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Up Your Storage Game With the Best Garage Shelving Units

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By Old House Journal Review Team
Last updated: 28 Feb 2023

Nothing’s worse than having too much stuff that you just can’t throw away and having no space to put it all. Sure, you could store some things in your attic, but if you’ve outgrown the attic and just want your belongings to be within reach yet hidden away, look no further than your garage. 

Garages are great for setting up extra storage space because all you need to do is set up some garage shelving units, and you’re all good! However, with so many options out there, it can be a little confusing to find reliable, sturdy garage shelving units that will actually make your life easier. 

That’s precisely the problem we’re here to fix! Have a look through our top picks for the highest-rated garage shelving of 2023, and you’re bound to find one that works best for your home!

Best Overall
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AmazonBasics 4-Shelf Storage Shelving Unit
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Most Lightweight
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PLKOW Garage Shelving
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Best for Long-term Use
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Gracious Living 4-Shelf Tier Resin
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Best for Small Garages
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Fleximounts 2-Pack Garage Shelving
Check on Amazon
Check Price on Chewy
Most Durable
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Original Black & Yellow 4-Tier Storage Shelving Unit
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Best Heavy Duty Shelves
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DeWalt 3-Shelf Industrial Storage Rack
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Buying Guide: Finding Your Next Garage Shelving

All the garage shelving options we’ve mentioned above are great, but you might’ve noticed that they’re all slightly different from one another and serve their purposes. That’s because everyone needs something that perfectly matches their lifestyle and needs! You need to narrow things down to the ones that would work well for your home. 

The buying guide below should help you figure that one out! 

Things To Consider When Buying Garage Shelving 

Below are some of the main things you need to consider when trying to find the right garage shelving for your home.

Garage use

The first thing you need to consider is how you use your garage already. If you barely use it, you’ll have lots of space to work with, so you can add floor-mounted shelving units and fill up the entire space with it. If you barely have any floor space to work with, you should try out wall-mounted, hanging shelving units instead so you can utilize the vertical space in the area instead.

Needs

Before purchasing garage shelving, ask yourself why you need the shelving in the first place. If you need something strong to hold your tools, go with the most sturdy one you can! If you want to hide away the Christmas decorations for the summer? You can go lighter! 

Customization 

If you want to set up an entire garage shelving system, you’ll need garage shelving that’s easy to stack together. That way, you can create a seamless shelving system. If you just want a shelf or two, you can go for standalone shelves instead! 

What Is the Quality Garage Shelving in 2023?

1

AmazonBasics 4-Shelf Storage Shelving Unit

– Best Overall
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Buy on Amazon

If you’re looking for a garage shelving unit that’s simple, easy to use, and gets the job done, look no further than the Amazon basics four-shelf storage unit. Even though this comes in a flat pack, it’s ridiculously easy to set up, which can’t be said for most basic shelving units. Just make sure to hammer everything in correctly and that the arrows align with each other. 

Even though it’s got wire shelves, If it’s assembled right, you could virtually put anything on it, and it’ll stay put. That’s because it’s not just normal wires, but steel wires! What’s even better, you can choose to set this up as a two-shelf or even a three-shelf unit if you want to leave out one shelf during installation. With that, you can easily adjust it to fit your garage perfectly!  

Pros
  • Versatile in use 
  • Comes with adjustable shelves 
  • Easy to set up
  • Lots of space for storage
Cons
  • Heavy and difficult to move
2

PLKOW Garage Shelving

– Most Lightweight
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Buy on Amazon

The PLKOW Garage Shelving’s rubber-coated hangers prevent goods from falling off the shelves and scratching bikes’ painted finishes. Having been constructed from high-quality materials, they can hold multiple bikes, sports equipment, coats, toolboxes, and other items. These shelves have a 250-pound weight capacity and heavy-duty hooks, so you can use them to store bikes and stack other items.

On top of that, there are 10 detachable hooks on each shelf for you to use however you see fit; these hooks are rubber-coated to protect your belongings. They can be arranged horizontally to make a wide shelf or vertically to provide more space to store taller objects.

Besides being lightweight, installing it is a breeze, with the powder coating also adding a layer of durability.

Pros
  • Features a lightweight design 
  • Detachable hooks for hanging items
  • Durable and easy to install
Cons
  • Frame may bend easily 
3

Gracious Living 4-Shelf Tier Resin

– Best for Long-term Use
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Buy on Amazon

If you’re tired of using garage shelving that ages far too quickly, you need to look outside the traditional materials. Gracious Living does things a little differently compared to all the other companies out there. They’ve created a shelving unit out of resin! The resin is extremely durable, so it doesn’t get dented, there’s no rust to worry about, and it doesn’t peel either! So you don’t have to worry about using this too carefully because it’ll be able to live through some serious wear and tear. 

