Five cool ways to organise your garage with PVC pipe

If clutter is getting the better of your garage, we’ve got the solution to help you get organised quickly, easily and effectively. Even better, our nifty solution requires a single piece of equipment that can be found at your local hardware store, the PVC pipe.

With a little imagination, you can turn PVC pipe from a plastic tube into a sophisticated wine cellar, use them as a convenient place to keep your tools safe, or even an arts and crafts station to help keep the garage tidy after the kids have been playing.

Known for its endurance and versatility, PVC pipe has been used for decades as a durable material used in water fixtures. Both impact-resistant and fire-retarding, it’s an ideal and safe option to help store equipment often kept in the garage.

Not to mention, it’s fairly inexpensive! For example, Bunnings Warehouse sells a range of PVC pipe sizes and lengths ranging from $3 to $10.

All you’ll need to make your PVC pipe dreams come true is a DIY workstation equipped with a power drill, drop saw or jigsaw, glue gun, measuring devices and safety equipment including protective eye wear, gloves and a mask.

Read on to find out how this trusty supply will help sort (almost) everything in your garage.

1.    Create storage sections for arts and crafts  

The unsung hero of the craft world is PVC pipe, and we are here today to sing its praise! From ribbons to paper, PVC pipe provides a stylish and functional storage solution to ensure all supplies are easily accessible and your garage remains clutter-free.

Simply cut your PVC pipe into small 5cm sections (or more depending on what you are storing) using a drop saw or jigsaw, and glue as many pieces side by side together to hold your crafts supplies. With individual sections for your pencils, paints, brushes and more you will be crafting in no time.

For a visually satisfying look, try colour coding each pipe to add that extra panache!

2.    Make a tool holder

If you are into DIY, it can be hard to keep your workshop tidy at the best of times. The more tools you accumulate, the harder it is to find the right one when you need it.

Make PVC pipe part of your workstation however, and you will be ready to grab your tools whenever DIY inspiration strikes!

Use 20cm sections of PVC pipe glued to the wall as a nifty tool organiser – you can either glue or bolt the pipe horizontally or vertically to the wall depending on where you are attaching it. Use a jigsaw to cut out a small part of the pipe that will fit over the power tool hand piece, and there you have it!

For your manual tools, cut additional PVC pipe to match the size of the equipment you are creating a storage space for. For example, you might cut a few pieces of 5cm length pipe where you can keep your smaller tool bits including screws, nails and nuts and bolts.

For your larger tools such as hammers, wrenches or screwdrivers, measure and cut a longer piece of PVC pipe to match its size, similar to the power tool holder.

3.    Craft your own wine rack

Wine should be stored somewhere with a cool, even temperature. Even if you are not planning on ageing the wine for years, storing wine well means you’ll get the most out of your wine when you want to drink it.

If your garage offers the right environment – then why not create your own cellar?

With a DIY display for your favourite bottles of wine, you will look forward to choosing a fresh bottle to pop after a long week at work. Just like a match made in heaven, the long and cylindrical shape of PVC pipe makes an ideal frame to safely hold and store your treasured bottles of wine.

Try pairing wine sized pieces of pipe with smaller connecting pieces for an abstract piece of storage art. Make sure to bolt the adjacent pipes together with screws to ensure the rack can support the weight of wine bottles.

To give it a wine-rack appearance, spray paint the pipe with industrial-themed colours such as gold, silver, copper or black.

4.    Avoid a tangled mess with a cords and wire organiser

Long extension cords and ropes inevitably tie themselves up into a tangled mess. With some PVC pipe, you can build a home for any of your long-length supplies to keep your garage space organised, neat and a trip-free zone.

Start by identifying how many cords you have, and what the length of each one is. Once you know each measurement, cut the required amount of PVC pipe to hold each cord or rope while it is not in use.

Choose a dedicated place in your garage to mount the PVC pipe to, either a wall or inside a cupboard, and label each pipe with the measurement of the cord inside. This way, you will know exactly what cord you’re getting when you next need it!

5.    Get easy access to your brooms, rakes and shovels  

Ever had to fight through a pile of rakes and brooms to find your shovel buried beneath them all? Avoid the frustration of searching for your long-handed tools with our fifth PVC pipe tip.

Give your brooms, rakes, mops or even ski poles a personalised home by attaching a row of small PVC pipe cut-outs along the garage walls to house lawn tools.

Whether you are raking the leaves away on an Autumn’s day or clearing out the cobwebs from the corner of the garage, you can slide your supplies straight onto the individual pipe against the wall for instant organisation!

For more information about Chamberlain’s range of garage door openers and accessories, visit our website or call 1800 665 438.