Sunday, September 30, 2007

Convert Unused Wall Space Into A Garage Wall Storage System

Apart from being used as parking space for your car, the garages are now also being used as garage wall storage systems. In order to keep the garage in a proper condition to meet all these requirements, you will need to organize it. If you look very carefully, you will realize that it is not at all a difficult task. There is a lot of space in the garage which can be converted into storage areas. This will ultimately signify more free space for you to function in. The walls and ceiling of your garage make very good storage areas. Here, we will talk about the garage wall storage system and its many facets.

Garage wall storage systems can be defined as a group of related things which can be attached to the wall to function as a storage facility. Brackets, hooks, supports and shelves are all different forms of garage wall storage systems. These can be easily installed with the help of screws, bolts and nails. However, before embarking on any such chores, do ensure that the walls are strong enough to take the load of all the things you wish to keep on them. There are several types of wall storage systems available in the market nowadays. Materials used for their construction include wood, plastics and metals. In case of moisture and temperature diversities, using plastic or metal would be better then using wood. Some of the garage wall storage systems are:

Garage wall system parts: each of these parts has brackets, hangars, hooks attached to them through several methods. Some of these are even interchangeable.

Better wall systems: the better garage wall systems allow for easy shifting of position. They also facilitate easy addition of brackets, supports, organizers and hangars as per your storage requirements.

Slotted wall panels: slotted wall panels are considered to be the best option for changing storage requirements. These are very easy to install and can be attached directly to the studs of the garage wall.

There are several other unique ideas that you can try in order to create more space in your garage. You can use old wooden hangers as a garage wall storage system. All you need to do is paint the hangar in a solid color and attach it to the wall with plain or painted hooks. This is ideal for storing ties, and shoes etc.

Therefore, you can use your own imagination as well as the innovative products being offered by various companies to tidy up your garage space. But whichever option you select, you can at least be reassured of the fact that space will no longer be a problem in your garage.

Also, a garage wall storage system is a great option especially if you want to save floor space.


Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Garage Slatwall and Other Storage Solutions

The most unorganized place in a family's house is usually the garage, often because the garage is easy to blow off as just a big storage space and is rarely attended to. If a garage is organized however, it can be an extremely useful space for working, parking cars, storing bikes, and giving easy access to things that might otherwise be in boxes.

The first step in the organizing process is to figure out what you have and what you need, or need access to. Everything that is broken or has missing parts should be tossed in the garbage, and those things that will never be used should go to charity. Once these things are separated, the organization process will go much smoother. It is a great idea to move anything out of the garage that belongs somewhere else. Clothes and shoes should usually go in closets or attic space rather than a garage.

Thinking of the garage similarly to a retail store display will help in conceptualizing how things should be organized. Just like a retail store, an inventory must be taken. With an accurate inventory, it will be easy to purchase organizing fixtures and map out a good plan. Make sure to categorize the list so that it will be more manageable. Once you have a better grasp of the job at hand, you can begin to shop around for the right kinds of fixtures to store the items for easy access and efficient storage. There are some store fixtures that work as excellent tools for this kind of organization. Slatwall panels are one of them. Slatwalls provide wall storage space and can be arranged in virtually any pattern. Tools and hardware are easy to access and out of the way on a slatwall, and there are slatwall accessories for virtually every object. Of course, various slatwalls can be purchased in hardware stores, but online fixture stores will often have better prices and more options. Spend some time searching around.

Plastic storage containers, shelves, hooks, cabinets, and pegboard are other great organizing fixtures that help organize the garage. Some things don't really hang up well and should sit on a shelf, and sometimes pegboard is a less expensive alternative for wall hanging if there are fewer items. Whatever you choose, the shed should then be organized according to the items and storage fixtures. For example, one wall might be hardware tools and another for gardening supplies. This type of category organization will make finding specific items much simpler. Labels are another great way to keep things organized because they help people to put objects back in their designated places.

The goal of garage organization is to get the floor clean, the items organized and easy to access, and to utilize all of the space efficiently. When these things are accomplished, a garage becomes one of the most useful spaces in a home. It will work great for projects with the kids or working on the bikes, and it will just take a good solid effort on one Saturday to get it all organized. You will find it to be extremely worth it.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the Vice President of S & L Store Fixtures, a leading online provider of gridwall panels and slatwall displays. For more information, please visit http://www.slstoredisplays.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Maier_Jr.

Strategies to Improve and Increase Your Garage Storage Space

Your garage presents you with enough space to store items which you cannot place anywhere else in the house. The first step will be to sort through your belongings and discard stuff that you do not need anymore. Then you can start organizing your garage space accordingly, to make room for everything you want to store in that place.

- Categorize every item, make separate storage spaces for your electrical equipments, your lawn maintenance and other garden tools and any sports gear that you might need to store. Designating specific places for the items will help you to locate them easily as and when you need them. Anything that you will need to use everyday should be kept at such a place where you can reach them easily.

