to our interested clients.
The important takeaway here is this – Los Angeles garage ceiling cabinets are completely safe as long as you take a prudent design approach. Always consult an expert before dealing with the handling and storage of heavy objects in a home/family environment.
Expert tips on garage ceiling storage systems in Los Angeles
Once you get your overhead storage racks properly installed, you are free to load them up as you please. But to get the most out of this precious new storage space in your Los Angeles home, consider these tips/suggestions:
#Prioritize off-season items
It is preferable to use overhead racks for storing objects that you will not use for many months. First on that list would be holiday decorations, camping gear, car roof racks, winter gear, etc. Follow this up with less frequently used home improvement and gardening tools, lawnmowers, shovels, rakes, and so on.
#Prep all items for storage
Garages can get incredibly dusty over time. Try to adequately clean and service machines like lawnmowers before lifting them onto a newly installed overhead storage rack/hook. Sanitize all other items to remove any dirt or dust. You do not want detritus falling on your head over time when you go into your garage! If you plan to store any motors, perform basic maintenance, oil changes, etc.
#Keep things in a logical order
Always remember that loading and unloading items in overhead storage can be a chore. When using storage bags or bins, always group similar items in a container. For instance, keep all your gardening tools in one bin, camping gear in another, and so forth.
#Use labels on all your bins
When you have a lot of smaller objects that need to go into overhead storage, you can make good use of plastic storage bins. But since these are often opaque (and identical-looking), it is advisable to apply labels of contents on them. This will save you a ton of time in the future when looking for a small tool or other stored items.
#Try not to waste overhead space
When you install a new Los Angeles garage cabinet storage solution, it is a good idea to do some “deep cleaning” – sift through the items on your garage floor. Weed out objects that are well and truly past their utility. There is no point in storing junk on your overhead rack. Use it exclusively for things that still hold some actual value/utility to you.
Increase the garage space with custom garage cabinet storage in Los Angeles
Garage Excell is your premier destination for garage storage systems in Los Angeles. We have over 13 years of experience serving South California residents and homeowners. Our products include garage storage cabinets, slat walls, epoxy flooring, ceiling racks, and other accessories.
We offer a wide range of garage storage organization, customization, garage remodeling, and installation services at highly competitive rates. To discuss how you can increase your garage storage space with overhead/ceiling-mounted solutions, book a free consultation today!