Looking for garage shelving ideas with workbench space you can actually keep clear? These setups give you plenty to work with, from little tool drawers to tall shelves filled with bins.
I especially love the ones that leave room for a project instead of covering every inch of the bench.
You can keep things simple or go all out with a full wall of cabinets. There are also a few separate storage walls and shelving units here to pair with your own workbench.
Garage Workbench and Shelving Ideas to Save
little green drawers
How cute are those green drawers? The long bench has a lower shelf filled with small drawer units, cases and boxes.
Above it, a white pegboard holds rows of tools without taking over the work surface.
I’d borrow the little drawers for sorting small hardware. Keep your larger cases beside them rather than piling everything on top.
tall shelves beside a simple bench
If you are looking for something simple, this one is for you. A long, open-legged bench meets a taller shelving unit on the right, with black and yellow bins tucked underneath.
I love that there’s room for a stool. You could keep the shelves for supplies and leave the whole left side for whatever you’re working on.
drawers and open tool cubbies
There’s so much storage to love here! Clear boxes fill the upper-left shelves while boards sit in the long compartments beside them.
Below, drawers alternate with open shelves full of tools.
Read also: 20 Baking Supply Storage Ideas for Pans, Ingredients and Little Extras
The saw sits in a lowered section between the work surfaces. If you’re planning a similar setup, size that section around your own equipment and its clearance requirements.
overhead bins and a clear tabletop
Don’t want storage boxes around your feet? This setup puts the bins above the bench instead.
I love the rows of shallow drawers just below them.
The light beneath the cabinets brightens the pegboard and tabletop. Try a similar lighting arrangement if your overhead light leaves your work area in shadow.
gray slatwall and hanging baskets
This one is a storage wall rather than a workbench, but those hanging baskets are worth saving. They hold bottles and small supplies beside long-handled tools, with a separate shelf for the drills.
You could use this arrangement beside your bench to give garden tools their own spot. No need to squeeze everything into the same work area.
a compact bench by the door
I love this little workspace beside the garage opening. There’s a gray drawer cabinet at one end, an open shelf underneath and a pegboard packed with tool holders.
The narrow shelves on the left are a lovely detail to borrow. They give the bottles a place without filling the bench.
a folded-up work surface
Short on floor space? This work surface is shown folded up against the wall, with black brackets underneath and a tool pegboard above.
A separate rolling cabinet sits beside it. If you’re considering a folding bench, check the mounting requirements and load rating before choosing one for your projects.
black drawers and a wheeled bench
This is actually one of my favorite combinations here. The black pegboard and drawer units look so good with the pale frame and worktop.
The bench has visible casters, plus open lower compartments between the drawers. For your own movable setup, choose locking casters so you can secure it before working.
blue walls and little storage ledges
Who says your garage storage has to be gray? I love this blue wall with its rows of hooks, small shelves and open-top holders.
There isn’t a full workbench here. Instead, save this as an idea for the wall beside one, especially if you want separate spots for awkwardly shaped gear.
a bright corner bench
Make use of a corner with this L-shaped arrangement. The worktop, pegboard and upper shelving all turn the corner together, with lights running beneath the shelves.
The empty lower bays give you options. I’d measure your existing bins first, then choose which sections to leave open.
white cubbies from top to bottom
If you want a whole wall of storage, this one has plenty of inspiration. Tall white cubbies hold bins at the top and tools farther down, with drawers and open compartments below the counter.
My favorite part is the little stool opening in the middle. You don’t have to fill every lower section with a cabinet.
pegboard sides and rolling drawers
How good are those tall side panels? They add tool storage at both ends of the bench, with little ledges and hanging rows of screwdrivers.
There are open cubbies overhead and white drawer units on casters underneath. Borrow the side-panel idea if you’d like more hanging space than the back wall alone provides.
gray cabinets and a dark counter
Don’t want all your supplies on display? No problem!
This setup swaps open shelving for gray cabinet doors, with a long dark counter and a faucet at the right.
Read also: 20 Minimalist Living Room With Dining Area Ideas to Inspire Your Space
I love the open space beneath the middle. You could add a stool there while keeping the surrounding storage closed.
charcoal cabinets beside the window
I am obsessed with this charcoal and pale-top combination. A tall cabinet stands to the left of the window while the lower cabinets continue beneath it.
Read also: 20 Cabinet Colors for Dark Wood Floors and More Color Ideas
The matching dark tool wall keeps the hammers, wrenches and screwdrivers on display. Try this mix if you want some things hidden and your most-used tools out in the open.
shelf towers around the bench
This narrow workspace has a shelf for just about everything. Tall open units frame the bench, with another long shelf above and room for equipment below.
I especially like the smaller compartments on the left. You could copy that mix of shelf sizes rather than making every opening equally tall.
a long row of slatted shelves
Looking for extra storage to go beside your workbench? This image shows shelving only, with several levels of slatted shelves running along the garage wall.
Use it as inspiration for storing bins away from your main work surface. Check shelf capacity before loading yours with heavy equipment.
a black frame and shallow drawers
This bench keeps things nice and straightforward. There’s a tall stack of shallow drawers near the middle, open storage below and a large pegboard above.
The small shelves beside the door are my favorite extra touch. Try those for supplies you want nearby without extending the whole bench.
labeled bins above and below
If you love having a place for everything, save this one. Black labeled bins line the top shelf and the space beneath the bench, with smaller containers beside the pegboard.
Keep the labels facing forward when you arrange your own bins. It’s a small detail worth copying, especially when several boxes look alike.
tool rails and a paper towel holder
Here’s another view of the charcoal cabinet setup shown earlier. This time, take a closer look at the tool wall: wrenches and screwdrivers sit in a low row while larger tools hang above.
I’d keep that wall-mounted paper towel holder too. It leaves one less thing sitting on the countertop.
a corner bench with two tool walls
Last but definitely not least, we have this compact corner workspace. I love how it mixes a flat tool board on the left with horizontal slats and small shelves on the right.
The lower shelf follows the L-shaped worktop, with cases tucked into the corner. A small blue vise sits at the outer end, leaving the middle of the bench open.
Read also: 20 Space Saving Dining Table Ideas for Small Rooms and Corners
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And as you know, I seriously love seeing your takes on the looks and ideas on here - that means the world to me! If you recreate something, please share it here in the comments or feel free to send me a pic. I'm always excited to meet y'all! ✨🤍
Xoxo Frida