He Built Overhead Garage Storage and Kept the Work Area Below Completely Open
Garage storage can consume the same floor space needed for tools, equipment, and projects. Tall cabinets take over walls, freestanding racks narrow the usable area, and storage bins end up competing with the workbench.
Reddit user u/Tropical_Jesus took a different route during a garage storage overhaul. The existing setup had several wire wall shelves, a metal workbench, weight storage, and plastic totes, while much of the upper wall sat empty.
He moved the bulk storage overhead with a two-tier wood structure built across the back wall and around the corner. Large totes now sit above the work zone, leaving the bench, tool storage, pegboard, exercise equipment, and floor accessible below.
The Old Shelves Used Only a Small Part of the Wall
Three narrow wire shelves held several large totes, yet most of the wall above and beside them remained unused. The workbench below had become another storage surface, with tools, boxes, and supplies spread across its top and lower shelves.
Moving more storage downward would have crowded the garage floor. The open area near the ceiling offered far more room without interfering with the existing work zone.
The Storage System Was Planned Before the Lumber Was Cut
The two-level shelving was modeled in Rhino before construction, with the frame designed to wrap around the corner and stay above the existing work area.
The old wire shelves came down first, exposing the upper walls for the new structure. Long wood mounting rails went up near the ceiling, positioned around the attic access, garage-door opener, lighting, and ceiling-mounted rack. These rails established the footprint for the shelf frames that followed.
Lumber Frames Created the Shelf Structure
The shelves began as rectangular wood frames rather than individual boards mounted on brackets. Long framing pieces established the shelf depth, while shorter crosspieces connected the front and back rails.
Plywood could then cover these frames to form broad platforms sized for storage totes rather than narrow shelves suited to cans or hand tools.
Wall Supports Established the First Shelf Level
Wood rails mounted near the ceiling created attachment points along the walls. The first shelf frame extended out from the back wall, while a vertical member connected its front edge to the upper support.
According to Tropical_Jesus, the wall supports were fastened into studs with 4-inch exterior framing screws.
Vertical Supports Kept the Floor Free
A second vertical support completed another section without running a post down to the garage floor. That decision is central to the finished layout.
The shelving gains support from above and from the wall, while the area beneath remains available for the existing bench and equipment. There are no front legs interrupting the work zone.
The Shelving Continued Around the Corner
The project expanded from one wall onto the adjacent side, creating an L-shaped storage zone. Matching frames formed the second tier, while the lower tier followed the same route below.
Overhead supports were secured to the roof joists with 4-inch framing screws, matching the fasteners used at the walls. The reinforced frame was designed to carry the planned storage without adding support posts to the floor.
Repeated Frames Turned Empty Wall Space Into Two Storage Levels
Once more vertical members went in, the scale of the system became clear. Instead of one shelf near the ceiling, two deep storage runs occupied the upper part of the garage.
The vertical pieces also divide the long shelves into bays. Those divisions line up well with large storage totes and prevent the finished system from becoming one uninterrupted pile of bins.
The Frame Extended Across Almost the Entire Work Zone
The completed wood skeleton stretches across the back wall and turns onto the side wall, while the workbench remains in its original position.
Nothing had to move into the center of the garage to gain the extra storage. Even the wall hooks holding cables stay accessible below the lower shelf.
Plywood Turned the Frames Into Deep Storage Platforms
Plywood panels cover the wood frames and provide a continuous base for large containers. Black totes occupy the upper level, while the lower level holds clear bins and other gear.
The shelf depth matters because the containers can sit with their long dimension running into the wall rather than projecting far beyond the frame.
Hanging Totes Added Storage Below the Shelves
The right side gained another storage layer beneath the wood platform. Black totes slide into rails fixed below the shelf, placing the containers overhead without requiring another full shelf.
The arrangement keeps the wall beneath available for hooks, tools, and the electrical panel while making use of the underside of the structure.
Small Tools Stayed at Workbench Height
Bulk storage moved up, but frequently used tools stayed within reach. A metal pegboard occupies the wall beside the workbench, with larger power tools mounted on separate holders.
That separation keeps large totes out of the work zone without forcing every garage item overhead. Small tools remain visible while seasonal gear and less-used supplies occupy the upper shelves.
Large Matching Totes Filled the Upper Level
The finished shelves hold a row of black totes across the highest level, with additional clear and black containers on the shelf beneath.
Matching totes make the setup easier to manage because containers from the same system stack together and share compatible lids. The repeated sizes also make better use of the long shelf runs, with fewer gaps between bins.
The Workbench Never Lost Its Place
The overhead system leaves the lower half of the garage available for the workbench, weights, wall-mounted tools, and scooter rather than extending storage down to the floor.
Materials for the custom wood shelving cost about $300 to $350. Building it from lumber also made it possible to size each section around the garage instead of working within the fixed dimensions of a premade overhead rack.
The Biggest Change Happened Above the Floor
The system holds large totes above an active work area, which makes the attachment points as important as the shelves themselves. Wall supports were fastened into studs with 4-inch exterior framing screws, while the overhead supports were secured to roof joists.
The structure reportedly showed no movement during a hang test with about 195 pounds on the lower shelf, but that should not be treated as a load rating. Container weight adds up fast, and ceiling framing differs from one garage to another, so fasteners, framing, and attachment points need to match the expected load. Would you trust the stud-and-joist mounting system used here for heavy bins, or add more supports or different fasteners before loading the shelves?
All credits go to Reddit user Tropical_Jesus, who shared the garage storage overhaul on r/garageporn.