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Earth Day 2018 – Focus on Ending Plastic Pollution

April 13, 2018 by Rick Scully

Earth Day will be this coming April 22, 2018. The focus of Earth Day this year is in ending plastic pollution which is the factor most affecting climate change. And, because plastic is not biodegradable, if it doesn’t get recycled in some way, plastic will continue to remain in landfills or float around ocean destroying the vital life that helps us prevent climate change.

You may have seen or heard of the effects of plastic pollution on our ocean life. We definitely have challenges with the litter it creates but more importantly, there’s an impact to our health as people as well. And, with only 12% of all plastics being incinerated, we are leaving a lot of plastic accumulating in our oceans.

Let’s review the multifaceted ways in which plastics has an effect on our entire planet as well as our health. Plastic water bottles and other plastics causes manufacturing pollution as well as other side effects. Let’s take time to consider some of the things that each of us can do this Earth Day to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic.

The Facts about Plastic

Plastic was invented in 1907. Since then, the main use of plastic has been for packaging and to date, the world has produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic. Of that, 6.3 billion metric tons is now waste while only 8% has been recycled and only 12% has been incinerated which is the only real way of breaking down plastic into its original building blocks and getting rid of plastic. The rest of it or approximately 79% of the plastic ends up in landfills.

The main issue isn’t just that plastic doesn’t break down and that it takes up space in our landfills but it is that plastic doesn’t biodegrade. When plastic does eventually break down in 1,000 years from now, it will be leaching toxins to the ground as well as ground water leaving our planet uninhabitable. At the moment, the rate at which this is all happening, we’ll have 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills by 2050.

The Effect of Plastic on Our Oceans

Plastics in the ocean end up congregating into condensed patches of plastic in the ocean. Sometimes, the plastic breaks down into micro plastics and get ingested by wildlife within the ocean. These contaminated fish and other sea life that end up on our plates means that we get contaminated by the toxins of the ocean.

Sometimes, ocean life can mistake chunks of plastic for food which sadly, they eat. Since the plastic doesn’t get digested, these animals continue to think that they are full so they starve to death.

The Effect of Plastic on Our Personal Health

Plastics are known to be a health hazard for people. Some plastics leach chemicals into the foods and beverages contained within them. Many plastics contain phthalates (DEHP) and the chemical BPA. If these plastics are heated in the microwave, plastics end up in the food or drink which means they end up in our bodies.

They are particularly harmful for young children. The health effects include damage to chromosomes, reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy.

The Effect of Plastic on Climate Change

The manufacturing of plastic has a great impact on our climate. For instance, it uses 8% of the world’s petroleum production. The drilling of oil releases a variety of harmful greenhouse gases including: carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, ozone, benzene, and methane. Water bottles are made from a plastic called Polyethylene Terephthalate known as PET. For every 1 ounce of PET produced, 5 ounces of carbon dioxide is released.

How We Can Take Action to Reduce Plastic this coming Earth Day

We can take action against plastic pollution.

Sign the petition being promoted by the Earth Day organizers.
Plant a tree on Earth Day as a family. Every tree provides enough oxygen for 10 people during the course of a year.
Spend an hour a day with your kids playing outdoors. Kid’s connection to the outdoors is not only great for their happiness and well-being but it also improves their environmental stewardship.
Improve the family’s recycling habits if they have become lax.
Start composting which we’ll discuss in the upcoming blog.
Reduce the amount of plastics used within your household during the course of year. Start by taking inventory of how much plastic you use. Then, start a plan to reduce the amount of plastic used daily.
As a last resort, for things you can’t affect such as an air flight, donate to the LESS Offset program.

Here’s a video to help you with some inspiration from people aim to create zero waste during a year, not just plastics. Their thoughts might inspire you in ways to cut down in one way or another.

Garage Storage Solutions for Re-Use

Garage storage solutions help us organize and avoid purchasing more than we need. But, it also helps us re-use more items in our daily lives by having a place to store belongings and bring them out season after season for use.

When you’re considering a garage renovation, contact us for some ideas to help you become conscious of the footprint you’re leaving behind. Make every day an Earth Day in your household.

RibTrax Floor Tiles to Winterize the Garage

January 23, 2018 by Rick Scully

If you’ve had a cement garage floor, painted garage floor or an old epoxy garage floor, you may not have gotten around to that garage renovation you were hoping to do during the warmer months. All the while, you may be getting tired of the worn out look and how much maintenance it takes to maintain the garage floor while keeping winter out of the house.

Winter is a constant battle of snow, slush and salt being brought into your mud room via your garage. It’s the kids running in through the garage to the mudroom after school. It’s the vehicles parking in the garage after a drive through the city streets dragging all sorts of debris and salt into the garage.

It’s not easy to keep up with maintaining the look and feel of the garage in winter with all that gets dragged into the home. Here’s where the choice of garage floor can help reduce the maintenance of the garage floor while also minimizing the amount of salt and debris that gets dragged into the house.

We’re talking about RibTrax Garage Floor Tiles.

Good Looking Garage Floors in Winter

With a wide variety of colour choices, the RibTrax Tiles are easy to put together with a sharp looking design or pattern across the garage floor. The colours can be matched to integrate with the colour scheme of the interior design of the house. Or, the design can give the garage it’s own unique look and feel. Maybe, you’re looking for a sporty car enthusiast’s design that is reminiscent of an Indy Car race pit or garage. Or, maybe, it’s some other bold colour pattern that resonates with the family.

