Organizing Tips Archives - Page 3 of 6

Spring Cleaning

May 21, 2013 by Rick Scully

Over the winter months you likely don’t spend a lot of time in the garage. Your main goal is to get from the car into the warmth of the house as quickly as possible, or grab the skis or hockey equipment you need and go. Now the weather has finally warmed up, you might be a little more interested in spending time in the garage doing a little spring cleaning. But more than just a sweep and a mop, you need to switch around the winter stuff to make it easier to access gardening supplies and summer recreation equipment. If your garage is already organized, this becomes a much easier task.

The stage of life you are at will determine the level of organization and the type of garage storage you need. A couple with no kids around will have very different needs to a family with young children. Let’s explore some different scenarios:

The no-children or post-children-at-home couple

This is my situation now, and boy it sure makes a difference to the amount of clutter in our life. I’ve either given away or sold anything that I no longer need and there’s not a lot of new stuff coming in to be stored. I’ve organized my garage into zones for gardening supplies, seasonal decorations, car supplies and my golf clubs. When the season changes I just have to switch the things I’ll need to where I can find them easily. Slatwall with hooks and baskets makes this easy. And anything I won’t need for the next six months I can store away in overhead bins. I then just have to give the flooring a wash with soapy water and a mop and I’m done.

The family with growing children

This is the most challenging stage for garage organizing. There’s bikes of varying sizes, sports equipment, maybe some boxes of old clothes and toys, as well as gardening tools, car accessories and other treasures you just haven’t been able to part with. It’s time to take stock of what you need and what you can get rid of. A little cash to be earned from having a garage sale or listing items on Kijiji or Craigslist is a great motivator for kids to help sort through their stuff. Once you’ve gotten rid of what you no longer need, you can organize the rest. Hooks, baskets, overhead containers and bicycle racks make it easy. And before you store away the hockey equipment for the summer, treat it to a professional washing. Most sports stores offer this service, and you can also check out ProCleanGear and Fresh Gear for more information.

The family with aging parents and children away at university

They don’t call this the sandwich generation for nothing. In the garage, it can feel like your car and your stuff is literally sandwiched between your kids’ and your parents’ stored furniture. Granted, it’s difficult to part with furniture that has sentimental value – but there are solutions. Take an honest look and decide if you’ll really ever use it again. And ask your kids. Most of us gladly furnished our first homes with our parents’ old furniture, but today’s generation seems less willing to. Sell what you can and look for ways to re-purpose the rest. An old wooden coffee table or chair could have new life inside your house with a coat or paint or a faux finish.

No matter your age or stage of life, an organized garage can make spring-cleaning a simple task. For more ideas on how to create a garage that fits your life, have a look at my website.

Winter Toy Storage

January 22, 2013 by Rick Scully

In the great Canadian tradition of celebrating winter, sports equipment that lets you face the elements for pure fun is crucial. From toboggans and skis to snowshoes, snowboards and skates, there’s a range of winter toys that can enhance your family life when you’re surrounded by snow and ice.

The types and amounts of equipment families have stowed away generally depends on their children’s ages. When kids are little, toboggans, sleds, crazy carpets and flying saucers are in abundance. As they get a little older, skis become the most common.

Creating a proper storage solution for your skis, boots and poles is a simple way to protect your investment. The better you take care of them, the longer they’ll last. You could store your skis in the house but if they’re not properly dried out, you might end up with wet carpets or slippery floors. If they are hung on hooks inside the garage, drips won’t matter. Wherever you decide to put them, the best reason to have a designated space is so you won’t have to look around to find everything when the snow beckons.

Hockey gear is another type of sports equipment that can be found in abundance in many households. Ideally, if you insist on bringing your hockey equipment into the house, the ripened under armour, long johns, socks and jerseys would immediately find their way into the washing machine while the pads, pants and gloves would dry out on a laundry rack. But since late-night ice times are very common, most of the time after the game is over, the sweaty gear gets taken inside the house and dumped in the basement. Admit it, you’ve done it at least once.

There is a middle ground. As long as you take your under gear inside, skates, sticks, helmets and pads can be dried out in the garage so the musk doesn’t infiltrate the house and potentially aggravate your housemates. True, your gear will be cooler when you put it into the bag, but by the time you arrive at the rink, it’s more than likely warmed up. And if you’re playing on a year-round league, for three seasons it’s not even a factor.