Another great thing about this one is that you don’t need any tools to set it up. All the pieces fit and snap together easily, so anyone can assemble them within minutes! There’s also no space under it, so it sits firmly on the ground and stays put! Great if you have kids running around always trying to knock things over!

Pros
  • Sturdy build quality
  • Holds up to 400 pounds overall 
  • Easily stackable shelves
Cons
  • No wheels give limited portability 
4

Fleximounts 2-Pack Garage Shelving

– Best for Small Garages
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Buy on Amazon
Check Price on Chewy

Even though the garage is the main space you look to turn into a mini-storage area, not everyone has the classic huge garages to fit in extra shelving. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no way to add additional shelving in a smaller garage. The Fleximounts shelving mounts to your walls without using any floor space at all. 

You can easily mount these above the area you park your car in and use the empty space to store boxes and things you don’t need all the time. This one comes in a pack of two, so you can easily mount them side by side to create lots of storage space! One of the best ways to use these shelves is by mounting lots of them close to the ceiling to create a giant shelf running through the entire wall. That way, you can store all of your extra things out of sight yet have them close by if you ever need them!

Pros
  • Super easy to set up
  • Heavy gauge cold rolled steel for durability 
  • Comes with extra hooks 
  • Several ways to mount them
Cons
  • Requires drill holes, not rental friendly 
5

Original Black & Yellow 4-Tier Storage Shelving Unit

– Most Durable
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Buy on Amazon

Most garage shelving units are made in a way that only works if you keep the units locked away in the garage. However, this one can be used indoors and outdoors without a problem! Even though this is a plastic shelving unit, it’s got a weatherproofing layer on it, so you can move it outside for a project and leave it out, and it will do just fine! 

One of the best things about this shelving unit is the fact that you can even get multiple of them (up to eight) and, using the connector on top, lock them in place together, and they’ll work as one giant wall of shelves together without a problem! You can easily use these for everyday storage or massive DIY projects. It’ll stay in great shape no matter what it’s put through.

Pros
  • Customizable set up
  • Adds lots of storage space
  • Very strong build quality
  • Well-ventilated storage space
Cons
  • Doesn’t fit 27-gallon bins easily
6

DeWalt 3-Shelf Industrial Storage Rack

– Best Heavy Duty Shelves
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Buy on Amazon

If you need something that’s seriously going to survive anything you throw at it, the DeWalt 3 shelf storage rack is the one for you. This garage shelving rack is pretty much bomb-proof. It’s extremely strong, so the “industrial” in the name isn’t just for show. The shelving unit is only four feet tall, but because each of the shelves is very large, you can fit a lot of stuff in there! 

What’s nice about this one is that it’s strong through and through, even the sections you’re never going to see once everything is built are well coated in scratch-resistant powder paint. So no matter what you do, it’ll stay in perfect shape! Even though it’s sturdy enough to hold 1500 pounds without a problem, it’s a dream to assemble. Each of the parts is designed to fit together like puzzle pieces, so you can get it set up and ready to go in no time so you can get right to using the shelf! 

Pros
  • Easy to set up
  • Reliable and long-lasting
  • Commercial strength for heavy-duty lifting
  • Customizable to your preference
Cons
  • Requires stacking for a taller shelf

People Also Asked

Q: What is a good depth for garage shelves?

A: Generally, 16'' depth is best to use for storing large items, but if you just want to store smaller items, you will do just fine with 12” shelves too! 

Q: What material should garage shelves be?

A: Shelving units come in lots of different materials. For heavy-duty use, go with metal or steel. If you don’t need anything super strong, go with wire shelving or plastic ones.

Q: How do you attach shelves to a garage wall?

A: Most garage shelves come with hooks and spaces that you can use to nail the shelving units to the wall so they stay secure. Just make sure to find the stud on the wall, and attach the screw to it so the screw can hold the weight of the shelf and the contents in it. 

Q: What is the weight capacity of overhead ceiling racks?

A: Most overhead ceiling racks can hold anywhere from 600 to 800 pounds. However, you should check the manual for your shelving unit to check the maximum weight limit for yours to ensure that you don’t overload it.

Garage Shelving
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By Old House Journal Review Team
The Old House Journal Review Team’s product reviews and in-depth guides are here to help you restore, repair, update, and decorate your home. The content is created by The Old House Journal Review Team. The Old House Journal editorial staff is not involved. Old House Journal is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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