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You are here: Home / DIY / DIY GARAGE STORAGE CABINETS | FREE BUILDING PLANS

DIY GARAGE STORAGE CABINETS | FREE BUILDING PLANS

September 4, 2018 • DIY, Woodworking

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garage storage cabinets building plans

Take back control of your messy garage! I know how overwhelming it is to keep your garage in check. That’s why I want to share this easy storage cabinet idea to help keep all the clutter in your garage and organize every bit inside.

If your garage is getting chaotic and you are having trouble locating where each item inside is being kept, this DIY garage cabinet storage will solve all your organization problems!

Here are free building plans and storage solutions for garage cabinets to organize all your tools, household supplies, automotive supplies, outdoor toys, garden tools . . . you name it!

Garage storage cabinets

*This post is sponsored by Kreg.  We are so grateful for our friends at Kreg and their help to create this content and how-to for you.

Kreg Jig set in tool box

I’m forever saying goodbye to those days of apologizing for my garage.  Oh how I would cringe when I pulled inside with the babysitter.  I wanted to say, “I promise things are so much better inside” or “don’t judge me by my garage”.

garage organization before picture

Then there was the full-on panic mode when I realized we left our garage door open for all the neighbors to see for over 30 minutes.

Horrifying.

Not to mention the impossible task of actually finding what you are looking for in the dark hole.

Someone please tell me I’m not alone here! When your garage is a much-needed storage space and a workshop, things get bad fast.

Garage storage cabinets

When we moved from our home and into our temporary rental home and had to pack up the garage, we knew we never wanted our garage to end up as it had again.

I recently introduced our garage makeover project, and our plans for making it work for our garage storage needs and a studio space. 

Well, it is finally taking shape and I’m excited to show you the progress we’ve made in building DIY storage cabinets to fit all we need to store. Be sure to catch our Wall on Wheels tutorial. That has also given me a place to take photos and film projects. We’ve built all these things so that they will move with us when the time comes.

man opening garage cabinets

You can find the full building plans for the Garage Storage Cabinets over at Kreg buildsomething.com, along with tons of other inspiring building plans that you can make use of.

While you are here, Mr. TIDBITS and I will detail building the base of the compartments, and the hacks we came up with for the wall cabinet that we will use as his tool organizer and for building supplies

Garage storage cabinets

If you would like to look at the inside of the compartments and find links to his tools, click over to our post on tool storage and organization.   

We are going to get to work on organizing the rest of the 3 cabinets. His tools will fill one cabinet. Then I’m going to set to work at getting the other 3 organized for outdoor toys, household supplies, and automotive/painting supplies. 

Everything we have shoved into our garage will now fit perfectly inside these 4 cabinet doors. It’s going to be a glorious thing!

garage cabinet organization

We didn’t begin this project until we thoughtfully sketched out each interior and considered all our needs.

Things changed and adapted as we build the cabinets, but the sketch helped us think it through.

I’m going to let Kevin (aka–Mr. TIDBITS) take over now and tell you about the tools he used for this project and some insight into how he designed and built the inside compartments to organize his tools from top and bottom.

*This post contains affiliate links. 


Hello again! Kevin here, taking over once again for some tool talk. This was a really fun project for me and I am thrilled with the results. hen I set out to build the primary structure of the cabinets, I knew the Kreg Jig Pocket Hole Joinerywill create perfect pocket hole screws that will be crucial for strength and its locking system.  I wanted to also be sure to point out their new Screw Selector Wheel, which has been very handy.

Kreg Jig

I found the building plans for the primary structure on buildsomething.com, but I want to share some compartments I added to the inside to help me organize my tools and enable me to adapt to the space as my needs change.

First, I needed shelving that would hold specific tools and toolboxes that I owned, so I built this cabinet around what I had. I wanted to make sure it was adaptable as my tool arsenal grew and changed over the years. 

I started with adjustable shelves that could hold the weight of a few toolboxes, thus the use of pocket hole joinery to hide screws with wood glue that would create a much stronger union than just nails.

installing shelves

I also added spaces where I could store many small parts so I could finally organize my cans of miscellaneous screws and nails that I have collected over the years. I could also organize my smaller tools into these boxes and combine two large toolboxes and 1 shelf into a more manageable system.

Installing garage cabinets

To adapt the storage space to future needs, I built hangers on the walls to form a wall cleat system so I could move the different tool bins I built to make room for more tools or easily change the layout of the cabinet down the road. I did this by using a table saw set to a 45-degree angle, to rip 1×3 pine boards in half.

angled wood cuts

One-half of the board goes on the wall.

shelf holders

The other half goes on the tool bin or shelf.

building compartments

The two pieces make a solid joint that holds the tool bin very well and yet allows things to move easily.

Garage storage cabinets

I also built a clamp holder to organize my pile of clamps. To do this, I used a 20-inch longboard with 3/8 inch notches cut out 1 inch apart.

Cutting compartments for garage cabinets

I used a pipe to make holders for my growing number of drills, drivers, and staple guns.

cutting with ryobi saw

I bought a 2-foot piece of 4-inch ABS pipe from Home Depot and cut it into 4 equal pieces with my miter saw. I used my table saw to cut sections out of the pipe big enough to fit each tool.

I screwed them onto a 24-inch wide shelf that was 12 inches wide and tall, then added the hanger to the back. It fits perfectly into the wall-mounted cabinet.

powertool holder being made

I used the HomeRight Finish Max Super paint sprayer to paint everything to match.

*PAINT COLOR!  I know you are going to ask.  We used paint from the Kilz Magnolia Line, the color name “Wedding Band”.

Homeright paint sprayer

Now, I finally have a place for anything and everything in its place.