Either way, once it’s put in place, you won’t be seeing much more of the pitted cement floors or worn looking epoxy coating. In fact, even when looking down through the ribs of the tile, it’s still difficult to see the flooring below. That’s because the RibTrax tiles are ¾ of an inch thick so it’s difficult to see the floor below. It’s a true garage floor makeover that leaves homeowners with what people seek from a a new floor.

This is the thickest tile on the marketplace making them commercial strength. In fact, these tiles are so sturdy that they are used in airplane hangars and in warehouses or manufacturing floors carrying weights up to 70,000lbs and far in excess of a couple of family vehicles in a residential garage.

Minimize Slush and Salt in the Home

Also, the thicker ¾ inch tiles allow all sorts of debris to fall through the ribs and stay out of sight. Unlike thinner tiles, the RibTrax has space below the tile for salt and debris to stay in the channels built into the underside of each tile until it’s time to clean the garage floor at the end of the week. It becomes difficult for debris to find its way back on top of the RibTrax tile floor.

Typical uncovered cement floors or even old epoxy floors will have salt and slush sitting on top of the floor. Cement dust continues to build up on the floors. Salt stains continue to linger and get dragged into the house with every step of each family member walking through the garage. And, as vehicles drive in and out of the garage, salt inevitably makes its way onto the garage floor and back onto the vehicle again as well.

With the RibTrax tiles, all this debris stays under the tiles or falls below the tiles until it’s time to clean the garage floors. It protects the home, the family and the vehicles from salt.

Garage Floor Maintenance is Minimal

With RibTrax tiles, running a shopvac once a week over the tiles will keep the slush, salt and dust on the garage floor below from accumulating. It’s the best of all worlds. The floor looks great. The debris stays hidden and safely away from loved ones, the home and the vehicles. And, cleaning can happen once a week to assure there isn’t an excessive accumulation of slush and salt under the tiles.

The RibTrax tiles are so durable, they are resistant to UV, alkalis, acids, solvents, oils and other automotive fluids. As needed, a damp string mop run over the top of the RibTrax tiles will keep the tiles looking bright and sharp. It’s quick and easy to prepare for the most impromptu visit from good friends or neighbours without a big fuss.

DIY or Garage Renovation Specialist Installation

Even though a full garage renovation might not be practical during the winter, a quick DYI installation of RibTrax tiles is possible. Floor preparation is minimal or none at all if you choose. Runninig a shopvac over the garage floor is adequate preparation before applying the tiles.

Then, design the floor with the SwissTrax Floor Designer tool or if you’re unsure of a design that will leave you feeling like you’ve made the right choice for a savvy garage design which will endure the test of time, our garage renovation specialists can lend a designing hand.

Get a free in-home consultation to find out if RibTrax tiles would be a fit for your garage and family lifestyle needs.

Ribtrax Garage Floor Tile Colours

Black	Yellow	White	Red	Purple	Pink
Orange	Mocha	Light Gray	Green	Gray	Dark Brown
Dark Blue	Cream	Charcoal	Brown	Blue	Aqua

Connect with Nature and Winter Solstice

December 12, 2017 by Rick Scully

The Winter Solstice marks the day with the shortest amount of daylight and the longest night of the year on December 21st. After the Winter Solstice, the days get longer and the nights get shorter. People from around the world recognize and celebrate this day with light and fire. Sounds a lot like what we do for Christmas and how we decorate our homes and garages with lights and lit ornaments.

Many people from around the world celebrate the mid-winter time of year whether from the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.

A Variety of Celebrations for Winter Solstice

Soyal – Zuni & Hopi Indians of Northern Arizona

The focus of the Soyal ceremony celebrated by the Zuni and Hopi Indians is meant to bring back the sun after the long dark winter. A prayer stick called the Paphos is used to bless the community including homes, animals and plants. The ceremonies represent purification with dancing and gift giving including Kachina dolls representing the spirits of the caves within the mountains.

Yalda Night – Persian Celebration for Winter Solstice

The Yalda Night is a celebration of December 21^st by the Persians marked by family gatherings where people eat, drink and read poetry. Fruits and nuts are savoured especially red ones such as pomegranate and watermelon because the colour symbolizes the light of dawn and the glow of life.

The Yalda Night represents the longest night and the initial night representing the forty days of the three month winter after this night.

Inti Raymi – Peruvian Celebration of the Sun

The Inti Raymi is a celebration of Peru’s Midwinter which begins June 21^st and gets celebrated on June 24^th because the Inca believed that the sun stayed in the same place for 4 days. Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere where winter is the opposite season from our celebrations here so instead of a December celebration of Winter Solstice, they have their midwinter in June.

The Sun God was revered by the Incas which is where the celebration originated and today, the Peruvians continue its tradition.

Saturnalia – Ancient Roman Celebration Most Closely Linked to Christmas

The Saturnalia is an ancient Roman Celebration which is most closely linked to our modern day Christmas celebrations. Saturnalia was initially celebrated on December 17, 2017 but then extended to seven days ending on December 24, 2017. It was liveliest celebration of the year where people filled the streets with Mardi Gras-like celebrations while all work and business is suspended. Also, social norms and moral restrictions are lifted.

There was gift giving to children and the poor. Especially, gifts of light or “phos” such as candles were commonly given. Then, on Roman New Years (January 1^st), people decorated their homes with lights and greenery.

It’s easy to see how these traditions are closely linked to how we celebrate Christmas today.

Midwinter in Antartica

When we’re celebrating long days here in the Northern Hemisphere, the researchers who inhabit the Antartica are living through long dark periods. They celebrate with special meals, films and even handmade gifts.

St. Lucia’s Day – Scandinavian Festival of Lights

St. Lucia’s Day is celebrated in Sweden, Norway and parts of Finland on December 13^th honouring St. Lucia who brought food to poor Christians. The day marks the beginning of Christmas. It is a celebration to bring light and hope to the last dark days of winter. Food is shared and served.

