Your garage can be a place to stash everything from tools to seasonal decor without feeling -- and looking -- like a dumping ground.

Follow these seven simple guiding principles to transform it into an organized, attractive, and even inspiring space.

#1 Get Stuff Off the Floor

Hoist those sedentary bins up and away onto a shelving system.

Stackable clear bins (with labels! don't forget the labels!) at arm-height make it easy to recognize and grab frequently used items, while open space beneath provides assigned parking for the Shop-Vac and kiddos' wagons.

#2 Color-Coordinate Bins

A punchy color scheme makes those bins feel even tidier and, dare we say, fun. Add some decorative labels and people won't know if they're in a garage or a Pinterest-inspired preschool.

#3 Use Rolling Storage

With your newfound open floor space, you can dedicate durable carts to different endeavors -- gardening, camping, tailgating. You'll save transition time (and your back) by rolling all your supplies to the yard or the car.

#4 Put Up Pegboards (Lots of 'Em)

For all those odds and ends that loiter on the periph of your garage -- garden tools, we're looking at you -- pegboard is the underrated hero.

Just put those bad boys on empty wall space. Group like items according to shape and size, leaving plenty of room to add new tools to your masterpiece with just a hook (rather than a massive reorganization).

#5 Organize With an Eye on Style

To take your garage decluttering to another level, get inspired by the beautiful order of this workbench.

The accessible storage is so symmetrical, so colorful, you'll actually look forward to using it. Or just standing before it and grinning. (Those little hanging cubbies? Want.)

#6 Designate Zones

Something as simple as a perpendicular workbench creates a zone dedicated to any purpose you can dream up -- and keeps each tool and toy sorted by function.

(Bonus points for the additional pegboard storage this bench provides.) And how about those paints and clever wall racks? Reminiscent of a delicious kitchen spice rack, no?

#7 Pull It All Together for a DIY Dream Come True

Let's take a moment to slow clap the organized glory of a garage that juggles multiple projects -- woodworking, car repairs, home improvements -- without breaking a sweat.

Smartly spaced, wall-to-ceiling, and under-counter storage give everything a place, while stylishly coordinated pops of red and blue pull it all together.

Despite so much going on, it all feels organized and open. The photo alone is enough to make you want to roll up your sleeves and dive into a project.

Amy Howell Hirt has written about home design for 13 years. Her work has been published by outlets including "The Home Depot", "USA Today" and Yahoo! Homes. She previously served as home and garden writer and columnist for "The Cincinnati Enquirer".