Ladders are a necessity for every homeowner. Whether they’re small ladders for everyday use or giant ladders for Christmas light setups, they must be stored. The problem is their bulk. Renting a ladder as a homeowner is not an option, as it is reached for too often to quality for occasional use. As a result, you must find a place to store it. Discover 11 creative storage ideas to maximize space around your ladder.
1. Store it outside
If you live in a setting that has space outdoors, consider storing your ladder there. You can find several different water-resistant covers that zip or tie onto your ladder for protection. If there are high trees, bushes, or a less visible back fence available, this can be a spot for your ladder. There are even specific colorings to choose from to camouflage your ladder.
2. Store it on the side of the house
A standard option used years ago was to affix your ladder to your home’s exterior, but it is less frequently used today. Again, you should purchase a water-resistant cover for your ladder and then store it on your home. This will require drill usage and proper studs to mount the ladder, no matter the size or material. Being hung up and ready at a moment’s notice, this is the most accessible option among all ladder storage ideas. The side of the garage or back of the house are good options if they’re less visible.
3. Place it in your laundry room
If your ladder isn’t incredibly high-reaching, you’d be surprised that the laundry room can provide decent storage space. Besides the hamper and basic laundry business, the laundry room closet usually has a lot of space. Consider stacking your short ladder towards the back of this closet. You can also hang the ladder on the back wall of your laundry room.
4. Place it behind furniture
Long sofas, nightstands, and beds usually have a lot of space beneath them. If you don’t use this ladder often, you can easily slide it below this furniture. It may sound weird, but this is a very clever way to hide your ladder. Most queen-sized beds will completely cover a standard ladder. It’s also reasonably easy to remove if for usage.
Pro tip: Be sure to clean the ladder thoroughly before storing it in these spaces.
5. Put it in the attic
The most classic example among ladder storage ideas is the attic. It’s a great place to stash or mount your ladder to the wall without reservations about its appearance. You can easily store it in attic space, whether mounted to a side wall or slid below wooden beams. Unfortunately, modern homes do not account for as much attic space as they used to. Also, an attic can be inconvenient if you use your ladder often.
6. Use slatwalls
An entire wall addition to your garage can be a slat wall. These are tracks and panels made of plastic or metal that attach to your garage's half or an entire wall. They can prove very efficient, as they can hold bikes, shelves, drawers, kayaks, and more. Your installation is only possible with good wall studs in your garage. The installation can be time-consuming, but it's quite possibly the best ladder storage idea of all. It's also a fairly common solution, so you can find an array of colors and styles to suit the theme of your garage.
In your garage
Below you'll find ladder storage ideas that are specifically for garages. A garage is the default place to store any sized ladder if you have the space.
7. Bike hooks
These heavy-duty hooks are built to sustain heavy bikes, much like ladders. The way a bike hangs on its hooks is also how you hang a ladder. Therefore, many people purchase bike hooks specifically for their ladders: they hang the ladder vertically or horizontally. However, note that you must drill the hooks into solid studs before mounting the ladder.
8. The ceiling
A perfect out-of-the-way spot is on the ceiling. This isn't the easiest installation, but we suggest mounting your ladder on the ceiling if you have the means and tools. Most homeowners prefer when their ladder is strapped above and out of standard view. This will also involve the installation of a hoist and pulley system. Automated or manual systems can also be purchased. Once finished, it resembles the cord on a window blind: pulling up and down.
9. A ceiling rack
The less accessible ceiling option is a rack. These are stationary holders that hang over your door or car. The concept is simple, as it's just two small poles sticking out of the ceiling connecting to two long poles. The offset is that a ceiling rack isn't the most reasonable if you use your ladders often. You will also need a stepladder or stool to access your ceiling rack.
10. Shelves
Classic wooden shelves along the side interior wall of your garage don't have to be the only shelving option. These days, there are slimmer and sleeker options to keep your garage looking fresh. Metal wire shelves, thick wooden dowels or pegs, and even PVC piping can be good options. Regardless of the shelves you choose, they must be mounted or bolted to studs in the wall to hold the ladder's weight.
11. Straps
These can be fun if you need to access your ladder often. Hang straps consist of two cloth material straps attached to a carabiner. Hook the carabiners onto two separate hooks (attached to studs in your wall), and that's it! The straps simply loop around two areas of the ladder, and it hangs suspended.
Pro tip: These hang straps are not for long-term storage. The ladder is suspended without anything latching the bottom half to the wall or floor. So it may dangle or clang with any drift in the air.
We highly suggest that you purchase a collapsible ladder. These can be purchased at nearly every hardware store. Collapse them down to 4 or 5 feet, and then use any of the storage ideas above!
Don't let your ladder be some nuisance or eyesore around the house or garage. All homeowners need them, but that doesn't mean they should be a stressor! Grab your ladder and tend to one of the ladder storage ideas above!