Garage Storage Systems Archives - Page 9 of 9

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.

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.

Home organization ideas from your garage organization expert

October 12, 2010 by Rick Scully

Congratulations. You survived September! The academic year is now in full swing and you’re back to shuffling the kids between school and extra-curricular activities. While proper garage storage will certainly help you and the family get in and out of the car more efficiently, organization inside your home is essential at this time of year.

Because we know how busy you are, we thought we’d point you to a few online sources so that you can stock up on handy storage bins and other great things from the comfort of your home! Check them out.

The catalogue for the last site (Solutions) is currently under construction but it’s a great store, so bookmark the site for a future visit.

In our next post, we’ll be offering a few tips on how to put some of the goodies you find to good use in your garage. Until then, stay organized!

Does your garage have a purpose?

August 19, 2010 by Rick Scully

Floor Cabinets - Garage When you ask the right questions, you’re more likely to find the right solutions. So, what can your garage do for you? If you don’t know, don’t read on. If, however, you believe your garage can protect your vehicle from the elements, not to mention vandalism, keep going.

Picking up where we left off last post, for weeks your garage has been a hard-to-navigate maze of bicycles, garden supplies and more. How do you restore order?

Purge! If you no longer need it, let it go. Give it to a neighbour, sell it at a yard sale, take it to a charity store, or, if it’s broken, send it straight to the dump.
Dispose! In the interest of safety and space, get rid of empty or near-empty containers of paint, pesticides, motor oil and other hazardous substances by following municipal guidelines.
Organize! With excess items removed, you’re ready to clear the floor by maximizing the walls and ceiling for storage. For some, a two-by-four and a nail work wonders but if you’re looking for a little more functionality, check out our selection of shelves and cabinets.
Park that car! It’s what your garage was designed for, after all!

Custom garage cabinets: what a difference a makeover makes

July 20, 2010 by Rick Scully

In our last post we compared the average garage to an oversized junk drawer. Serving as a catch-all for every item that doesn’t have a proper place, many garages are so disorganized, homeowners have to park their cars elsewhere!

Ken was highly organized in every area of his life and home – with the exception of his garage. He, his wife and two teenage kids are runners, skiers and bikers. Due to their active lifestyle, their garage was a high-traffic area, but it wasn’t working well.

Tired of coming home to the chaos day after day, Ken engaged us to create and install custom cabinetry to optimize garage storage and organization. Following an initial consultation, we designed a plan, Ken and his wife selected colours and hardware, and we got to work.

Today, large custom cabinetry accommodates patio cushions off-season. A locker houses ski equipment while bikes hang safely out of the way. Tools reside in a functioning work bench area and, most importantly, the car still fits!

As the after shot below shows, cabinets are an aesthetically pleasing method of garage storage and organization.

Check out our selection of cabinets here.

Garage storage system or oversized junk drawer? You choose.

July 6, 2010 by Rick Scully

If you’re like most homeowners, you probably have a junk drawer in your kitchen that houses all the twisty ties, rubber bands and other miscellaneous items you can’t find a better home for.

Chances are you also have a junk drawer that houses sports equipment, gardening gear, tools, bicycles, camping equipment and more. Granted, this junk drawer is much larger than the first. It’s big enough to house a car, in fact. Yes, I’m talking about your garage.

While few would consider tossing an expensive piece of jewellery into a messy kitchen drawer, most of us park our second most expensive asset amid total chaos, and dangerous chaos at that. Poorly stored garden rakes, skis, bikes, and more not only put your car at risk of dings and dents; they put your family at risk of injury.

In our next post, we share how custom garage cabinets helped one family bring order to their over-sized junk drawer. If you’re interested in doing the same, check out our products soon because we’ve decided to cover the HST on the first 25 garage makeovers we book following the release of this post!

Garage Wall Coverings: A Practical and Safe Way to Create Storage

June 15, 2010 by Rick Scully

Slatwalls Garage Organizing In the last post, we left you precariously hanging on the garage wall with a two-by-four, a nail and a pencil outline, waiting to fall on top of a car or a kid.

Not a good place to be.

Because not only is such a garage organizing system dangerous, but it doesn’t take advantage of the wide expanse of possible storage available to you on the garage wall.

And that’s where a slatwall system comes in handy. When you cover your garage wall with a slatwall system, you create an infinite number of storage combinations that use the space effectively – and more importantly – without risk of things crashing down on top of someone.

With a slatwall, you can create organized zones in your garage dedicated to specific tasks. Hang off season bikes up off the floor, suspend toxic substances out of reach of children.

And of course, secure dangerous tools to the wall without fear of them accidentally harming anyone or anything.

Want proof? Go check out our Transformations. You’ll be amazed at the difference.

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