Rick Scully, Author at Garage Tailors

Plan your Garage and Backyard Makeovers Now

March 8, 2011 by Rick Scully

The end-of-winter countdown has begun, and while I don’t mean to wish spring away before it’s arrived, I’m going to ask you to turn your thoughts to summer for a moment.

Summer is when you get to spend the most time enjoying your outdoor space. Consequently, it’s when you tend to spot the big jobs that need doing. The fence that needs fixing, the deck that needs building, the stones that need laying – for some reason they all come to mind when you’re sipping ice cold beers on hot July days. The problem is this: By July, the contractors you need to hire are already booked for the season, which means you have to wait yet another year for that dream backyard.

If you want your outdoor dreams turned into a reality before next winter comes around, start contacting fencing companies, landscape artists and other outdoor contractors for quotes right away – and commit fast. Their schedules book up quickly.

Speaking of schedules, we’d love to work your free garage storage consultation into ours. If enhancing your outdoor world includes giving your garage a spring makeover, we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Take advantage of garage storage space this winter

February 22, 2011 by Rick Scully

Tired of trying to keep all those scarves, mittens and other winter items organized? We hear you. Just because you’ve battled through the first half of winter doesn’t mean you have to battle through the second. With several more weeks to go, it’s worth taking a couple of hours to get organized.

If your hallway closet is overrun with winter coats and snow pants, make room by removing fall and spring items. You won’t be needing those for a while so pack them into airtight containers, and store them in your garage for now. Once you’ve freed up a few inches of rail space in your closet, insert a multi-shelf canvass organizer like this six-shelf hold-all, and allocate one compartment to each family member for hats and gloves, etc.

Looking for other ways to lighten your winter load? If you find yourself washing your entranceway or mudroom floor every day, buy a large, forgiving mat – one that camouflages winter’s debris. Sure, big black mats may not be beautiful, but they’re a whole lot prettier than salt-stained, slushy tiles, and request much less maintenance!

For more ideas and solutions for your home, check out the National Home Show from February 18 to 27, 2011. Come browse products from more than 700 retailers, and get help from celebrity and industry experts, including Garage Tailors Garage at booth 2044. Hope to see you there!

Green de-icing tips from your garage storage expert

February 8, 2011 by Rick Scully

Salt tends to be the go-to solution when it comes to de-icing sidewalks, but you may be protecting your hips at the cost of the environment. As a de-icer, salt isn’t very eco-friendly. Want to go green?

Remove snow from your sidewalk as soon after a snowfall as possible, preferably using a shovel. The sooner you remove it, the less de-icing you’ll have to do. While a snow blower may handle the removal job more efficiently than a shovel, keep in mind that using one completely defeats your environmental intentions!

For traction, sprinkle some birdseed on your freshly cleared sidewalk. As this is a rather costly approach, limit it to small paths only – and don’t sprinkle seeds on the road as this will put hungry little birds in danger.

Looking for a cost-effective solution that allows you to de-ice the parking pad outside your garage, as well as other large areas? Visit your grocery store or local hardware store and ask about non-toxic alternatives that don’t have the same harmful side effects as rock salt.

While we’re on the subject of ice, if you missed last month’s post on how to prevent your garage door from freezing, check it out here.

How to prevent garage and car doors from freezing

January 17, 2011 by Rick Scully

It’s a bitter cold day and you’re running late for work when you discover your garage door is frozen shut. In your haste, you’re forced to tug at the door manually, which aside from being hard work can actually damage the door’s rubber seal.

We specialize in garage storage, not garage doors, but this much we know: the solution to a frozen garage door is prevention.

Keep the area where your garage door meets your garage floor completely clear of snow and ice. Sprinkle a little table salt over the entire length of this meeting point to prevent the rubber seal from freezing to the ground in the event any moisture freezes over. One treatment won’t last all winter, so store a tub of table salt in your garage for easy access, and reapply salt from time to time.

While we’re on the subject of frozen doors, you may also want to spray your car doors and trunk hinges with WD-40. Using the WD-40 straw, give the locks a liberal dose, too. Reapply periodically. While this will minimize chances of freezing, it’s no guarantee, so keep a small bottle of de-icer on you at all times.

Best of luck!

Storage tips for seasonal items

January 3, 2011 by Rick Scully

Happy new year from your friends at Garage Tailors Garage!

Regardless of whether or not better home organization is one of your new year’s resolutions, you might benefit from a few cleanup tips before you put away your holiday decorations. Why? Because approximately 335 days from now you’ll be looking high and low for that red-nosed reindeer tree ornament, and it shouldn’t take you three hours to find.

Tip 1: Before you put your decorations away, take a closer look at the items you chose not to display this year. Why didn’t you put them out? If they aren’t attractive or sentimental, take them to a charity shop so that someone else can enjoy them.

Tip 2: Next year, when you’re looking for the advent calendar your little one wants you to hang up NOW, you’ll wish you’d labelled those storage boxes with more than the word CHRISTMAS! The more specific you can be with your labelling, the quicker you’ll find what you’re after. For example:

Box 1: Tree lights, tree decorations, tree skirt, Christmas stockings

Box 2: Staircase and mantel garlands

Box 3: Card tree, candle holders and other fragile non-hanging ornaments

Tip 3: Christmas decorations (and other seasonal decorations, for that matter) are ideal for garage storage as you reach for them so infrequently. Given how light and easy to handle they tend to be, store them up high in your garage to free up lower storage space for heavier, trickier items.