One family I worked with didn’t want their young boys bringing their hockey gear into the house. The optimal solution was to build a locker in the garage for them to hang their skates, pants, gloves and pads using a combination of baskets, shelves and hooks mounted to an end wall. All the washable stuff went inside with the kids for proper clean up.

Winter is an amazing time of the year. An organized garage where you can protect your car from the elements, while also accessing everything you need to play in the snow, makes it that much better.

Depending on your budget, needs and taste, I can recommend the perfect cabinets and garage storage systems to accommodate all the athletes in your house. Our suppliers Hercke, Onex and CTECH offer higher quality and more adaptable products than the typical garage cabinets found in big box stores. Or if you’d like to discuss a custom storage system for your family’s specific activities which can be a better fit as well as cost effective, I can assist you with a solution to make it easy for everyone to use your garage in a way that fits the lifestyle.

Resolutions / Get Organized

January 15, 2013 by Rick Scully

Garage Tailors Year Resolutions

It’s a new year and like many people, you’ve probably made, or are considering making, resolutions. Over the holidays, I did an unscientific survey of my family, friends and associates and confirmed some long-held assumptions – the most common resolutions are joining the gym, quitting smoking, eating better and getting organized. While the first three are out of my purview, in terms of getting organized, I can offer a lot more than moral support.

The trick behind getting organized is picking a reasonable objective. Blanket statements like, “I want to organize my life,” can be daunting. It’s like going to the gym for the first time in two years and insisting on 30 minutes on the Stairmaster. In theory it might seem like a good idea, but you’ll soon realize incremental steps are the best, and least painful, approach. That’s why I like projects that are SMAC – specific, measurable, achievable and compatible.

When it comes to getting your garage organized, it may seem like a big endeavour, but if you follow my three steps to ideal organization, it’s a lot easier than you think. And the results of a clean, tidy, organized garage are well worth the effort because it saves time and aggravation in the longrun.

1. Get rid of stuff you don’t want or need.

Purging is the hardest part, especially with things you’ve had for a long time. The garage tends to be the dumping ground for things in the house without a real home. Really consider if you need it or are hanging onto it for sentimental reasons. I call this “just in case syndrome.” Remember your objective and ultimate resolution to get organized. When you’re clearing your closets, you don’t want to look at the skirt or jacket that’s been hanging there for the past three years and say, “I might need it.” It’s the same in the garage. Be focused and ruthless.

You’ll be amazed how rewarding it is to give old bikes to programs that repair and recycle them, or if you have a variety of stuff, you can save it for a spring garage sale.

2. Divide your stuff into manageable chunks.

Separate items by category like gardening supplies, power tools, sporting goods and automotive products.

3. Now organize your things according to themes, seasons or the way it’s used, similar to the way you’d group cutlery, dishes, baking accessories and food in the kitchen cupboards and drawers.

Items that only are only accessed once a year like Halloween or Christmas decorations don’t need priority placement in the garage. Shovels, ice melting products and antifreeze are items you require frequently, so they should be stored in an easy to reach, logical spot.

The idea is you shouldn’t have to think a lot when you’re looking for something in the garage or anywhere else. It should be intuitive.

After purging and organizing everything in the garage, you might wonder how the standard four walls and minimal storage options can effectively make a home for everything. With a well-designed garage that’s custom tailored to your lifestyle needs, you’ll be able to sustain your organizing efforts and the garage will no longer be the dumping ground for clutter.

So if you’ve resolved to get finally get things organized in 2013, I welcome you to call me for a free in-home consultation on how you can take your garage to the next level.

Hercke Cabinets

October 9, 2012 by Rick Scully

Designs That Let You Put Things Away in Style

It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. Consequently some of the most useful products are designed for very specific situations and requirements. But that doesn’t mean these solutions can’t look terrific too, which is why when people are interested in efficient and great-looking garage organization solutions, I’m happy to suggest three different lines of cabinets – Hercke, Onex and Ctech. All of the products that Garage Tailors Garage carries and recommends for garage transformations are highly functional and have specialized features that will appeal to various needs, priorities and budgets. Over the next few months, I’ll get into more specific details about the unique features of each product, but this month I’m going to focus on Hercke.

