Garage Cabinets That Actually Work: How To Plan Garage Storage Around Real Life

Your garage can feel like a constant negotiation between clutter, hobbies, and the stuff you swear you’re “getting rid of soon.” We get practical about what actually works, starting with a simple idea: choosing the right garage cabinets isn’t about picking a look, it’s about matching function, durability, and layout to real life.

We break down how a professional garage storage consultation should go, including why it needs to be collaborative, especially when two homeowners have different ideas for the space. From open garage shelving to tall cabinets, stacked cabinets, and drawer-heavy setups that act like a tool chest, we talk through how to choose a system based on access, safety, and how often you’ll use what you store. We also explain why garage ceilings and wall space can be a huge advantage when you plan storage vertically, and when that only makes sense if you’re comfortable grabbing items from a ladder a couple times a year.

Then we get into the details that make a cabinet system last: weight capacity, thick shelves, soft-close hardware, smooth drawer glides, and built-to-order sizing that lets you design around obstacles like outlets, windows, sprinkler control boxes, and garage door rails. You’ll also hear what we commonly see with DIY garage cabinets and repurposed kitchen cabinets, plus a philosophy we stick to: start with what you know you need, avoid overselling, and add more storage later if your life changes. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the show with a friend who needs a garage reset, and leave a quick review with your biggest garage storage challenge.

To learn more about Mile High Coatings visit:
https://www.MileHighCoatings.com
Mile High Coatings
970-314-1023 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to the Mile High Coatings Podcast, where we elevate your spaces to a new peak in quality. Hosted by David Naniga, president of Mile High Coatings, this podcast explores how expert residential painting, concrete coatings, and epoxy flooring can transform garages, basements, patios, and commercial spaces across Colorado's front range. So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and dive into the world of high-quality coatings.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

Choosing the right garage cabinets isn't about picking a style, it's about matching function, durability, and layout to how people actually use their space. Welcome everyone. I'm co-host and producer Julie Schwenzer with David Nanaga, the president of Mile High Coatings. David, thanks again for joining us and teaching us.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Absolutely. Happy to be here.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

So how do you assess what garage and cabinet options are best for your clients?

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Yeah, it's a it's a really good uh question and topic. And I will say that this type of um consultation really needs to be pretty collaborative. Um I definitely don't roll in, you know, like a wreck and ball and just say, oh, you need this, this, this, and this. Um, it's really uh uh you know important to have a conversation with with you know ideally both homeowners, um, if that applies, and and really get a sense, because it's funny, you know, that inevitably they always have different ideas about you know what the best use of of the space is and and what they what they're planning for, what they foresee. And uh and so you know, a lot of times, you know, if if we're talking garage storage, you know, I I I walk in and and you know, and it's basically like like most people's garages, a big cluttered mess. And and then, you know, the conversation usually starts out with, well, we're getting rid of all this. This is my my son's stuff that he you know has here. He's away on college, but that's all gonna go away. And this stuff we're giving away, this stuff we're telling on the garage hill. So really, you know, I can't sort of do my job at without having a good uh you know, a good conversation and collaboration and and really trying to get an idea of what the customer wants. And so um, so that said, you know, once we kind of get through that, you know, what you know, do they have the goal of wanting to hide everything behind cabinet doors? You know, sometimes people just want simple, they just want some shelving that they can just put stuff up on a wall, you know, and get it out. Because, you know, garages for the most part tend to be, you know, the ceilings are are higher than than what you typically would have in a home. And so those higher ceilings can accommodate, you know, more storage. I mean, you have more uh wall space to, you know, sort of uh cubic footage, so to speak, to take advantage of. And so it depends on are people, you know, comfortable? You know, if if it if you go with a tall cabinet or even a stacked cabinet, I mean, you know, there's one cabinet and then another cabinet stacked on top, you know, are people comfortable getting up on a ladder? You know, it could be a couple of times a year or whatever, you know, that's like a long-term storage type of thing. Or are they comfortable, you know, going that high, or do they need something more accessible? And so, so it's just really important and it's case by case, you know, it's it's does it's not always as as simple as garage floor, which is which is a lot more repeatable, you know, project to project. Uh the storage is very, very much case by case. Um and so yeah, I mean, you've got you've got options where you you have again like a tall cabinet that has this, it's it's kind of just designed for for storing as much as possible. You've got one inch thick shelves that are really, really beefy. Um, I haven't I've never seen anything better in the industry as far as um you know weight capacity for those shelves. Um they're really they're really nice. The cabinets themselves are nice, they're soft clothes. The drawer, there's drawer options. Um, you can do skinny drawers, kind of make it look like a like a tool chest. You can do kind of deep drawers. Uh, and so you know, the the glides on the drawers are really smooth. And so so there's just a lot of options, a lot, kind of a lot of things to to discuss to make sure that we're getting, you know, the ideal solution for the customer. The other thing that I always point out is that you know, there's a lot of times, you know, no two garages usually is the same, and so you've got obstacles to work around, it could be doors, could be outlets, could be, you know, sprinkler control box, windows, um, garage door rails, perhaps on the side. And so there's a lot of lot of potential things um that that need to be designed around. And and that's the nice thing about the the the company that the manufacturer of the cabinets is they're that they're built to order. And so so we can, if needed, we can customize the size of the cabinets around obstacles. Um and uh and so we do a lifetime warranty. The manufacturer does a lifetime warranty on their cabinets, and so so our warranty is for the install, and then the warranty in the cabinets comes for the manufacturer, and um I've got them in my own garage and in my shop, and they're super durable, they're definitely built to last. Um, and I I couldn't be happier with with my own setup and and uh I've never had a complaint um, you know, about the cabinets and and uh but we we've we've done multiple projects for people that you know have we did did a did a cabinet project and then they moved to another house and they they wanted either the same or similar setup and so so they so clearly that would you know indicate that that uh that people really like the cabinets that we can design and install. So um, yeah, it it's kind of fun to, you know, eat because each one is is unique and and and and so we get measurements and we we take it back to the computer and we drop a little rendering and then uh you know email it to the customer and and kind of go over and provide different options and and tweak it from there.