Out of space in your garage? We can help you make room. Contact us to schedule a free in-home consultation.

The key to better looking garage floors

December 21, 2010 by Rick Scully

The appearance of winter’s snow, slush and salt make unsightly garage floors a whole lot harder to ignore. Unfortunately, you can’t do much about the elements, but you can certainly improve the look of your garage floor with the right garage flooring solution.

The Polyguard Polyaspartic One Day Flooring System comes in a range of colours so you get to choose just how camouflaged winter’s debris becomes! You’ll be glad to know that this system also protects concrete floors from corrosive elements including the season’s biggest culprit – salt.

Modular Interlocking Floor Tiles are another great option that allow you to maintain a clean garage floor year-round without too much labour. Made from rugged and resilient PVC, this system is great for hiding existing unsightly stains and minor cracks in your concrete floor. When the tiles start to look a little grubby, simply hose off or power wash. You’ll have them squeaky clean in no time.

Both of these flooring options involve a pretty quick installation process that can be carried out any time of year. If you need a hand deciding which garage flooring solution is right for you, give us a call. We carry them both, and we’d be glad to answer any questions.

Is your garage ready for winter?

December 7, 2010 by Rick Scully

In September, I came across an article in The Globe & Mail that featured seven tips on how to prepare your property for winter. Back then I was in denial. I didn’t want to contemplate winter’s wrath, but the season is now officially upon us and I’m finally ready to share.

The maintenance suggestions were provided by Ontario-based home inspector Roger Frost. You’d be wise to apply at least half of them to your garage as well as your home. Got a few minutes? Check out the full article here. Pressed for time? Here are a few highlights:

Caulk windows on the outside, and check sills and frames for cracks.
Store patio furniture in a dry area to prevent rust and mildew. Remember, we’ve got garage storage solutions if you need them.
Service your furnace ASAP. If you wait until it’s freezing outside to discover a problem, you’ll end up paying high emergency service fees.
To prevent cracking and sagging, fill gaps in your home’s exterior, including your asphalt driveway, patio and wood deck.
Inspect the roof. Check flashing and shingles for potential water entry points.
Shut off water supply taps and lines from inside the home to prevent components from freezing.
Inspect your fireplace. Clean debris from the rain cap on your chimney and check for gaps and cracks.

If you have any questions regarding winter maintenance of your garage, feel free to drop us a line.

Looking for a professional organizer?

November 23, 2010 by Rick Scully

In my last post, I suggested hiring a professional organizer to help get your home in shape in time for the holidays. Since writing that post, I’ve come across a couple of online resources I wanted to share. The first is www.organizersincanada.com. This site is the home of POC – Professional Organizers in Canada. Go there and you’ll be able to search for a local professional based on your own criteria. You’ll also quickly realize you’re not the only one who needs help. There’s good reason this industry is thriving!

If you’re in the Toronto area, you might want to check out Organized Zone Inc. It’s owned and operated by Brenda Bernstein, a professional organizer I had the pleasure of meeting not too long ago. As her tagline clearly states, Brenda does for homes what Garage TailorsGarage does for garages: “We transform cluttered life and space into functional order.”

After we met, I took a look at Brenda’s website and found a number of articles that I thought you might find helpful, including “How to clean out your closet,” “Calling all Shopaholics,” and “Does clutter-free living really exist?” I also noticed she’s offering a pretty good discount on on-site consultations at the moment.

Want home storage solutions or help organizing your office? Try Brenda or one of her industry peers. Want garage storage solutions? Remember, Garage Tailors Garage is still the expert to call!

Get organized before the holiday season hits!

November 9, 2010 by Rick Scully

Our customers are often so pleased with the order we bring to their garages, they’ll ask us if we’re willing to tackle the inside of their homes, too – especially in December, when they find themselves rushing around madly to prepare for holiday guests! Unfortunately, we’re unable to oblige them. There are simply too many garages in need of storage solutions, cabinets and more. Thankfully, though, there are plenty of professional organizers willing to help you transform that make-shift storage room back into a guest room before Aunt Mary and Uncle Jim show up in their Santa hats.

When choosing an organizer, keep in mind that the person you hire will be working very closely with you, your family and your most personal belongings, so it’s important to make sure the fit is a comfortable one. As you shop around, ask these questions:

How long have you been in the business?
What’s your fee structure?
Do you offer any follow-up support?
Are you available for telephone consulting?
Can you provide the contact information for three local references?

Once you’ve found a professional who can answer all of these questions to your satisfaction, I say simplify your life. Let the experts go forth and conquer on your behalf!

Does chaos lurk behind the doors of your garage cabinets?

October 21, 2010 by Rick Scully

In our last post, we pointed you to online stores that sell organizational solutions. Boxes, containers and bins, oh my. The assortment is so extensive, it’s almost hard to excuse a disorganized home or garage!

At Garage Tailors Garage, we specialize in custom floor and wall cabinets, among other things. While our cabinets can certainly bring order to your garage, there’s plenty of opportunity for chaos behind closed doors. Use the solutions you find online to keep awkward items, including the following, neatly arranged on your cabinet shelves:

screws, washers, nuts and bolts
paint brushes and other paint supplies
sandpaper and small tools
string, rope and bungee cords
hose and sprinkler attachments
golf balls and tennis balls – every garage has some!

While labelling will help you quickly find what you’re looking for, you can skip this step by opting for clear containers to begin with. Don’t have any garage cabinets to organize? Check out our products page to find out what you’re missing.

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