garage storage space Archives

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.

Organize Sports Equipment in Your Garage in Three Easy Steps

August 9, 2016 by Rick Scully

Healthy living requires an active lifestyle. For many, competitive sports are the key to staying fit. Sports and other recreational pastimes provide much-needed exercise, boost mental acuity, foster a healthy sense of competition and bring busy families together. Whether your family enjoys bicycling, hockey, golf, softball or soccer, you likely have a large collection of sporting equipment which poses a storage dilemma.

For many families, the garage becomes the dumping ground for the family’s sports equipment. Basketballs, soccer balls and softballs roll around the garage. Bikes are dropped in the driveway or in the middle of the garage, getting run over or blocking access to the garage. Car doors get scratched or dented as little ones attempt to retrieve riding toys or as older children try to maneuver scooters and bikes through the garage. Bats, hockey sticks, skateboards and bicycles create a tripping hazard.

A garage cluttered with sporting goods is more than just an eyesore or an inconvenience. It can cause expensive damage to vehicles or dangerous injuries due to a fall. However, you can organize sports equipment in your garage in just three easy steps.

Clean Up Your Act

The first step is the hardest. Begin by cleaning out your garage. To create organization from chaos, start with a clean slate. As you remove items from your garage, use this time to purge. Donate or give away outdated or unused items. This includes items your children have outgrown or no longer use. Junk broken furniture, toys and sports equipment. Get rid of unnecessary duplicates. This leaves less to store.

Cleaning the garage may seem like an overwhelming task. However, it’s an ideal weekend project that goes quicker with a few helping hands. If the children help, they’ll have more of a stake in keeping the newly organized space clean.

Map Out the Space

Before returning everything to your garage, create a layout for storage. Establish task-specific storage zones. Create zones for sports equipment, automotive products, gardening supplies, garbage and recycling tools, etc.

Consider the space required to store items from each zone. Leave enough clearance for bicycles and the lawn mower when vehicles are parked inside the garage. Place each zone in the area most convenient for performing related tasks. For instance, in winter, shovels and salt should be placed near the garage door. Now that you have a clear idea of where everything should go, it’s time to create an organized system for storing sports equipment and other items.

If You Build It, They Will Organize

It may seem impossible to get kids to cooperate when it comes to organizing the sports equipment and putting it away neatly. However, once a simple, consistent organization system is in place, it’s easier for everyone—including kids—to put their things away. The key is creating a designated spot for everything.

There are a variety of organization systems available from peg board to storage bins and other DIY options. In an unfinished garage, the studs can provide a place to store hockey sticks, baseball bats and other sports equipment. These options may be ideal for storing some things, but abysmal for storing others. For unlimited flexibility and a more polished look while keeping items easily accessible, a garage wall organization system can’t be beat.

Slatwall consists of 1’X8’ PVC panels that are waterproof and mold resistant. The panels are slotted, for use with complementary hooks, baskets and shelves. Each panel is secured to the wall studs. The system is scalable, so start with one or two panels or opt for floor to ceiling installation. It’s up to you.

The real magic of this system is its flexibility. The slots accommodate countless storage configurations. Hang baskets for storing softballs or soccer balls. Install hooks for hanging sports bags or uniforms. Mount a shelf to hold cleats or helmets. If you’re a multisport family, and space allows, create sections for each sport or family member. When the season changes, it’s easy to rearrange the configuration to accommodate a different sport. Specialty hooks or shelves can be used to store bicycles, skateboards, skis and more.

A wall organization system is ideal for storing sports equipment. However, the corresponding baskets, hooks and shelves make it ideal for storing everything from gardening tools and lawn chemicals to automotive fluids and household chemicals. Once your wall organization system is installed, simply store each item you’ve elected to keep in a designated spot within its respective zone.

Sports equipment is essential for active families. Finding a way to keep it all organized can be an ongoing challenge. A wall organization system, with its sturdy, slotted wall panels and wide array of corresponding storage accessories, creates an organizational foundation on which you can build to meet the needs of your family’s busy lifestyle. This flexible organization system makes it easy to keep the family’s sports equipment organized in the garage.

Ready to organize your sports equipment in three easy steps? Request a consultation today.

Five Ways to Calm Garage Chaos

September 18, 2014 by Rick Scully

If your garage has become a chaotic collection of belongings, the thought of organizing your garage likely feels overwhelming.

It doesn’t have to be.

Whether you decide to take one Saturday to clean your garage as a family or prefer to organize the space a little at a time, these five steps will simplify the process and help you to achieve the results you want.

Step One: Create Specialized Zones

The items in a typical garage can generally be classified into the following categories: household supplies, automotive supplies, gardening tools and supplies, recycling and waste disposal, tools and workbenches and sporting goods. Create dedicated zones in your garage for each of these categories. This instantly reduces the amount of time spent searching for items. Once items have been shifted to designated zones, they can be further organized.

Step Two: Utilize Vertical and Overhead Space

Floor space is at a premium in most garages. Vehicles parked inside the garage consume the majority of available floor space. What remains must be used judiciously. Therefore, one of the keys to an organized garage is to strategically employ vertical and overhead storage space.

A garage wall organization system increases garage storage space exponentially. We recommend a slatwall-based system that, when used with coordinating baskets, hooks and shelves, can accommodate a variety of storage requirements and can be easily reconfigured with each change of season.

Step Three: Make Seasonal Adjustments

When the season changes, how we use our garage storage space often does, too. Softball equipment, golf clubs and bicycles take a back seat to sleds and skis once the air turns crisp and cool. The lawn mower must make way for the snow blower.

Take a few minutes at the change of the season to reorganize your garage so that seasonal items are easily-accessible. The last thing you want to do is wake up to a snowy drive, only to realize that you must first dig out the snow blower. Also, if little ones are forced to wade through summer sporting goods to access their sleds, the garage floor will be littered with the items they had to cast aside.

Reduce the potential for clutter further by ensuring that all items can be easily located.

Step Four: Label or Clearly Display Items

Ever had to dig through half a dozen boxes to find an item? It’s time-consuming and frustrating. Eliminate this time suck by clearly displaying items whenever possible. This can be achieved with open shelving or clear storage boxes.

Open storage isn’t appropriate for some items. Nor do all homeowners find this storage style aesthetically-pleasing. If closed cabinets or non-transparent storage boxes are more your style, invest in a label-maker. Neatly label boxes and either the inside or outside of cabinet doors. This makes locating items a breeze.

The steps above can certainly simplify the process of organizing your garage. However, you may require a more complex or customized solution. If so, assistance is required.

Step Five: Know When to Call in the Troops

As with any other home improvement, some jobs one can handle quite easily. Others require the assistance of a skilled professional. If you’d like to maximize storage in your garage and you don’t know where to begin, or the work required is beyond your knowledge and abilities, it’s time to call in a garage renovation specialist.

A knowledgeable, experienced garage organization professional will assess your needs and create a plan which addresses them and maximizes available space. A garage renovation specialist has access to professional-grade materials, like custom cabinetry, not available to the public. He or she will be familiar with building permit requirements and can install overhead shelving capable of bearing heavier loads safely. A qualified professional will also be able to complete the work correctly and in a timely fashion.

Curious about how a garage renovation specialist can calm the chaos in your garage? Request a consultation today.

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