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5 Tips for Squeezing Extra Storage Space Out of Your Garage

October 4, 2016 by Rick Scully

Your garage is stuffed to the max and you don’t think you can squeeze one more thing inside—including your vehicle. With cold weather on the horizon, it would be great to find space to store everything you need in your garage and still have room to park your car inside.

If your garage is like most, there’s a good chance you can maximize your garage storage space with a just a little creativity and the right tools. Let’s review five tips for squeezing extra storage space out of your garage.

Go Vertical

A garage–consisting of three blank walls and a door—lacks the built-in storage options found inside your home. Without storage options, we resort to stacking items on the floor along the perimeter of the garage. Only, this gives us a limited amount of space.

Once the perimeter space is taken, clutter marches toward the center of the garage. Before we realize it, the garage has been consumed by chaos, and we’re no longer able to park our vehicle(s) inside.

The key to maximizing storage while conserving vehicle parking space is moving storage off the floor. Instead, utilize the most plentiful area by storing items along garage walls.

Install a Garage Wall Organization System

Storing things along the wall makes sense, but you’re probably not thrilled about the idea of randomly hanging items all over your garage walls. Neither are we. Without a real system, randomly hanging items could leave you with a chaotic look and lots of unnecessary holes in the walls.

Instead, we recommend using a garage wall organization system. Comprised of sturdy PVC panels that come in a variety of neutral colors, this system will be your new best friend. The beauty of these panels is their flexibility. Each panel has slots which accommodate corresponding storage accessories. This includes a wide range of camlock hooks, shelves, baskets and specialized hooks.

Sturdy, lockable hooks and baskets stay put and are strong enough to hold heavy items. Rugged baskets and shelves come in multiple sizes, making it easy to find the right basket or shelf for the job. The system is scalable (start with one or two panels and expand later) and flexible enough to meet your family’s changing needs throughout the year. Just unlock baskets and hooks and take them down or move them elsewhere when the need arises.

Put Overhead Space to Work

For additional storage space that is easily overlooked, just look up. The overhead space in a garage is rarely considered usable space. However, with the right tools, overhead space can provide a wealth of additional storage space.

When installed by a knowledgeable, professional garage renovation expert, overhead garage storage racks provide a sturdy, safe place to store items seldom used. Accessible by step ladder, these racks are an ideal place to store seasonal items like holiday decorations.

Combine overhead racks with plastic totes and you’ll be able to safely store lots of items that are commandeering space in your garage. Overhead racks are also ideal for storing bulky items that take up a lot of space. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to be able to carry the items safely up and down the step ladder to access them.

Rack ‘Em Up

There are a variety of specialized storage racks that can help you maximize storage in your garage. Overhead or wall bicycle racks allow you to store several bikes with limited or zero floor space. Hydraulic lifts can suspend lawn mowers, snow blowers or motorcycles, providing space underneath to park your vehicle.

Snow tires, kayaks, snowboards, skis and rooftop sports equipment racks can all be stored overhead. Specialized racks get the items off the garage floor, yet make them easily accessible when needed.

Unique Solutions for Unique Spaces

Perhaps your garage has an odd configuration, a recessed wall or obstacles like a central vacuum cleaner to contend with. A professional garage renovation expert can assess the space with your family’s needs in mind and create a made-to-measure storage solution just for you.

Unique, custom storage solutions can range from made-to-measure shelving to accommodate tight spaces or a curved wall; an overhead sling to store a canoe or other sports equipment; or a custom-built mezzanine to take advantage of a tall garage ceiling.

Your garage contains a fixed amount of space. However, creative solutions and the right tools can help you wring every bit of available storage space from your garage.

Hanging items on the walls reserves precious floor space. A garage wall organization system is scalable and flexible enough to accommodate your family’s changing storage needs. Overhead space can provide a treasure trove of storage for seasonal items. Specialized racks allow you to store several items in the space of one or without using any floor space at all. Made-to-measure storage solutions provide extra storage even in the tiniest of garages.

Ready to squeeze the maximum storage from your garage? Request a free, in-house consultation.

Creative Solutions for Storing Sporting Goods in Your Garage

June 17, 2014 by Rick Scully

The change of season presents a challenge when it comes to garage storage. Last time we talked about creative solutions for bike storage. However, now that it’s officially summer, the bikes probably aren’t the only sports equipment taking over your garage.