In earlier times, the Norse celebrated the winter solstice with large bonfires to ward away evil spirits and to alter the path of the sun. St. Lucia was incorporated after the Scandinavians converted to Christianity around the year 1000.

Dong Zhi – China’s Arrival of Winter Festival

This is translated as “the extreme of winter” where the nights are longest around December 22^nd. It is to celebrate the return of longer days, more light and therefore, greater positive energy as part of the yin yang of dark and light.

As part of the festivities, families gather together to have a lavish meal especially to nourish the body and soul to prevent frostbite and other ailments of the cold winter. Foods such as Tang Yuan or rice balls and dumplings filled with lamb or other meats are eaten.

How We Can Celebrate Winter Solstice

Here are some of the ways that people celebrate the season which were born out of the Winter Solstice:

Decorate the house with evergreen wreaths & boughs, mistletoe, holly, and ivy
Harvest a sustainable tree and reflect on good will, renewal and blessings of joy
Use lights and candles to represent the sun and celebrate the new solar year after the longest nights of the year
Burn a log in a fireplace, bonfire or just candles
Listen to festive music and read festive poetry
Share the celebration with others by gathering together or hosting a party

Winter Solstice in Our Neighbourhood

Each year, Kensington Market in Toronto has a Winter Solstice celebration. Every year, there is an exceptional show of Fire Breathers, spinners and other performers lighting the night sky. Handmade lanterns, giant puppets, stilted dancers and eclectic music are all part of a lively night of cheer and festivities to bring in the start of longer days and more light.

In our own neighbourhoods, we can host our own special celebration by running our Christmas lights and playing festive music. Open up the garage for neighbours to gather and enjoy a hot cider or hot chocolate. Have a small adobe or enclosed fire pit out front on the driveway or front lawn so people can warm themselves around a source of light traditionally used to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

And, if your garage is not organized enough to host a small neighbourhood gathering, our garage renovation specialists are always here to help you make the upcoming year’s festivities a reality.

Get Inspired to Decorate the Garage for Christmas with More than Just Lights

November 28, 2017 by Rick Scully

We’ve all seen the extraordinary Christmas light shows on people’s houses during the month of December. We may have even driven around neighbourhoods at night looking for these fabulous labours of love with choreography and even music synchronized to match. If you haven’t seen some of these amazing homes, here are one or two below that will definitely amaze anyone with their talent and creativity.

With the cost of electricity in Ontario having increased significantly not to mention our own lack of talent or time to complete such a magnificent light show project, we may be looking at other ways to contribute in the festivities. Being festive with your garage door doesn’t require extensive work. It can just as easily be simple and elegant.

Preparing for Decorating the Home Exterior and Garage Door

Of course, the first rule of thumb is to make sure the vehicle is not in the driveway taking away from the design. So, if you haven’t already decluttered your garage so you can park your vehicle inside your garage, it’s time to do that and possibly get a garage renovation completed so it’s possible store all your items off the garage floor where the vehicles can get maximum space for parking safely.

Next, with some of the décor made specifically for the garage door, you may want to consider giving the garage door a wash before the cold weather sets in. This will leave a beautiful palette with which to work your decorations and design.

Great Christmas Decorating Beyond Lights

One of the great traditions of Christmas is the garland. Hang them so they outline and frame your garage door, the front porch or the door way. Add some accessories to dress them up to give them either a traditional look or a more modern look while matching the colours of the house.

Then, there are garage door covers. They get clipped to the front of the garage door. The designs are made for up and over garage doors which is the majority of garage doors. They won’t affect the operation of the garage door. Assure your vehicle is parked inside the garage and the whole neighbourhood will be able to enjoy your choice of Christmas scene.

While not for the garage door, Christmas lawn decorations or roof decorations can be mounted along the edge of the driveway or over the garage.

Replace old Christmas Lights with LED lights

While we may not like the increased fees related to our electricity bills, we can do something about it. We can swap out or replace all our incandescent light bulbs for LED lightbulbs. One of the reasons includes the fact that they are highly energy efficient. Incandescent light bulbs use electricity to zap a filament in order to create light while LED lightbulbs excite diodes to create light. Of the two methods, the LED lightbulbs use up to 90% less electricity than the traditional incandescent bulb. So, saving energy is the best way to keep lighting up the night during the Christmas season.

In addition to the significant energy savings of LED lightbulbs, they also last tens of thousands of hours. From 10,000 hours to 25, 000 hours or even more are some of the service life ratings you’ll find on the shelves this Christmas. For the investment, the LED lightbulbs outweigh the old incandescent bulbs handily.

LED lightbulbs are easy to work with as decorative items. Since they use so little electricity to create light, they also generate low levels of heat too. This means that we can grab the bulb without burning our fingers or melting other Christmas decorations. On the other hand, if you remember incandescent bulbs, you’ll remember they ran very hot and would melt the décor that they touched including trees and other plastic items.

If getting true colours in your light display is important to you then you’ll want to compare LED to incandescent technologies. Incandescent light bulbs only generate one colour which is white. The bulb gets painted to generate any sort of colour so when the paint melts off or gets chipped off, we get multi-coloured bulbs. On the other hand, the diodes of LED lightbulbs can actually generate true blues and other colours. The bulb itself is never painted or coloured in order to create a colour. LED lightbulbs can therefore generate the most true and brilliant colours possible. Even if you’re not a stickler for design, you’ll appreciate the brilliance of LED coloured lights compared to the traditional painted bulbs of incandescent lights.