Kreg Jig set in toolbox

That’s one cabinet. Now I have three more to fill and I don’t have an excuse for not finding something anymore. Be sure to check out how we organized and completed the interior of this tool storage cabinet and come back for the other cabinets. Let me know if you have questions.

Garage storage cabinets

Thank you Mr. TIDBITS!  Isn’t he something 😉 .

garage cabinets

I would love to know if you have any garage organization ideas for us!  Even let me know if there is a trouble area in your garage and if you would like us to consider ideas for them as we move forward.

Now, if anyone knows how to ward off spiders from my garage forever . . . I’m all ears!

Diy Garage Storage Cabinets | Free Building Plans Story

I’m Cami! Welcome to my blog TIDBITS. Follow me along for beautiful home decor ideas and inspiration for do-it-yourself living
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Tags: build something, cabinets, garage, kreg, Storage, tools
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cathy says

    October 13, 2020

    This is possible for folks with greater then intermediate skills, so beware. And plan on many weekend hours if you work a real job M-F and don’t have the support or tools that endorsement allows.
    Blogs are great, but truly only give your eyes some viewing pleasure (for the ordinary DIY).
    Check out Dragon Fire and save yourself time, energy and aggravation.
    Nice job though.

    Reply
  2. Michael Tocco says

    July 17, 2020

    Do you have a catalog showing garage storage units?
    And a phone number so I can speak to someone about what you sale . Have a new home in Idaho and wanting to install some Storage cabinets.

    Reply
  3. Elaine says

    May 7, 2020

    Where do I get plans for the cabinets?
    Love!
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jim says

      May 23, 2020

      How can I get the plans for this cabinet? I’m willing to pay for the plans.

      Reply
    • Hal says

      August 3, 2020

      There are no plans. Yes, the title says “plans” but nope. It was just click bait to get you in for the advertisements. Of course this reply will never see the light, deleted before it hits the big time. That’s ok. Lesson learned with this site.

      Reply
      • Mary Christian says

        October 2, 2020

        For those of you looking for plans, there’s a link to buildsomething.com above in the paragraph under the photo of Mr. Tidbits looking in the cabinets.
        These are exactly the kinds of cabinets I’ve been looking for! My only question: are they secured to the wall or sturdy enough as standalone units? Thanks!

        Reply
  4. Kat says

    February 19, 2020

    Could you post the cost of the project, please?

    Reply
  5. Paco says

    January 25, 2020

    Looking for directions to build the cabinet(storage) doors. Is there a link that I’m not seeing? Thank you. Love the look so much I’m going to build them for the kitchen.

    Reply
  6. Ann Moody says

    October 3, 2019

    Thanks for the step-by-step guide.

    Reply
  7. Sue says

    February 16, 2019

    Cami can you give us a cost estimate? I’ve seen a couple people ask and I just need a ballpark. This is pure brilliance! This is our next project and will really help all the following projects go more smoothly!!! LOVE!

    Reply
  8. seniornetman says

    December 20, 2018

    I like these cabinets. My Garage is a disaster (my wife helps a lot with that) I am planning cabinets and work benches with tool tables to get it straight. One of those will be a full length cabinet in which will be hand tools and tool sets that I have had for years. This plan looks like it will be easily modified to my needs thanks.

    Reply
  9. Ashley Basnight says

    September 5, 2018

    About how much did it cost you?

    Reply
    • Beth says

      September 10, 2018

      Better yet. How do you find someone to this plan and install? It is fantastic !! A wife’s dream come true. BUT does every man want his garage organized? Mine says, “IF IT ISN’T OUT WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT , YOU WILL NEVER USE IT. Ha! At least this proves, it can be done.
      Thanks for this wonderful solution. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Becky says

    September 5, 2018

    Truly glorious! …And no, no INDEED, you are not the only one who’s garage is their shame. We definitely top the list. : )

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 5, 2018

      Well that’s a relief 😉

      Reply
  11. Brandy says

    September 4, 2018

    Oh my goodness!!!! I love that so much! It is so calming, you must LOVE walking into the garage right now. lol

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 5, 2018

      Yes! I do infact! First time I’ve ever enjoyed the garage . . . .ever!

      Reply
  12. Marlene says

    September 4, 2018

    I do have a mess in my garage and hope in 6 months it will be gone. My garage is a storage place for one of my sons but, hopefully in 6 months he will be married and my garage will be cleaned out. I do have my work shop in there but most everything has a place. You have a wonderful husband to help you with your projects and garage, cabinets looks so nice.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 5, 2018

      That’s so sweet of you to store your sons stuff! My mom was very anxious to see us take our collections as well. Way to go for keeping your work shop organized, and thank you for coming by Marlene!

      Reply
    • Frances says

      June 7, 2020

      Nice. I wish I had a husband who would be willing to help me out like this and make things nice. You are very fortunate.

      Reply

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Hi! I am Cami. My passion is to help you, as the keeper of your home, to feel inspired to create a home you love and to learn the homemaking skills to help you do so.


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Welcome to my blog, TIDBITS! I am a homeschool Mom to 4 and a fanatical DIY'er. I absolutely love home - and I love to inspire others as the keeper of their homes!

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I love sharing my ideas and tutorials! I ask that you respect my work and follow these guidelines. 1. All images are property of Tidbits blog. 2. Feel free to use 1 or 2 images on your own webpages, provided a link back to my blog is clearly available. 3. Do not remove any watermark or crop/edit my images in any way, unless given written consent by myself. 4. All tutorials/ideas/designs are for personal use only and are not to be copied and distributed in any way. 5. Sharing and pinning through social media is always welcome!

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