As the operator of an independent business, I have the luxury of choosing the suppliers and products I believe in and Hercke’s modular system is durable, functional and attractive. It’s one of my favourite storage solution systems because in addition to good design and adaptability, dollar for dollar it’s a sturdier, higher quality product than similar systems offered by home improvement retailers.

Is there a gauge distinction between big box cabinets and these?
The fully lockable system includes 30-inch wide steel cabinets with black cases and black shelves. They can be personalized with stainless steel or powder grey fronts that work extremely well in a garage storage setting and can also be utilized in other areas of your home for storage system continuity. Another key feature is they have scalable legs, which ensure that the cabinets can be levelly installed to retain their integrity even with the 5% grade slant on garage floors, a building code requirement that ensures proper water run-off.

Hercke cabinets work effectively because their storage and organization system was created by homeowners with needs that are likely quite similar to yours. The company was founded by the husband and wife team of Tom and Katy Van Hercke when they were unable to find adequate storage solutions to keep power tools out of the reach of their two young children and Katy wanted to store some over-sized platters and trays in the kitchen. Their breakthrough was developing a system that was functional in the garage or basement, but also flexible and attractive for other areas of the home including the kitchen, laundry room, office or playroom. The other important component was they wanted the design to be appealing for both men and women. It is. And that kind of aesthetic appeal and continuity is handy to get consensus on a project like transforming the chaos of your garage into an attractive place of highly organized storage, safety and efficiency.

As a consumer, you have a is a range of options, but I believe that customized Hercke cabinets are a far better value and long-term investment than a lot of lower priced, and consequently lower quality substitutes out there. Plus, Garage Tailors Garage offers full-service transformations from the design and sourcing through installation that can be completed in a few days once specialty orders have been placed. For a consultation and estimate, give me a call.

Maximize the Effectiveness of Your Garage Sale

August 21, 2012 by Rick Scully

When people embark on a garage transformation, the question they’re faced with is “How do I make room for the cars and get rid of the mess?” In a previous blog post, seasonal garage anxiety disorder, I discussed an easy way to sort through the clutter. A lot of what you’re storing may not be of use to you, but it may be useful to someone else.

A garage sale can be an effective way to sell some of the stuff that’s in your garage and generate some money to put towards your transformation, but it has to be done right! Here are some tips on holding an successful garage sale:

Before the sale:

Advertise. Keep the posters simple with your address, dates and times. Many realtors will have signs they’ll loan out that you can prop up around the neighbourhood to direct traffic, but you can also put posters up on lamp posts. Don’t discount an ad in the paper – many people still check the local newspaper for garage sale listings.
Price your items in advance and keep the prices realistic. Often people think their stuff is more valuable than it is. The people that go to garage sales are mostly bargain hunters. For things that are clean and in good shape, try pricing it at about a fifth of retail value. If it’s new or almost new, the piece could command a third. Repair something if it needs it. Wash it if it’s dirty.
If you’re unsure about an older appliance or baby product, check with Health Canada’s Product Recalls
Be prepared for early birds who will arrive before the scheduled opening time!

During the sale

Be friendly. Nobody likes a silent shopkeeper.
Have lots of change ready (10 fives, one roll each of quarters, loonies and toonies should do).
Don’t use a cashbox, it’s too easy to forget. A money belt or fanny pack is better.
Designate one person as the cashier, that way there’s no confusion over what’s been sold and for how much.
Selling electronics? Make it easy for people to test these items by having an extension cord or putting in fresh batteries.

Exit Strategy

In the early afternoon, start reducing prices.
Have a plan for the items that go unsold. You can drop them off at a charity at the end of the day (some will do a pick up).

You’ve now freed up space in your garage, gotten rid of the clutter that’s been holding you back and the garage is now ready to do the job it was designed to do.

Are you using your space efficiently?

February 8, 2012 by Rick Scully

No matter what the size of our home is, most of us feel as though we could use more space: an extra bedroom, a home office, or just more storage.

The question we really need to answer: Are we using the space as efficiently as possible? Judging from the garages and basements I’ve seen, that answer is a resounding “No!”

The two most common rooms I see wasted are garages and basements. When I see a home with a disorganized garage, I’d bet that the basement is just as cluttered. In most cases, the problem isn’t lack of space, people simply aren’t taking advantage of all the space they already have.