Lastly, the LED lightbulb has been exploding in popularity so you can easily find these lights where replacement incandescent lights are almost impossible to find these days. The choice is easy. Go green and red as well as a variety of other colours with LED lightbulbs this Christmas.

Christmas Decoration Storage

Finally, if you haven’t carved out a space to store your seasonal decorations, then make sure you include that with any garage renovation that you’re planning. The ideal space for storing seasonal items is up high in the overhead platform or storage areas of the garage since they don’t need to be accessed but once a year. Since they are only accessed once a year, it’s better to leave storage space within easy reach for items we’ll use regularly such as tools, sports equipment, automotive accessories and more.

While some hints and tips is all we can do to help with your Christmas design and décor, we can do much more when a garage renovation is what you need to be effective and organized. Get a complimentary in-home consultation if an improved way to get the most out of your garage storage is what you need.

Winter vs All Weather Tires – Garage Storage

November 6, 2017 by Rick Scully

With fall under way and summer safely behind us, we start to wonder what kind of winter is ahead for us and how to prepare. Of course, when it comes to our home, it’s better to be safe than sorry. And, when it comes to our vehicles this is even more true in order to protect ourselves as well as our little ones.

When winter is really cold with a lot of snow, we have driving challenges in winter. When winter is milder with temperatures fluctuating just above 0°C or just below 0°C, we have a lot of slippery and icy driving challenges throughout winter. Regardless, it’s always a good idea to get tires to suit the winters here in Southern Ontario.

Storing Tires in the Garage

There are a variety of ways to store tires in the garage. The main goal of tire storage is not to leave the tires on the garage floor where it uses up valuable space for the vehicle or both vehicles to be able to park inside the garage.

The best way to store the tires that we’re not using on our vehicles is to have them kept up and off the floor of the garage. Overhead platforms of a variety of heights make a lot of sense. When installed properly, overhead platforms can carry up to 600 – 800lbs of whatever you want to have something tucked up and away in the storage space within your garage.

The second option is to mount a tire rack to the wall of the garage. Specifically designed for tire storage, these racks can be mounted at a variety of heights depending on your available space and height requirements. It’s a great way to ensure your investment in winter and all season tires are protected.

Winter Tires

snow-winter-tire-treads — Winter Tire Treads

Since the advent of all season tires, winter tires have become an overlooked necessity to vehicle ownership throughout Canada. In some provinces, it is law for us to have winter tires on our vehicles. In Ontario, you can get a discount on your car insurance if you use winter tires.

Depending on where you live around the GTA or Toronto, you may not experience a lot of snow. In addition, people mistakenly believe that winter tires are “snow” tires. They are actually meant for the change in temperature. In fact, that change in temperature which warrants the consideration for winter tires starts at 7°C where the typical All Season tire starts to lose it’s ability to grip the road. So, by 0°C, it’s very important that we’re using winter tires.

In Quebec, where winter tires are the law, they found that the 10% who didn’t apply winter tires were involved in 38% of the most severe vehicle accidents. It makes a difference to drive with winter tires.

All Weather Tires

These days there is a new category of tires called All Weather tires. These tires will work well under wet, slushy and snowy conditions. They work well above 7°C where winter tire rubber starts to wear down extremely quickly and loses its ability to grip the road as the temperature rises.

The All Weather tires are made with rubber designed to stay flexible whether the temperature is above 7°C or below 7°C. And, the tread is designed to push water and slush away out the sides of the tread pattern channels. On the other hand, the winter tires were designed with rubber that stays soft even in colder weather below 7°C which is why it works so well on snow and ice. And, this is the same reason it is not safe to drive on winter tires over the summer where it will easily melt on the hot asphalt and lose its integrity to grip the road.

All Weather tires are closer to a 4 season tire for those of us who live in areas of Ontario where we may experience a somewhat mild winter. For real winters like those experienced throughout Quebec and areas of Central and Northern Ontario, people who use winter tires will have a safer drive avoiding the stress and the potential of a severe accident.

All Season Tires are Really Tires for 3 Seasons

all_season_tire_treads — All Season Tire Treads

Finally, the All Season In All Season tires is a bit of a misnomer. With its ability to handle well in temperatures above 7°C, it doesn’t remain flexible enough below 7°C to grip the road. And, the tread design doesn’t lend itself to pushing slush and snow out to the side from the channels.

So, the All Season tire is great for 3 of the seasons in Ontario but not winter temperatures or the weather typical of winter including slush, ice or snow.

Tire Storage for Good Tire Habits

For peace of mind and safety, the winter tire is your best bet. When you do this, you can save on your vehicle insurance and with a garage storage solution, you can save on storage costs annually.

To find out how you can manage both, contact us for a free in-home consultation.

Prepare Your Vehicle for Fall & Winter

October 3, 2017 by Rick Scully

This year, the temperatures and the weather has been a little unpredictable. And, while the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a mild winter in Canada, it still remains to be seen if we’ll see this type of winter.

Either way, it’s always a good idea to get the car prepared to remain reliable regardless of what we experience during the upcoming months. Let’s start by looking at the garage renovation or lack thereof.

Park Your Vehicle Inside the Garage

When preparing your vehicle for winter, one of the top things you can do is ensure that it gets parked inside your garage. Not only are vehicles which are parked inside the garage safer from theft and vandalism but they are protected from the elements.

Vehicles which are parked inside the garage start easier in the morning because it’s always a few degrees warmer inside the garage than outside on a cold winter morning. When the vehicle starts warmer, we keep the components of our vehicles in better working condition. It’s also why we take our time to warm up the vehicle before we start driving the vehicle.