- Store different seasonal items separately. For instance, if winter is approaching, group together items like snow shovels, ice scrapers, skis, snow boots and the like and keep them at an easily accessible place. These should not be mixed with items that you need at summer like sun umbrellas and barbecue grills. You may want to have a tall cabinet built to place all these articles at the same place.

- Hooks and shelves are the key to solving your garage organization problem. A wide range of hooks and hangers are available in the market and help you get virtually everything off the floor. Do no go strictly by the name. “Ladder hooks” can be used to hang up much more than just ladders. “Rafter hooks” can be used to hold extension cords rather than being fastened into rafter. Look at the size and shape of the hooks and try to visualize what articles it can hold.

- Articles that cannot be hung from hooks need to be shelved. Installation of shelves, particularly the standard-and-bracket system shelves is simple. You may hire a professional carpenter to help you with this job.

- Do not pile up your garage too much, leave room for your car as well, and enough free space to be able to maneuver it while driving in and out of the garage. Make sure that your garage organization work does not encroach upon the space needed by the passengers to enter and exit the car comfortably.

Organizing or even reflecting on organizing the garage is often an exasperating chore for almost all homeowners. However, the sooner you get it organized, the better use you can make out of that place.

Want to learn more about Garage Organization System?, feel free to visit us at: http://www.about-garages.info/Articles/Garage_Organizer.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arturo_Ronzon

Spring Cleaning: Mission Garage Organization

Spring is here and the garage door is open. This is a scary thought for Cindy. Her garage is so stuffed that she can’t even park her cars in there. But the kids are wanting to get their spring toys out now that the weather is nice. As she begins moving piles of clutter from one place to another to unearth Nicole’s bike, 3 year old Megan is having a hey-day in the piles of stuff on the garage floor. Eager to get on her old bike, Nicole starts digging through piles trying to find her bike helmet. Her search is unsuccessul and she begins whining about riding without it. Overwhelmed with the chaos and frustrated with the whining, Cindy loads all 3 kids in the car to go purchase a new helmet for Nicole.

The next weekend Mike is forced to tackle the “honeydo list” because Cindy’s extended family is coming over to celebrate Easter. Yes, it is finally time to get that entryway painted. Now where did he put those paint rollers and trays anyway? After digging around in the garage for 20 minutes trying to find the paint supplies, Mike heads out to the store to buy all new things.

Meanwhile,the kids are wanting to hide eggs and are asking Cindy for their Easter baskets. She knows they are in the garage somewhere but the thought of digging through the chaos is too daunting. Next time they are out, she’ll just buy new ones, again.

Mike and Cindy’s scenario is all too common in busy families today. With careful planning and organization, you can save time, money and, most of all, your sanity. Read on to see how cleaning out that garage can make life easier.

It is the beginning of March, time for Tracy to get out her spring decorations for her home. She goes into her garage and gets out the tub labeled “spring decorations” from the garagecabinet. Inside, she not only finds the decorations for her home but her children’s Easter baskets and leftover supplies like egg decorating kits and plastic eggs as well. The kids will be excited to play with their Easter baskets for the next couple of weeks.

Later in the week, Tracy begins planning their once-a-year family work day for the garage. She gets the children involved by allowing them to make signs to hang around the house detailing the time, date and goals of family work day. She also lets them pick out their own colored stickers to label their individual items for sale at their future garage sale.

Tracy and Kevin move the cars out of the garage and lay out several blankets on the driveway. Each blanket is designated “sell”, “toss”, “keep” and “move to another location.” Every year the family goes through everything in the garage evaluating if it is still needed and making sure it has a home. Allowing the children to have a say in where items are “housed” gives them more incentive to keep things in their place. They also work together to sweep, mop and maintain various areas of the garage. A spot is made to store the items designated for the garage sale which will take place in a couple of weeks. After a hard day’s work, the Tell’s celebrate by eating at a favorite restaurant and going out for ice cream.

Garage Organization Tips: • Make a list of all the problem areas in the garage. Try to figure out why the problem exists (ie The bikes are sprawled all over because there is not a place for them to hang or park).

• Plan a family work day to work on the garage together. Allow children to be involved in the decisions of where things should go and what things need to be kept.

• Use a peg board, garage grid or hooks to get tools and other items off the floor.

• Keep like items together. (ie All holiday decorations go in clear tubs together and all painting and maintenance supplies are together in a tub or on a shelf).

• Consider shelving or cabinets to store tubs of holiday decorations, seasonal toys, car washing supplies and other items.

• Look into overhead storage for storing bigger items such as camping equipment and luggage.

• If you own several large items like lawn mowers, wheel barrows and trimmers, a storage shed may be a good idea.

• Bike racks or hooks are a good place for storing bikes. Be sure to place a hook nearby to hang the helmet.

• Covering the floor with an epoxy coating helps keep things cleaner in the garage.

• Have a garage sale or donate to charity all items that haven’t been used in the last year.

• Help motivate kids to “let go” of outgrown toys and clothes by allowing them to keep the money made on their personal items at your garage sale.

• Don’t forget to empty out the garage and sort through items at least once a year to maintain a clean and organized garage.

Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the Phoenix area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Stewart