In previous blog posts, we’ve talked about how to declutter your garage (keep, donate, toss) but this also applies to basements.

How are the basement and the garage connected? Once the garage has been cleared of everything that’s unnecessary, and shelving, cabinets and overhead storage has been added, it can create room to store more in the garage, including some of what is currently in other parts of your house, such as your basement.

Emptying your basement of unnecessary items leaves you valuable internal space for better use. People have converted their basement into a home theatre, guest room, home office, game room, even an art studio. One recent client was clearing out the basement to create a nanny suite.

Regardless of how you plan to use your basement, if it’s full of stuff you no longer use or need, now is the right time to be thinking about decluttering and getting your storage spaces organized so you can take advantage of all the space you have and use your home the way you’d like to use it!

Five Common Mistakes DIYers Make when Renovating their Garage

December 6, 2011 by Rick Scully

As Canadians, we’re a culture that places emphasis on value, and nobody wants to spend money they don’t have to. Unfortunately, sometimes we cut corners and do something ourselves when it would make more sense to hire a professional.

There are risks when undertaking a construction project of any magnitude and a garage renovation is no different. There are many things to take into consideration including space planning, materials, aesthetics and, depending on the level of the renovation, building codes.

To ensure you get the results you want, you need to do some research beforehand. Using the wrong materials can result in not just substandard results but increased costs when the job has to be redone!

Here are the most common DIY mistakes I see:

Using Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) slat wall

Many people purchase MDF slatwall because it’s available at retail stores and at first glance, it looks like what the professionals use. Don’t be fooled, though. MDF is not nearly as strong as professional grade slatwall and it’s susceptible to moisture, which means that not long after it’s installed, things are going to start falling off the wall.

Commercial grade slatwall is made of thermoplastic, so it’s stronger, waterproof and mildew proof. You can find this slatwall, but it’s a little trickier to install. If your garage is drywalled, you have to make sure you’re screwing it into a stud. If your garage is concrete, it can be difficult and messy to attach it directly and if you’re using a tapcon screw, you can warp the slatwall.

Garage Door Openers hooked up to an extension cord

One thing I see over and over are extension cords snaked along the top of a garage for the garage door opener. According to Ontario Building Code, your garage door opener has to be plugged directly into an outlet – and not an extension cord. Newer homes may have an existing ceiling outlet, but if you are in an older home, call in an electrician.

Improperly preparing the floor for paint

There are special paints available for garage floors, designed to withstand heavy use. However, it’s not enough to simply wash the floor – it has to be grinded for the paint to adhere, similar to sanding a piece of furniture that you’re painting. If the surface isn’t prepared properly, the paint will peel off in no time.

Undersupported overhead shelving

The typical DIY overhead shelving I see isn’t properly supported. People may build a wall-to-wall shelf and use a floor support that not only blocks room for one of the cars, but isn’t enough support, resulting in a sagging shelf. Another issue is using plywood that’s not thick enough – it needs to be at least ¾ inch.

If space is an issue, the shelf can be supported from above. We have used airplane wire to hang shelves, which is just as strong as a ground support.

Not taking advantage of all the space available

People often forget about the space overhead. Either they don’t see it or they see it and don’t want to do it. The space that people often miss is above the garage door. This space is valuable because it’s out of the way. As long as there’s enough clearance, you can store things you don’t want to see.

If you’ve chosen to undertake your own renovation, make sure to do your research. If you think you want to use a professional, please give us a call at 647-346-8735 for a free estimate.

What to Expect When You’re Organizing Your Garage

November 22, 2011 by Rick Scully

In the last several blog entries, we discussed clearing the clutter out of your garage. In today’s blog, you’re going to find out about the process of a garage transformation, getting an estimate and what questions you should be prepared for.

When I’m called in, the decluttering should be nearly complete. Only the stuff you want to keep should be in the garage. When we can see the space we’re working with, it makes planning a whole lot easier.

You may also find that there’s stuff in the house such as seasonal decorations that you’d like to store in the garage as well as boxed items like clothes, or tools that are currently in the basement.

Some people have a good idea of what they want or need, such as shelves for storage, tools they want to hang on the wall, cabinets to keep things out of the way. Most people show me what they want to store and ask for recommendations.