We won’t face frozen door locks. The elements don’t wear down the vehicle’s coating or paint. Stray baseballs from neighbourhood kids playing on the streets don’t find their way to dinging the vehicle in some way and so much more.

However, you may be looking at your garage and wondering how you might be able to accomplish parking one vehicle inside much less two vehicles. Or, you might already be able to park one vehicle inside but not the second vehicle. In this case, it’s important to get a properly designed garage storage system to maximize wall storage and overhead storage options while getting your belongings off the garage floor. Start by de-cluttering so that you can reach your end goal of having the vehicles parked inside where they belong.

Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

To ensure your vehicle works every morning this winter, check the battery and the electrical system to ensure your vehicle will start every time. In addition, stock some gas line anti-freeze which assures a free flow of gasoline to the engine which will also ensure your vehicle starts on a very cold wet day.

When it comes to fluids in your car, top up or change out fluids to ensure they provide maximum efficiency whether it’s your transmission fluid, brake fluid, windshield anti-freeze or an engine oil change. And, if you park your car outdoors during the day, lubricate your door locks before the cold weather sets in and carry some lock de-icer.

Check your windshield wipers and change them out for heavier duty wiper blades which can handle the heavier slushy precipitation which typically lands on the windshield during fall, winter and early spring.

Ensure the tires are appropriately inflated for the best tire performance and decreased stopping distances during treacherous weather. Of course, it’s best to ensure that the proper tires are on the vehicle for cold weather. Cold temperatures are considered 7°C or below. If you’re unsure of the correct tire pressure to inflate tires, either follow your manufacturer’s recommendations or consider these environmental factors when checking the PSI of the tires.

Ensure You have an Adequate Car Emergency Kit

If you don’t have an emergency kit for your car or the supplies are running low, it never hurts to review your emergency kit to make sure it’s complete and everything is in good working order.

Use this list to complete the inspection of your vehicle’s emergency kit:

A blanket or sleeping bag for warmth if you’re stuck on the road for a few hours
An extra USB cable to keep your cell phone charged
Snow boots, extra warm gloves and a heavy coat for working outside when stuck
Thermal underwear to stay warm longer
Non-perishable food and water for hunger.
Jumper cables to give or receive a battery boost with another car
Carry a first aid kit to look after minor cuts and bruises
A small toolkit and rope for minor jams
Flash light with extra batteries
Flares to signal for help
Candles and matches for a little extra warmth and light
Shovel and extra floor mats to get your car unstuck from a snow pile or mud
A roadside assistance program to help you get going or a tow

A Garage Renovation to Get Your Vehicle Parked in the Garage

At home, the best way to avoid most of the challenges of cold or poor weather is to get the vehicles parked inside the garage. Call a garage renovation specialist to create a garage organization system where your vehicle will have the space to park inside the garage this winter.

Manage Household Garbage and Recycle

September 6, 2017 by Rick Scully

During the warmer months, it’s a great time to look at recycle, compost and garbage. We’re out in the garden more and we’ve needed to mow the lawn more often so we have a lot more garden wastes. Also, we’ve been cooking outdoors in the backyard more often.

The number of rodents or more specifically racoons who want to have at our garbage has become common issue which is not going away or is being replaced by new racoon families when one racoon family is relocated. Or, in many cases, the original family makes their way back to the neighbourhood.

Let’s take a look at some garage renovation solutions which can help you keep the waste down, the rodents out and divert more towards composting. To do this, we’ll need to manage the recycle, the compost as well as garbage whether in the garage or the backyard.

Reducing and Eliminating Waste Around the House

As homeowners, we’re not the only ones looking at managing various types of waste. Now, the City of Toronto is aiming for zero long term waste over 30 to 50 years. In keeping with moving towards this zero waste goal, let’s look at some ways to reduce household waste:

Avoid buying excess packaging
Use refillable or reusable containers
Bring your own bags to shop
Do your research before buying items so you’re buying durable quality items instead of disposable ones
Purchase or make your own cleaners which are less harmful to the environment
Bring your hazardous waste to a depot
Repair and reuse items instead of just throwing them away.
Donate slightly used items for a good cause.
Recycle as much as possible if you can’t reuse or reduce
Compost food and yard waste to keep the lawn lush and green.

Typically, up to half of the waste around our homes is compostable so a composter in the backyard is an ideal way of handling organics. Otherwise, taking full advantage of the green bin organic recycling program in your city or town is the best way to look after organic products.

Garage Storage Options for Recycle, Garbage and Hazardous Waste

The garage is the best place to store the blue bin, the new next generation green bin and garbage bins. It’s just a

matter of planning out a space for them whether it is shelves, a space under a platform or cabinets to hide them from sight.

Often, a spot planned close to the door from the house to the garage is ideal for convenience and ease of access. Here are a few examples of garage interior designs of blue bin, green bin and waste storage.

Getting the kids into a vermicomposting project can be an educational and fun project. These types of composters can be placed in the garage where it is closest to the house and easy to dispose of food waste.

Of course, plan a spot for hazardous waste which is out of reach of young children. Before you’re able to get to the depot with your hazardous waste items, a temporary storage area which is high and / or hidden away from little hands is an important priority for the family.

Backyard Options for Compost and Recycling

When looking at your garage renovation and the things you need to store inside your garage, sometimes, it’s necessary to move recycle and compost bins to the backyard. Storage bins can keep the yard looking neat and organized while keeping the critters out of bins and making a mess.

Because garages tend to stay cooler, garbage bins work best in the garage as opposed to out in the backyard under the sun during summer. Prioritize recycled and compost materials to be stored outdoors in the backyard. Even worm composters work better indoors where it is slightly warmer in winter and easier to maintain a steady environment for the worms to do their job.