Balls, bats, knee pads and helmets abound. Yet, you can never find the piece of equipment you need. The absence of designated storage space is usually the culprit.

Most homeowners want an organized garage with designated space for everything. However, in a typical garage consisting of three blank walls, it’s tough to accomplish. That’s where a garage renovation specialist can be invaluable.

A garage renovation specialist will help you determine your family’s storage needs now and in the future, based on your lifestyle. Your garage design pro can devise a plan that fits the way you live and then make those plans a reality.

Let’s explore storage options available for the sports equipment you use throughout the year.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Every sport has a variety of required accessories. Some are small, making them easier to store. Unfortunately, it also makes them easier to lose. Ever spent an afternoon hunting down a pair of shin guards or someone’s “lucky” ball? Have you ever purchased a second (or third) pair of baseball gloves because the first pair went missing? It’s a common occurrence. Yet, there’s a better way.

Garage Tailors Garage uses a professional-grade garage wall organization system to maximize storage space. Strong, durable, grooved slatwall panels are the basis for the wall organization system. Since this grade of slatwall is waterproof as well as mold and mildew-resistant, it’s tough enough to weather Canada’s four seasons. Slatwall panels are installed on the existing wall. They can even be installed over a concrete or brick surface. Camlock hooks, wire baskets, specialty racks and shelving in a variety of sizes can be inserted into the grooves. This makes the system highly configurable.

A basket can be installed on a back wall for storing balls and other items. Since the slatwall accessories are easily interchangeable, you can dedicate a basket to a single sport and/or individual. For instance, the baseball basket takes the primary position during baseball season. In winter, shift this basket to a more obscure location and put the ski accessory basket front and center.

Skateboards, Scooters, Skis and More…Oh my!

What about storage options for items too big to fit neatly in wire baskets? Skateboards, scooters, baseball bats, lacrosse sticks, rollerblades and other sports equipment cause a tripping hazard when strewn carelessly in the garage. These items also need designated storage space.

The flexibility and configurability of slatwall makes storing these items simple. Skateboards can be suspended from their wheels flat against the wall or hung horizontally. Scooters, hung by their handlebars, can lay flat against the wall. Baseball bats, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, rollerblades and anything with a hole or a straight edge can easily hang from lockable Camlock hooks secured to the slatwall. Specialized accessories make it easy to hang snowboards and other items.

Golf equipment can be secured against slatwall, too. Camlock lockable hooks are sturdy enough to support heavy golf bags and other sports equipment. Not keen on the idea of your beloved golf clubs and bag being suspended from a hook? Consider adding a lockable golf cabinet where your golf equipment and shoes can be securely stored.

Large Item Storage That Won’t Rock the Boat

Large sporting goods like kayaks, paddle boards and roof racks designed for carrying bike and ski equipment require lots of real estate in your garage. Their size, coupled with their limited, seasonal use make them excellent candidates for overhead storage.

High garage ceilings have lots of wasted space which can easily be converted to make room for storing kayaks, canoes, roof racks and paddle boards. Your garage designer can build a sturdy sling for these specialized items which will allow you to raise and lower them whenever needed.

Overhead storage is ideal during the winter months when kayaks and canoes aren’t in use. However, during the summer season, when these items see frequent use, kayaks and canoes can be secured to slatwall using specialty hooks and accessories.

A garage wall storage system that uses slatwall as its base is highly versatile and can be configured to accommodate your active lifestyle during any season of the year.

The space in your garage is limited. Still, the storage capacity of any garage can be increased with an organizational plan that’s designed to fit your family’s unique needs. Garage Tailors Garage sells a professional-grade slatwall organization system for do-it-yourselfers who prefer to tackle their own installation. However, we specialize in full-service garage transformations.

Tired of sifting through a jumble of sports equipment in your garage? Contact a garage renovation specialist to discover creative ways to store your sports equipment.

Reclaim Your Garage with Creative Bike Storage Solutions

June 3, 2014 by Rick Scully

Summer hasn’t officially begun and already you find yourself climbing over bicycles to get into the house. Worse, perhaps you’ve run over a bicycle left in the driveway.

It’s difficult to find room in the typical garage for everything your family needs to store. No wonder homeowners often surrender the garage to their kids’ bikes during the summer months. However, surrender isn’t the only option. An organized garage that can accommodate your active family and your vehicles is possible.

