Problem: Though you have plenty of room out there, the place usually ends up looking like an obstacle course.

Consider This

Tim Fooks, a designer for Home Depot, recommends buying a pegboard with 1/4-inch holes, as this size holds more weight than others. Hooks come in 1/8-, 3/16-, and 1/4-inch sizes (the last is by far the most common and popular). A pegboard with 1/4-inch holes will accommodate all three sizes of hooks, but be sure to hang only lightweight items on the skinny ones, so they won’t pull out of the larger holes, says Fooks. (For tips on setting up a pegboard, see Use a Pegboard for Sports Equipment Storage.)
To Buy: $10 for a four-by-eight-foot board (ask a salesclerk to trim it to the size you need), www.homedepot.com.

Also Try

Set up color-coded storage bins for each family member. “Or assign a bag to each person. Then everyone can simply grab his and go,” says Mat Kee, who spent five years as head manager of the football team of the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville. If your family tends to share items, divide the bins by sport.
To Buy: Canvas Utility Totes, $7 to $13 each, www.bedbathandbeyond.com.

Use What You’ve Got

A tall plastic or metal container is perfect for storing items such as hockey and lacrosse sticks (just make sure it’s at least three-fourths the height of the gear or it could topple over). “For bats and lacrosse sticks, we repurposed a tall wicker laundry basket,” says Vicki Peters, who lives in suburban Connecticut and has five athletic boys between the ages of 7 and 21. Adds Barry Izsak, author of Organize Your Garage in No Time (Que, $17, www.amazon.com): “You can also use a clean plastic garbage pail. It’s waterproof, and it will keep things contained.”