Garage Renovations with Waste Management in Mind

When you’re considering your next garage renovation, keep composting, recycle and even hazardous waste in mind. It’s important to plan a space for these items for safety and for successful strategies to reduce waste going to landfills.

Get a complimentary consultation from our garage renovation specialists to manage waste bins as well as other garage storage challenges of items around the home.

Cargo Boxes, Roof Racks and Storage for an Active Family

August 8, 2017 by Rick Scully

Your family enjoys experiencing the outdoors or taking scenic road trip vacations. The next thoughts are that you have more things you need to haul on the vacation than you have space in the SUV or minivan. You’ll need a vehicle rack of some kind. Will it be a roof rack, hitch rack, trunk rack or spare tire rack? And, what about a carrier for loose items? There is a choice of cargo boxes, cargo carriers and cargo bags to carry loose items and make more room available for the family inside the vehicle.

The vehicle needs more storage space for all the stuff the family needs for that next outdoor adventure. All of this is fairly straightforward to accomplish with the help of a reputable service to help you install a system. And, you’ll probably end up using a system from one of the more reputable brands in the industry such as Thule vehicle rack and cargo systems or the Yakima vehicle rack and cargo systems. All of this you can discuss with your local service provider.

What I’d like to review are the challenges of getting your garage storage spaces to work well and make packing for that adventure weekend getaway or family vacation that much easier to do. Let’s take a look at how you might want to design and strategize your garage storage to work well with vehicle storage packing needs.

Roof Racks

This is one of the go to items when looking to find a method of hauling bikes, skis & snowboards, stand-up paddle boards are more for a fun and active getaway. Many SUVs today come with half racks as a standard feature. By adding cross bars, this easily converts the half rails to a full roof rack which can now mount a wide variety of options such as cargo carriers or boxes, bikes, skis or snowboards and much more.

During the off season, storing the cross-bar accessories in the overhead platform areas of the garage makes the most sense. And, if you’re off to an adventure often throughout the year, some slatwall storage basket options are available to easily store, access and swap or switch out accessories.

If you’re using your roof rack for bikes, consider a hydraulic lift storage system bike rack to lower bikes directly onto the roof rack directly from their storage location in the garage. These overhead storage systems can also accommodate a canoe, kayak or stand up paddleboards which lower watercrafts directly onto the roof rack of the vehicle making packing quick, easy and efficient preparation for that adventure weekend away.

Trunk Racks

For those who need a more portable rack system to carry a couple of bikes, the trunk rack is fairly universal and can mount onto many types of car trunks. They’re easily removable so it can be used for a single trip from time to time. One of the drawbacks is that people can’t get into the trunk from the back of the car. They may need to use the fold down seats to reach into items stored in the trunk.

It’s easier to get a bike onto a trunk rack than a roof rack system. Between trips, use the hydraulic overhead bike rack or wall mount racks to store the bikes. In addition, a space on the overhead platform to store the trunk rack itself is the likely spot for this portable vehicle rack.

Hitch Racks

Hitch racks are attached to the hitch of the vehicle. They’re sturdier and they are typically used to transport and secure mountain bikes, skis or snowboards. Many people keep the hitch in place until the end of the season. They can carry up to 5 bikes so they are great for a family of bikes. And, the bikes can be secured or locked to the rack. When driving, the bikes don’t bump or jostle because they can be fixed into place.

Combine the hitch rack with an overhead hydraulic bike storage rack in the garage or any number of wall mounted rack systems to make it convenient to mount bikes onto the back of the vehicle before the start of any trip.

Spare-Tire Rack

Some vehicles have a spare tire mounted on the back of the vehicle. If that’s the case, the spare-tire rack works similarly to the trunk rack. It typically carries a couple of bikes, wake boards or skis and while the spare-tire rack is removable, many people keep the rack in place. These racks don’t lock the bikes in place but because they sit behind the spare tire, the vehicle is protected from moving bicycle tires or handles.

Wall mounted storage options or overhead storage racks with hydraulic lifts would both work with this type of vehicle rack.

Basket Style Cargo Carriers

With a full rail roof rack, basket style cargo carriers can be mounted to help secure a large amount of camping or other gear to the top of the vehicle. There are also hitch style basket carriers to carry bikes or wakeboards and other gear safely and securely.

Some of the hitch carriers can fold up when not in use so that they are out of the way when not carrying items. During the off season, keep it in the overhead space of the garage for re-mounting the following season. Bikes, skis, wake boards and other sporting equipment can be stored on wall-mounted racks or overhead hydraulic lifts which makes it easier to pack.

Cargo Bags

Sometimes, people combine a cargo bag with the carrier basket so smaller items are easily secured within the bag and to the vehicle. Some bags are designed for the roof rack or a carrier basket intended for the roof of the vehicle. Many others are designed for the hitch style basket carriers. These make the most sense as the soft bag doesn’t protect the belongings within from dings and dents of fast flying debris. Situated behind the vehicle, the bag is minimally exposed to flying debris and anything which might cause dings to the belongings and sports gear contained within.

As long as your gear is clean and dry after each trip, the cargo bags make for a great way to store all the sports accessories in a single space. Carve out a space on the overhead storage platform of the garage for the bag and the full gear. If you have multiple outdoor past times with just as much gear, get a separate cargo bag for each type of outdoor adventure and you’ll be pre-packed for any adventure.

If you have multiple cargo bags each packed with its own adventure, you may also find an overhead sling system helpful in lifting them up and away or easily lowering them directly onto the basket carrier making for quick packing or preparation for any vacation.

Pick the correct cargo bag to pack onto the hitch style basket carrier and you can have a different adventure every weekend of the summer.

