How to Organize Your Garage for Winter
The goal is simple: summer gear stored, winter gear within reach, and the floor clear enough to park. Here is how to get there in one weekend.
Start by Clearing the Floor
Pull everything off the floor and sort it into three piles: keep in the garage, store somewhere else, and get rid of. Be honest about the third pile.
The floor is for the car and things with wheels. Everything else belongs on a wall, a shelf, or a hook.
The 6-Step Winter Garage Reset
-
1
Swap seasonsMove summer gear — sprinklers, pool supplies, patio cushions — to the back or up high. Put shovels, ice melt, and the snow blower near the door.
-
2
Drain and store the hoseDisconnect the hose, drain it, and wind it onto a reel. A wall or floor mount or a cart that rolls into a corner keeps it out of the way.
-
3
Go vertical with toolsRakes, shovels, and long-handled tools take up a lot of floor space. Hang them on a wall rail or hooks.
-
4
Group by jobKeep lawn, garden, car, and winter gear in their own zones so you can find things in the dark.
-
5
Secure the chemicalsFertilizer, pool chemicals, and fuel go in closed containers on a high shelf, away from heat sources and out of reach of kids and pets.
-
6
Leave a laneKeep a clear path from the car door to the house door. If you have to step over the hose, it isn't stored yet.
Caption: a drained hose on a reel takes up a few square feet of floor — a loose hose pile takes over the corner.
Where the Hose Goes
A hose left coiled on the garage floor gets stepped on, driven over, and tangled into everything around it. Get it up and contained.
For a garage wall, the Dual Wall or Floor Mount holds 200 feet of 5/8-inch hose and can be bolted to a wall or the floor. If you use a cart, roll it into a corner and keep the hose wound.
Dual Wall or Floor Hose Reel Mount
Heavy-duty steel, 200 ft capacity, and four colors. Mount it on the wall or bolt it to the floor.
Shop the MountFAQ: Winter Garage Organization
How do I store a garden hose in the garage?
Disconnect and drain it, then wind it onto a wall-mounted reel or a cart parked out of the way. Keep it off the floor where it gets stepped on.
Should I keep my hose in the garage over winter?
Yes, if you can. A garage or shed protects it from freeze-thaw cycles and UV, which helps it last longer.
What should I store in the garage for winter?
Snow shovels, ice melt, scrapers, and the snow blower near the door. Summer gear goes to the back or up high.
How do I make room to park in my garage?
Get everything you can onto walls and shelves, and keep the floor for the car and anything with wheels.
The Bottom Line
Clear the floor, swap seasonal gear, and get the hose and tools up on the wall. Do it once in October and the garage works all winter.
Questions? Call us at (888) 607-4417 or browse our steel hose storage.
We build hose storage that outlives the hose. All steel, no plastic, made for people tired of replacing things.
