18 Mudroom, Laundry Room, and Garage Organization Ideas

1. Reusable, collapsible bags make it a cinch to divvy up recyclables. The handles let them be carted to the curb easily. To buy: Umbra Blue Recycle Crunch Can, $15; containerstore.com.

2. Tuck a cardboard six-pack container in a tote bag, and you’ve got an organizer for garden tools.

3. Install a versatile wall organizer by the door. Look for one with a spot for keys and other items to hang and a resting place for outgoing mail. To buy: Convertible Wall Mounted Organizer, $55; uncommongoods.com.

4. In each room, tuck a permanent marker and painter’s tape in a zippered plastic sandwich bag and have the kit handy for labeling anything and everything.

5. Clasp a pair of garden gloves together with a binder clip and hang them from pushpins on a corkboard in the mudroom.

6. Install a wire cooling rack on the garage wall, attach hooks to it, and hang tools.

7. Forget buying cardboard storage boxes. Snag empty copier-paper boxes from the office and use them to hold goods at home.

8. Find rolling storage crates that stack neatly and have casters, so they’re easy to move around, for rarely used or seasonal items. Rolling storage carts are more efficient for items that need to be accessed quickly. To buy: VESSLA storage crate with casters, $6 plus $2 for compatible lid; ikea.com.

9. Use an adjustable storage strap to corral garden hoses, extension cords, and holiday lights. To buy: Bayco K-175 Cord Carry Strap, $5; amazon.com.

10. Install a drapery rod in the laundry room as an extra-long drying rack for sheets and tablecloths. Add finials for a decorative touch.

11. Snap rake and broom handles of varying widths into an expandable, wall-mounted organizer. To buy: OXO Good Grips Expandable Wall-Mounted Organizer, $25; amazon.com.

12. In the mudroom or the entryway, assign a colored box or basket to each family member for holding items they want to grab as they leave the house.

13. Place the lids of large plastic storage tubs on the floor underneath pet food bowls to contain spills, or use them in the garage or the mudroom to hold wet boots.

14. Store shoes, ornaments, wrapping paper, and other objects in empty wine boxes.

15. Sturdy hooks—ideally, rubber-capped for safety—are easy to install in garages and mudrooms and keep garden hoses, electrical cords, and more off the floor. To buy: Everbilt 4 in. Handy Hook, $1; homedepot.com.

16. String up a hammock in the corner of the garage, where it can hold roly-poly sports equipment such as basketballs.

17. If you have an unused chest of drawers, use it to store hats and gloves in the mudroom.

18. Wash socks in a mesh bag and never lose a pair again.