• A pegboard can organize tools in a garage.Garry Gay/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  When your garage is a chaotic combination of tools, toys, sporting goods and auto parts, using the space effectively is difficult. By performing an organizational makeover on your garage, you can eliminate the clutter and make the most of your space for storage, work or play.
  
  

Paint

• Before you start organizing a garage, the Behr website advises that you put down a fresh coat of paint and fix small holes in the walls. With a blank, clean canvas, seeing your newly-organized items is easier. Remove everything from the garage, and use a sturdy coat of paint on the walls and floor to smooth out the visual impression of the room. A simple, inexpensive coat of paint can go a long way in unifying the look of a garage and reducing the visual clutter that can create a chaotic impression.
  
  

Wall Racks

• For an easy and effective way to move items off of the garage floor, install wall racks. Choose racks that are suited to the large items that take up space around your garage: you might look for options that are designed to hang bikes or store sporting goods like skis, snowboards and tennis rackets. If you have construction materials in your garage, you can find racks that will hold wooden planks high on the wall, parallel to the floor; the same type of system can also hold large tools like rakes and shovels. When installing racks, choose a wall that is farthest from your car in the case of hardware failure.
  
  

Pegboard

• If you use your garage to store tools, install a pegboard to keep them in order. Start with a piece of pegboard, which you can buy from any home improvement store, and cut it to fit on a section of your garage wall. Lay the board on the floor, and line up your tools on it; install a hook at each location to ensure that you will have adequate space for everything. You might also include racks to hold screwdrivers or mount a small drawer organizer on the board for tiny parts and washers.
  
  

Hanging Baskets

• When you need to organize items that have no logical place, use hanging baskets that will provide order and get items off of the floor. Look for sturdy, thick wire baskets that will allow visibility of the items inside. You can mount the baskets on the wall where they make sense: for boots or toys, put them at a level that is easily reached by children. Because of the holes in the baskets, you can use them to store items that might get put away wet or dirty, like balls, outdoor toys, winter clothing or boots and shoes.