organized garage Archives - Page 2 of 2

What is it that Professional Garage Designers Do?

June 4, 2013 by Rick Scully

If you’ve ever undertaken a large renovation job in your home, such as the kitchen, bathroom or basement, it’s likely you’ve hired a professional to do the job. Usually only the die-hard do-it-yourselfer with a lot of experience will tackle that type of project. But when it comes to the garage, many people think a few tools and a trip to the big-box store to pick up some simple shelving, cabinets and maybe an epoxy floor coating will do. There’s nothing wrong with what they sell there, but the problem is it’s likely not going to stand up to the test of time and use. A professional garage designer has access to the most durable products specifically designed for garages and the equipment, tools and expertise to create an organized garage that will last a lifetime.

What to expect when hiring a garage designer?

Space visualization

During a consultation a professional garage designer will see the potential of the garage. After doing hundreds of garage renovations, I can easily envision what’s possible in a space. Garages are much more than just four walls and a floor. They’re rarely square and a professional will immediately spot areas to maximize storage. Often there are indentations, or areas such as space above the garage door or on the ceiling to create shelves or overhead storage.

Engineering skills

Your garage professional will know about weight/load capacity. Shelving can be custom-designed and built to make the most efficient use of space while supporting a maximum amount of weight and protecting your loved ones and vehicles from damage.

Design skills

Garages can be beautiful too. A garage professional will pay attention to the look of the space just like any interior designer would for a room inside your home. Choosing a combination of colours and finishes for the wall, floor, cabinets and shelves can really enhance the overall look of the space. Also, an experienced professional will be able to offer suggestions to solve any design dilemma.

Tools

If you’ve done DIY projects, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of starting a job and realizing you don’t have the right tool. A garage professional will have tools and equipment needed to complete a quality job. One essential piece of equipment for finishing the floor is a commercial cement floor grinder. In order to achieve a floor coating that will last, the floor needs to be ground down to remove pitting and other imperfections. A floor grinder is an expensive piece of equipment that is usually not available to rent. A nail gun, the right saws and screwdrivers also make for an easier job. Unless you’re doing a lot of construction projects, it’s unlikely you’ll have these types of tools on hand.

Knowledge

There are a lot of things involved in renovating a garage that are not always considered by the average homeowner. Garage professionals know about things such as construction codes, checking moisture levels in concrete before applying a floor coating, and have access to trades such as plumbers and electricians. They can also easily estimate how much space you’ll need to store things. You may look at all your gardening equipment and figure you’ll need a lot of storage room while an expert will know immediately that you’ll only need about six feet of space.

So the choice is up to you. Do you want a temporary solution or do you want to make an investment in your garage that will last?

Winter Toy Storage

January 22, 2013 by Rick Scully

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resolutions / Get Organized

January 15, 2013 by Rick Scully

Garage Tailors Year Resolutions

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Divide your stuff into manageable chunks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy Spring Cleaning in your Organized Garage

April 5, 2011 by Rick Scully

At this time of year, many of us think about giving our homes a spring clean but what about the garage?

For months, you’ve been driving salt and slush into this outdoor space, so the floor is the first thing to tackle in the garage.

Dirt stuck in cracks in the garage floor will never come out, that’s why it’s important to have a quality floor coating. In a previous post we talked about choosing flooring options. Garage Tailors Garage uses a polyaspartic flooring system that will resist cracks and abrasions for years to come and is 4x more durable than epoxy flooring. And, this flooring is easy to maintain too.

Here’s how to maintain your polyaspartic flooring system:

Use a strong bristle broom to sweep away all loose debris and dust
Fill a bucket with hot water and add a few drops of dishwashing detergent, preferably one that contains a de-greaser, such as Palmolive
Pour the solution on to the garage floor and scrub with your broom. For more aggressive spots such as oil, use a little Varsol and scrub thoughly.
Rinse the floor thoroughly with clean water and remove excess water with a sponge-head mop or shop vac.

With a little TLC, a floor from Garage Tailors Garage will look like new each spring.

If you need more help getting your garage ready for spring and summer, give us a call.

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