Cargo Boxes

Personal floatation devices, paddles and even the kids’ toys are smaller items that are not secured individually to the roof rack. Instead, a cargo box for the roof of the vehicle allows everyone in the family to just throw items into it and everything can be locked inside the cargo box for safety.

When the trip is done, smelly wet gear can be removed and the whole box is easily cleaned with a garden hose and some environmentally friendly soap. Then, leave the box open to dry for a short while to dry under the sun before driving it into the garage.

The best way to store a Thule or Yakima cargo box is with an overhead storage sling operated on a pulley as a hydraulic or manual lift. So, when your cargo box is clean, dry and ready to store, drive your vehicle under the overhead sling. Strap the cargo box into the sling and unhitch it from the vehicle’s roof rack system. With the single push of a button, your hydraulic cargo box sling will be lifted up and into the overhead area of the garage.

When you’re ready for your next trip, drive your vehicle directly under the cargo box sling and use the hydraulic switch to lower the Thule or Yakima directly onto the roof rack of your vehicle. Secure the cargo box and then unhook the overhead sling mechanism. Storing and mounting a large awkwardly shaped cargo box can be a breeze with the right garage storage system.

Match Your Garage Storage System to Your Vehicle Rack & Cargo System

Make the packing and unpacking of your family’s road trip vacation a breeze. Or, get on your way to a different and exciting outdoor weekend adventure every weekend in minutes with the right garage storage system to match your vehicle rack system including carriers, cargo boxes and bags.

The right storage system can help you spend less of your time packing and more time enjoying the outdoors and time with your family or friends. Get a complimentary in-home consultation to get a strategic garage storage system custom designed for your road trip vacation and outdoor adventure lifestyles.

Water Ways to Celebrate World Ocean’s Day

June 7, 2017 by Rick Scully

On June 8, 2017, we can celebrate the annual World Ocean’s Day. In large part, we can thank Canada’s recommendation at the Earth Summit in 1992 when it was our delegates who suggested an annual celebration to improve our international awareness to the issues surrounding water systems around the world. Since 2002, each June 8^th this day has been celebrated as World Ocean’s Day. In 2008, the United Nations then officially passed a resolution to recognize this day officially.

June 8^th is a great day to break out the canoe, kayak, paddleboard and more to reconnect with the many water ways throughout our neighbourhoods. Celebrate by making it a full family day on the water with conservation activities and more.

Celebrating World Ocean’s Day

Every lake, river, stream or body of water is part of a watershed that eventually empties into our immense oceans. Caring for our local water systems helps reduce the downstream effects of our footprint on them. Here are some suggestions from Canada’s World Ocean’s Day website and how you could turn it into a family activity:

Reduced Energy Consumption

Do simple things such as swapping out existing lightbulbs with LED lightbulbs. Use fans instead of using air conditioning to cool our homes this summer.

Choose Sustainable Seafood

There are sustainable species that we can eat. As a family event, visit a local fish market and plan a meal that honours sustainable seafood is a great way to educate and celebrate. Some fish to consider are albacore tuna, Pacific cod, sardines, Dungeness crab and some specific types of farmed fish too.

Use Less Plastic

Plastics harm and kill a lot of our ocean life each year. To reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our oceans we can do things such as owning and using a reusable water bottle. Bring your lunch in a reusable container. Use cloth or reusable bags for groceries and other shopping. And, of course, recycle whenever possible.

Look After Our Beaches and Shore Lines

When spending the day at the beach or the park, remember to pick up after ourselves afterwards to reduce the footprint we leave behind. Also, spend some time walking a quiet shoreline for some fresh air and a way to clean up odds and ends that you find there. Spend the day paddling the shores of your local water way and picking up garbage along the shores as a way to contribute to cleaning up our waters.

Avoid Buying Products which Exploit Marine Life

Avoid buying shell or coral jewellery to reduce the exploitation of marine life.

Ocean-friendly Pet Ownership

Read the labels of food that you’re feeding your pets to be sure the seafood ingredients are sustainable species.

Travel the Water Ways Responsibly

Avoid using foam products near the water as foam wears down and breaks down leaving debris in the water. Sanitize boats, canoes, kayaks and other water going crafts thoroughly inside and out to avoid cross contamination of new waters with a trip last week whose water may have been infested. Specific species such as zebra mussels and quagga mussels have been destroying water ways.

Enjoy the Day on the Water around Ontario

Spending the day on the water is the best way to become connected to the importance of clean water to our existence. There are so many places throughout the province of Ontario to enjoy our water systems. To plan a trip along one of our many water systems, visit the Ontario Trails website for a location.

Even if you live in a large city like Toronto, it’s not that difficult to stay in the city and still be able to enjoy a day kayaking or canoeing. Some of the launches for paddlers can be found at Bluffer’s Park, Kew / Balmy Beach, Brickworks along the Don River, Cherry Beach, Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre, Sunnyside Beach, and along the Humber River at several spots.

Care and Clean for Canoes, Kayaks and other Watercrafts

Remember to protect the waters and your equipment by cleaning, maintaining and storing your water crafts safely. Not only will this get rid of the millions of microbes to keep your family and pets safe, but it will also get rid of the creepy crawlers that may have hopped on board for a ride.

The best way to wash your kayak or canoe is to use some eco-friendly soap and water. These are easily found at your local camping store or health store. Some of the more popular brands include Castle brand soap which can be found at most health stores and Campsuds which is available at most sporting goods or outdoor stores.

Leave your kayak or canoe in the backyard under the sunlight for several hours to dry. Not only does this help dry your watercraft but it helps remove some of the dips or dents which polyethylene boats are prone to acquire. Under the sun for several hours will provide the heat necessary for these deformations to work themselves out.