Cabinets, Shelves, And Tall Storage

SPEAKER_02 6:48

And before in another episode, we talked about when you guys came in and perhaps helped somebody with a do-it-yourself project that went wrong. Would you say that people putting in cabinets without professional guidance is among some of the um projects that you've had to come in and help fix or correct?

SPEAKER_01 7:08

I don't know that it's necessarily that particular scenario, but a lot of times what I see is like repurposed kitchen cabinets. Um, you know, people obviously remodel their kitchen and oh, they don't want to throw away perfectly good cabinets. Um and so they get repurposed to the garage. And so you so sometimes you walk in and there's a hodgepodge of of old cabinets, or maybe um the homeowner or previous homeowner built some cabinets, you know, those can be um you know pretty wide range of of sort of DIY quality. Um, you get some some makeshift workbenches, and um, and so those sometimes that that can be pretty interesting and and uh you know you hear a story or two every now and then, and it's kind of entertaining that uh you know people just do some some funky things in the garages and and now they're ready to actually have it professionally done.

SPEAKER_02 8:08

And I imagine when you go in and you're assessing what needs to be done and what they want, and you're dealing with a couple or you know, multiple people in a home, that could spark some conversation or even an argument between who's living there and what they're gonna do with everything. So, do you find that sometimes you have to push back the start date because they're trying to balance like hobbies, tools, you know, what their lifestyle changes could be, and like you mentioned, what they might donate, what they might want to get rid of. And now maybe they didn't talk about it prior to you coming in.

Custom Design Around Garage Obstacles

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yeah, so I think could be every now and then maybe my part of my job to as a marriage counselor. I you know, it it's always funny. Um, you always get the, oh, it's your garage, honey. You know, you do you do what you want to do with it, and then there's always that that kind of back and forth dance. Um but yeah, usually we're able to, again, like we're able to get a a a good framework and you know, while while while Mary another salesman is there and it and get you know the the main idea, the main design, you know, sort of written down. And then we again we go back and we we design it up in you know in the computer and and send over like a 3D rendering. And um and from there, you know, in the background or or you know, at home, they they can say, oh, you know, maybe we want this cabinet smaller, or we want to switch we we don't want a cabinet here, we want shelves, or we want some slat wall, uh, or you know, and and and and and so then usually the dialogue and the feedback uh comes at that point, really where where where big changes are made. And so um, yeah, yeah, I would say, you know, it's definitely important to get right because you know, it's not something because they're built to order, you know, you don't want to install the system and then and then have it not be functional for them. And so another approach that I'll take, you know, every now and then you get someone there just like, I want maximum storage, I want as many cabinets as you can fit in this garage. It's like okay, that's great. Um, but you know, sometimes I or or or you get, you know, someone says, I want, I want a bunch of, you know, cabinets and um, you know, we'll work in this corner or this like cubby or this like kind of might be like kind of maybe an angled wall or something kind of weird. And so, so a lot of times what I'll do is suggest let's start with what you know that you need, you know, something that you know you're gonna use and that's going to be functional. And then once you get your stuff, because sometimes people are indecisive, you know, they're like, well, I don't know if I need this much space or or storage space. And so that that's the nice thing is we can always order more cabinets, you know, if needed down the road. And so we don't need to necessarily get it completely right the first time. Like, let's kind of start small and make sure that we have uh you know something that works for you initially, you know, because again, kind of our one of our sort of core values, if you will, something that I've always kind of um talked about or or or I should say just been about is you know, I don't want like to sell people um something that people don't need. I I don't want to oversell, you know, I don't want to sell just just for the sake of of selling. So, you know, I I just don't want people to think that they need something when they really don't. And so I because I see a lot of that with competitors, you know, people just want to, you know, sell as much as possible, get the highest dollar amount sale. It's like, well, it's it's not a great approach, you know. And so you you want to find what makes sense for them and so that they're happy with it, and then obviously, you know, continue to, you know, hopefully use you and like recommend you in the future. So okay.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

Well, thank you, David. Thank you so much for breaking all this down. It always helps us make decisions, I think, for our own homes.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Absolutely. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Thanks for tuning in to the Mile High Coatings Podcast. Ready to give your space a fresh, durable finish? Visit MileHighCodings.com for a free price quote or call 970-314-1023. At Mile High Coatings, we're not just painting walls, we're setting a new peak in quality. Until next time, keep your standards high and your coatings higher.