The main questions I need answered are:

What’s your objective?
What do you want the garage to do that it’s not doing today?
How many cars do you want to fit in the garage?

The answers to these questions and the initial visit can last up to an hour. I get a sense of how the client lives and what they are looking for. I try and understand their aesthetic priorities versus their functional needs.

Some people like to be able to see everything at a glance. In this case it could be mostly hooks and shelves. Other people are a little messy, and I understand that. Cabinets are great for hiding messes, as well as keeping things like chemicals out of the reach of small hands, for people who have kids.

Within two days of the visit, I’ll send a detailed drawing, proposal and itemized estimate. It’s not something I can do on the spot as each job is custom, which is one of the benefits of using Garage TailorsGarage.

The transformation can be done in as little as two days, if all we’re doing is getting the garage organized. If we’re drywalling, that will add another two days and flooring will add a day.

Once you’ve had a chance to look over the proposal and estimate, you have a chance to ask any questions you might have, give me additional suggestions and make the decision to move forward and have the garage that you’ve always wanted.

Garage Organization Ideas: Tips on Storage of Large Items

November 3, 2011 by Rick Scully

So far, we’ve discussed the motivation to clean out the garage and how to get started. Now that the clutter is out of the garage, garbage has been taken away and non-essentials donated or sold, we’re left organizing everything we want to keep.

Our main goal is to create a space for everything so it can be found easily. In order to accomplish this, we have to maximize all the space available – walls, floor and even the ceiling.

It makes sense to think about the large items first. Tires take up a lot of space. There may be one extra set or two, but either way, they can occupy a lot of real estate.

Depending on the height of the garage, a storage system can be set up overhead to hold them. However, not everybody is comfortable pulling four forty pound tires down, so the floor is an option. In this case, I recommend storing them along the back wall or in a corner as that’s often dead space.

Other large items are garbage and recycling bins. Because they’re used so frequently, they need a spot where they can be securely stored but easily accessed. Depending on the size of your garage, they may be at the back of the garage under a shelf or by the side at the front.

Large tools such as rakes and snow shovels can be hung on the wall. Something as simple as 2×4 pieces of lumber affixed to your walls will work. Just add long nails or screws and you’ll be able to hang most tools. You may also consider a wall organizer which gives you more storage and will hold heavier items as well, including your lawn mower!

Did you know that more people decorate their homes for Halloween than for Christmas? Even though the box of decorations is only used for one month a year, it makes sense to clearly label the container and have it within easy reach.

There are shelving systems available for these boxes as well as cleaning products, tools that can’t be hung and anything else you want to store in your garage.

If you need help organizing your garage, please check out our products page for ideas. We are always available to come to your home for a no cost or obligation estimate. We can take care of everything from the removal of junk, hazardous chemicals and reusable items, to the storage of items that need to remain. Let us know what you need, or want, and together work out how we can help you.

Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder: Getting Started

October 25, 2011 by Rick Scully

Last time, we discussed Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder and how to cope with it. Today, we’re going to prepare you to start your garage cleanup.

Remind yourself why you’re doing this. There are probably tools, seasonal decorations or other items that you know are in your garage, but you just can’t find them. Maybe a paint can spilled or things are piled so high there’s a risk of something falling.

Sometimes when we can’t find something, we replace it. Don’t be surprised if you end up with multiple sets of tools, weed whackers, etc. When you have proper storage systems with slatwall hooks for tools and equipment, you won’t be spending money on things you don’t need because you’ll be able to find everything you have.

Here are some things you can think about when you’re preparing to attack the clutter in the garage:

First, plan to dedicate an entire day for this and get members of the household on board.

Second, before you start removing items, designate areas for three categories: Keep it, donate it, toss it.

Be prepared to experience emotional attachments to some of the things you find. This is where a family member can help you decide – if you’re not putting it to use, it’s best given to someone else.

I have three basic rules:

If it can’t be used, or has no value, toss it.
If you no longer need it, or plan to use it, give it away or sell it.
If you need it and use it, keep it.

Tip: Half-full cans of paint can be taken to Rona. If you’re throwing out a lot, you can take it to a dump yourself, or call a company like 1-800-Got-Junk.

Once the garage has been purged, it’s time to get organized. We want to maximize the space we’ve got on the floors, walls and overhead. Stay tuned for the next blog.

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