Canoe, Kayak and Accessory Storage

Store your kayak or canoe up high along the wall or in the overhead storage space of the garage. With a pulley system to hoist the boat up above, this makes it easy to use for the whole family. With the canoe or kayak secured by a rubberized sling, it will keep the craft safely out of the way of harm from vehicles and kids rushing in and out of the house.

If your family enjoys multiple water sports, accessories such as Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) and safety kits for your boat, canoe or kayak can be stored on hooks or in wire baskets of a slatwall organization system. Wire baskets and hooks are the best ways to store items which are used again and again. It also makes it easy to have these items dry out thoroughly between trips back to the water.

If you don’t have one of these solutions, during your next garage renovation project consider implementing these valuable garage storage solutions to store, dry and care for your watercrafts. And, enjoy the water this coming World Ocean’s Day!

Cycling Fits All in the Family

May 2, 2017 by Rick Scully

With an outlook to reduce our footprint and energy consumption, cycling has become a popular past time, a fun sport and a mode of commuting to work. Many of us might know someone who cycles to work every day as part of their lifestyle if we don’t do it ourselves. Drivers are often navigating bicycle lanes daily throughout the centre of town and along well travelled routes. Or, we have kids who just crazy about cycling either for play or for sport.

In fact, cycling has branched out to accommodate a wide range of terrain and purposes than ever before. During the typical garage renovation, homeowners often encounter the challenge of bike storage and how to accommodate an entire family of cycling requirements through the summer and during the winter or off-season for most cyclists.

A Wide Variety of Bicycle Types

These days there a wide variety of bikes to fit the different type of cycling that people do. Let’s review some of the more popular bicycle types and a variety of bicycle storage solutions to fit the entire family.

Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes were designed for off-road terrain and trails. They have a low gear range to ride up steep trails and some have shock absorbers or suspensions for the front and / or rear to handle a much rougher terrain. A lot of younger riders enjoy the mountain bike style for riding around the neighbourhood, school or community centre.

Road Bikes

Road bikes were designed to be ridden on smooth paved surfaces. They have skinny tires for speed and drop down handle bars for the rider’s comfort. The frame is typically lighter than many of the other types of bikes. The skinny tires allows for great speeds in long distances of flat paved road. The bike was not designed for a lot of stop and go traffic, sandy or gravelly surfaces such as roads under construction or pot holes when roads have not yet been repaired.

Since the introduction of spin classes, a lot of people who would cycle for fitness indoors started to take the sport outdoors during the warm weather. These days, people who get into cycling for fitness or sport often tend to invest in a road bike, join cycling clubs and consider charity bike rides to set fitness goals for themselves.

Hybrid Bikes

These bikes were designed to leverage the advantages of a road bike with the advantages of mountain bikes. They have larger padded seats and upright handlebars for a more comfortable riding position. They have medium width tires with a semi-smooth tread for a smooth ride on pavement but an ability to ride on unpaved surfaces as well. They are heavier than road bikes but not quite as heavy as the mountain bike. It makes the bike ideal for riding around the neighbourhood or commuting to work or school with the smooth ride of a road bike and the confidence of stability that we might expect from a mountain bike.

City Bikes

The city bike was designed with the most upright sitting position of all these bike styles. The city bike was designed to ride in regular clothes such as a typical work outfit. The typical city bike will include fenders, a chain guard and a skirt guard around the rear wheel to protect the rider’s clothing from water, dirt or mud encountered along the path during a commute. The additional accessories add weight to the bike making it a heavier bike than the hybrid bike.

To make the bike easier to use, a city bike may have an internally-geared rear hub which has been used more throughout Europe where bikes are used more often for commuting than sport or leisure. This gear hub is easier to use and practically maintenance free and much more durable than the typical derailleurs which has been the typical gears of a North American bike. In addition, some city bikes come with a built-in generator to power lights for riding after dark. For the rider looking for comfort, this is the bike!

Bike Storage and Bicycle Racks

Regardless of the type of bikes we might each choose to ride, we need to store them. So, there are many options for bike storage.

Easy to Use Floor Racks for the Kids

With busy on the go kids playing all throughout the summer, they need an easy way to get into the house and then back out riding again. The “on the floor” bike rack makes it easy and more likely that kids will get into the habit of putting their bikes away in a safe spot within the garage. While building good habits, it also keeps their bicycles off the driveway where bikes often damage the family vehicles.

Wall Mount Bicycle Storage

When it comes to wall mount bike storage, there are a couple of ways to use wall mount racks. Most often, we’ll mount bicycles along the wall to maximize the space available for the vehicles to park inside the garage. When someone has many bikes and wall space is at a premium, we can mount bicycles perpendicular to the wall to maximize the number of bikes we can fit onto the wall.

For younger family members, the key is to assure that the wall mounts are low enough that young people can lift their bike onto the mounting hooks all on their own.

Hydraulic Overhead Bike Racks

The hydraulic overhead bike lift is an effective storage option for both summer and winter bicycle storage. Family members of all heights and strength can use this type of bike storage quite easily with a flip of a switch to lift the bicycles away. Often, if there are not enough bikes to fill the entire rack, people use it to store other sports equipment such as a bag full of golf clubs.

The Right Bicycle Storage

Every year, creative new ways to store bikes keep appearing in the marketplace. Based on the number of bikes you need to store and your family’s overall garage storage requirements, a little planning will make your bicycle rack storage options become apparent.

When reviewing your next garage renovation, consider the amount of space you have available and how you might need to use it for storage. If you’re looking for professional help, book our complimentary in-home consultation to give yourself adequate lead time on professional services .