The storage capacity of any garage can be increased. However, your family’s lifestyle dictates your storage needs. So the first step to finding the right bike storage solution for you is to assess your family’s overall needs.

Determining Your Family’s Needs

In addition to parking your vehicles and safely storing the family’s bikes, you might also require space for tools and gardening utensils. Perhaps you’d like a workbench or space to store the kayak you’ve always wanted. Your garage renovation plan should accommodate all of these factors. If that seems overwhelming, consider hiring a garage renovation specialist to devise and execute your plan.

Once you’ve got the complete plan in mind, it’s time to choose a bike storage option that works for your family’s lifestyle. Let’s review three possible storage solutions to see which one will work best for you.

Schoolyard Style Bike Rack

Remember riding your bike to school and locking it to the bike rack? A similar style of bike rack can be used in your garage. The traditional (or schoolyard-style) bike rack is easy for kids to use. They simply roll the front wheel into the rack and engage the kickstand.

However, the traditional rack has a large footprint, requiring lots of valuable floor space. A schoolyard-style bike rack requires enough space to accommodate the rack and the bikes that will be stored there. This style of bike rack works well, if you have a deep garage with sufficient space along the back wall. schoolyard-style-floor-standing-bike-rack-1024x768 Another option is to park one vehicle outside and utilize that space for the bike rack during the bike riding season.

As garage renovation specialists, our goal is to help you store all of your bikes and vehicles inside of the garage. However, over the summer, some clients choose to park one vehicle outside in order to make bicycles easily accessible to small children. During the winter months, the bikes are stored along the wall or overhead so that the vehicle can return to its space inside the garage.

Horizontal Bike Storage

A second option is to hang the bicycles flat against the wall. horizontal-bike-storage-on-slatwall-camlock-hooks-102x768 This requires the installation of strong, durable slatwall panels which come in a variety of attractive colours. When paired with compatible Camlock hooks, shelves, baskets or racks, slatwall creates a completely customizable organizational system.

Bike racks can be inserted into the slatwall to hold each bicycle. The bike must be lifted onto the rack. Therefore, the height and physical ability of each rider determine the height at which the slatwall and racks are installed.

Since the bikes hang flat against the wall, horizontal storage is ideal for sidewalls. Another option, which also relies on slatwall panels, is hanging bikes vertically.

Vertical Bike Storage

slatwall camlock hook rear wall vertical bike rack storage As with horizontal wall storage, storing a bike on the wall vertically requires lifting the bike. However, since vertical wall storage requires that the front tire be hung on a hook, lifting the bicycle this way is physically challenging.

Vertical bike storage can be quite attractive. However, because of the strength required, it isn’t recommended for anyone with weaker upper body strength, including young children. Some families use vertical bike storage to store bikes during the winter months while using a traditional, schoolyard-style rack for the summer months.

When storing bikes on the wall vertically, the full height of the bike extends from the wall. Therefore, vertical bike storage is usually only recommended for back walls. If installed on a side wall, the extension of the bikes might impede vehicles from entering the garage.

Overhead Bike Storage

overhead-motorized-pulley-5--bike-rack-storage-system-lowered-1024x768 Look up for the third option. The area overhead in a garage is often wasted space, but it has lots of potential. However, since it isn’t easily accessed, overhead space is typically reserved for storing items not frequently used.

Sounds great for storing bikes during the winter months, but is it feasible for the months when your bikes are in constant use? Absolutely! Bike pulley systems enable bikes to be stored overhead and easily accessed. Motorized pulley systems can store up to five bikes. Many feature one-touch control, so anyone can operate them.

overhead-motorized-pulley-5--bike-rack-storage-system-1024x768 Overhead bike storage is an excellent use of wasted overhead space. However, in order to install the five-bike overhead pulley system, the ceiling height must accommodate the height of the bicycles plus allow for 60-inches of clearance. Since this type of overhead pulley system requires a high ceiling, it isn’t right for every garage.

An alternate option for overhead storage is the two-bike pulley system which stores the bikes overhead flat against the ceiling. Therefore, it doesn’t require as much clearance space. 2-bike-ceiling-mounted-motorized-pulley-storage-system-768x1024

Which bike storage solution is right for you? A garage renovation specialist will help you choose a creative bike storage solution that fits your space and unique lifestyle.

However, bikes aren’t the only sports equipment stored in the garage. Next time we’ll discuss creative solutions for organizing the other sporting goods stored in your garage.

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