Garage Makeover - Part 2 - Bin Storage

The first fun project of this garage makeover was the bin storage rack. If you missed part 1 of the Garage Makeover, click HERE.

The secret to organization is keeping everything hidden and easily accessible. Just kidding, I don’t know if that is the secret, but it sounds good and works for me. This storage unit is the best of both worlds. What I love about DIY, is I can make whatever I am doing exactly how I want. I measured and built the shelves to fit 2 bins on each shelf, making them super easy to get to. I labeled the bins so even though I can’t see through them, I still know exactly what is in each one. This tutorial will walk you through how I built the shelving unit.

Step 1: Measure your Bin Storage

Before you get started decide what you are putting on the shelf. As I said before, I got THESE bins, and wanted to side by side on each shelf. I obviously did not want a bunch of wasted space so I made each slightly larger than the 2 bins.

Step 2: Support Braces

I fully intend on these shelves to need to hold a lot of weight. Using 3 inch screws, I started by installing 2×4’s to the studs in the wall on both the back and side of the shelf. Make sure they are level and even all the way up.

Step 3: One shelf at a time

Start on the bottom shelf first. Using more 2×4’s, and pocket holes, I finished the frame of each shelf. One 2×4 on the side, extending from the back brace to the front corner, and one across the front. I then installed 2 vertical 2×4’s on the bottom of the shelf to the floor, in both front corners, to act as additional supports.

Then take a sheet of plywood and cut it to the exact dimensions and place it on top of the 2×4 supports. Screw through the top of the plywood into the 2×4’s.

Repeat this for each additional shelf, installing the vertical supports into the shelf below it.

Step 4: Make your Bin Storage pretty!

This step is probably unnecessary. After all this is a garage. However, I couldn’t skip this step, because I was not about to do all this work and it not look pretty. What is the point of that?

I took another sheet of plywood and installed it on the side of the shelving unit. I then took trim pieces and trimmed out all 2×4’s on the front. I filled all the holes with spackle, and then gave everything on it a quick sanding.

Step 5: Primer and Paint

I say this every time, when painting raw wood. It is so important that you prime raw wood first. Raw wood sucks up the primer/paint so much which results in you needing a couple coats. Primer is much cheaper than paint/primer combo. It will actually save you money to prime it first THEN paint it. Which is what I did. I used my favorite primer – BIN. Once that is dry, sand it with 220 grit sandpaper. Sanding it gives the paint a smooth surface to sit on. Paint your unit and let it dry.

Step 6: Drawer on wheels

On the bottom, I built a drawer on wheels. Basically, just a box without a top, add some wheels, prime, paint, hardware and voila, you have a drawer on wheels! I think that was my favorite part of this build!

Step 7: Add your bins and admire your work!

Time to organize all your stuff in the bins and add your labels. Put the bins on the shelves and you are done! I seriously love how this shelving unit turned out!