Get a smaller garage and the mess will be automatically reduced.

Hey!! That's me in the image!

My top suggestion is to get your husband included in the choice, because he won't use what he doesn't see a use for.

@toronto veterinarian it’s totally true! The large shelves in the back were his idea. We had a organized garage for 1 week.

Rubbermaid makes a wire shelf system particularly for garages. Those are nice because you can read just as changes come up. That makes it easier to put things away, but is no match for someone who doesn't care where things go...
You also might want to look up "5S" which is a long-standing methodology manufacturers use to keep mechanics tidy.

Looks completely normal to me... in fact could get some tips from your husband on how he keeps things so neat.

I've decided on shelving on one side of my 18x18' two car garage for smaller things and bins. The other side has a shelf at door height for bins for things rarely used on it then the rest of that wall has hooks for those awkward things that cannot be shelved like ladders, bikes, lawn mowers, furniture dolly and workmate.

I happened to have a metal cabinet that can hold most tools and even a lot of the hardware I've got laying round so got rid of the tool boxes completely.

Label after the bin is loaded up, only figured that one out recently and am not organizing into really small categories. Started out with sticky stuff, screws, nails, electric, sharp stuff for instance. Huge help for all those cans of very important stuff that like to roll away and hide. Now I can find that locktite when I need it and know I have 4 rolls of teflon tape so no need to go to HD for more.

Lots of handy hooks and shelves of different sizes. I have a hardware with rows of cuphooks on the inside of the door for little packages. I started with what I thought was lots of spaces but quickly found that once I hung one item, there were scads more that could also go on those hooks so I added a few more rows. I probably have 40, maybe 50, hooks and all of them have items on them. I have several different people that work with me at different times and I have found myself needing to buy fewer items when they can look at items hanging instead of looking in drawers.

I have found that if you have small shelves available for the little stuff, there is a better chance of stashing appropriate items on them. I am thinking of shelves like 3 or 4 inches deep and similar height so nothing gets stacked. It takes a while but eventually most users will figure out that small items go on small shelves which leaves the larger shelves for bigger items. Baskets, totes, boxes that you can use to corral similar items might help so you can limit the amount of stuff to be searched for the item in question. If you can get him to just throw hardware on one side and tools on the other, you have made progress. Small shelves work great for the small boxes of fasteners and small cans, and taller shelves can hold chemicald and spray cans. Old cd or dvd organizers are about the right depth for many items. Space between studs can be very useful for long handled tools if you put a piece of material across at 3 or 4 feet off the floor so the tools don't fall out on the floor.

Magnetic wall racks are good for drill bits and small items. Those are cheap at Harbor Freight. Fasten a piece of wood with lots of holes drilled in it to the wall and there are multiple places to drop in screwdrivers and small tools. My best tip is to have plenty of slots or spaces b3cause you dont want him to ever try to put something away and not find an available slot

Yikes! I won't live anywhere I can't garage my car., so I don't have your problem. But, I do have a LOT of "stuff" as I am a big DIYer and I practically have my own hardware/paint store out there LOL. I put up the Gladiator wall system 2 years ago, and I love it. I have that on one side, and a double row of wall shelves on the other. I can't stand stuff sitting on the floor.

When I look at your photo, I don't see empty shelves. If you don't have at least 10%, preferable 20 to 25% empty shelves, you need more. Don't just plan for what you currently have, plan a bit for new items too

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but no matter what you do, it will likely remain the same. I have the same kind of husband, and he is always putting up shelves and adding storage. Unfortunately, it just gets filled with more “stuff”, and not in an organized way. But he has lots of other redeeming qualities, and can tackle just about any job perfectly. My son, who is a production manager at a large theater in Boston, and very organized, has given it his best shot also, After 45 years, we’ve tacitly agreed the shop and basement are his domains, and I’ve realized his very creative brain “just doesn’t work that way”. I’ll keep him:)

I’m loving these posts and the laughs !

Some of us may have ADHD. It often goes along with brilliance and skills. I also have a touch of depression era hoarder's syndrome that I inherited from parents who grew up in the 30s. I practically have a hardware store in my basement and always shop there first.

I use small boxes or plastic bins to organize my hoard so I can find it when I need it. Lesser used boxes can go in the back layer on deep shelves. At least it's not all in a pile which is no good to anyone. But I admit any horizontal surface is covered with Stuff that is either broken, under repair, being built, or awaiting sorting/storage.

Use the ceiling - hooks, suspended shelves, etc. Use the air space, find wasted cubic feet.

Yes, we're messy, and it's very hard to change it once you hit middle age.

have found that if you have small shelves available for the little
stuff, there is a better chance of stashing appropriate items on them. I
am thinking of shelves like 3 or 4 inches deep and similar height so
nothing gets stacked. It takes a while but eventually most users will
figure out that small items go on small shelves which leaves the larger
shelves for bigger items.

I agree! In fact, those small shelves could combine with another feature/problem, which is the often-too-large gap between shelves in most garage shelves.

Put those small shelves up toward the top of the gap, over the heads of the stuff ont he bigger shelves.

(attach a piece of plywood to the back of your metal shelving units, and screw the smaller shelves to that)

Re: the magnetic wall racks--those are great for keeping stuff out in the open--get him to consider that sort of thing.

#13 at this link has a way to create even more wall space than you normally have for tools--it's like a pegboard "book" mounted on the wall.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/tools/tool-storage/top-tool-storage-tips-tricks-and-ideas/view-all/

No matter how much storage you establish in there or how big your garage is, if he does not change his behavior, there is no hope. He will only fill more shelves and floor space with more stuff.

He needs to get rid of stuff and clean up his act, or not.

When we cleaned out the basement after FIL died, we found that he had kept every old thing when he replaced it with new ones----------just in case. "Just in case" never came. To his credit, he did put it away neatly.

I decided some years ago that it is not worth the mess to keep too many extra things around when I can go to the local HD and purchase that little part for less than a dollar, or so. No one needs to have their own store at home and I will bet that he can't find that little piece of stuff that he saved without some great effort.

This is not a matter of storage. This is a matter of behavior. And, that is true of many who make and live in a mess.

He looks quite cute there, like a little kid in his toy box.

Flood. I recommend a flood. We had one in our basement and it cost us a LOT of money to hire the flood abatement people, but they hauled away all our stuff. That included things we really wanted, like my record collection and my husband's high school year book, though. Otherwise, it was worth it to get rid of a lot of things we were not using and may never have used again. Just make sure the things you really want are up high. Then buy lots of shelves and make him organize the stuff that survived.

Buy a plastic garden shed for lawn equipment and bikes.

so I could get into the wine fridge (living in France it’s an essential path needed ;) I tried organizing a little corner last weekend but it was like moving one mess from one corner to another. I for sure need to build organizational shelving or follow @nancyinmich advice !

As long as it is a mess, it will be nothing but, well---a mess. It needs to be culled out, downsized, and prioritized. Until then, it will just be a mess, because that is what it is. If you move it around, it will still be a mess.

Update: there isn’t one lol garage is still a mess but we have a renovated house so hopefully it’s next to be overhauled!