Garages protect our cars, serve as our workspaces—and often store an amazing amount of stuff. Making the most of garage space, for yourself or for an end-user, might mean using the ceiling, but it might also mean using the walls.

One way to use the walls is to install shelves. Monkey Bars has a clever design that involves layered storage, so you can fit more into any given wall space. And the shelves are built to take the load; every four feet of shelving holds 1,000 pounds. And with nine different types of hooks, there should be one to hold almost anything.

Elfa systems, long beloved for organizing closets and other interior spaces, can also be used in the garage. The ease of installation is a key factor in end-user satisfaction, as is the array of components: shelves, baskets, hooks and more. Like the Monkey Bars, they'll appeal to those who want everything out and visible.

Sometimes metal, resin or wood cabinets work better than open storage; they keep things cleaner, allow things to be locked up, and have an aesthetic that some end users will prefer. These Baldhead Cabinets have some nice features, including pull-out shelves and rubber liners on the drawers. The cabinet shelves have a 1.25" hole pattern, so the height can be adjusted as needed.

Here's another interesting touch, on the Pro Series cabinets from NewAge Products: a steel pegboard on the interior door panels, providing just a bit more easy-to-reach storage.

Sometimes the end user may not need an entire system; individual storage pieces might be all that's required. Designers have looked at the types of things people struggle to store in garages, and developed products to meet those challenges. For example, there are tire storage racks that are fixed-frame or adjustable width, as well as some that fold up when not in use.

Ladders and wheelbarrows are common problematic items, and Racor makes a hook specifically for them.

We've written about pegboards before, but here's a variation on that old standby that's worth noting. The PegBoard Strip could be useful when a full pegboard isn't required, or when there simply isn't room for one.

For end-users who can't find the space for a motorcycle, lawnmower or snowmobile—or for larger tools such as a table saw or drill press—there's the Loft-It, which can hoist large items out of the way. Cost: about $2,395 plus shipping.