overhead storage options Archives

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.

There never seems to be enough storage space in our homes. When we exhaust storage space inside, the garage is the most likely space to fill the void. However, with a limited amount of space, the garage can quickly become a cluttered dumping ground for the entire family.

Our garages house important items like tools, lawn and garden supplies and sporting equipment. However, mounting garage clutter often includes items that are broken, outdated or no longer needed. If your garage is overflowing; you’re forced to park your vehicles in the driveway; or you haven’t seen your garage floor in years, you’re probably frustrated with your storage situation. Before you consider renting additional storage space, look for ways to maximize your available space.

The first step to reclaiming precious square footage in your garage is to annually purge unneeded items. Give new life to an old table or dresser by repurposing or donating it. Give away unnecessary duplicate items. Toss broken toys and furniture. Safely dispose of expired household cleaners. Once you’ve pared down to the necessities, you may discover that you still have more than you can fit comfortably in your garage. To find additional space, look overhead.

Overhead space offers an ideal way to store items while reserving premium floor space, maximizing unused space, keeping items stored out of sight and out of the reach of small children and pets. With a variety of overhead storage options available, let’s explore five ways you can use overhead storage to save space in your garage.

Store Seldom Used Items on Overhead Shelving

Overhead shelves come in a variety of options. Sturdy steel overhead garage shelves—secured to ceiling joists or to the ceiling and a wall—are designed to support several hundred pounds. For safety, overhead shelving should be installed by a garage renovation specialist or an experienced professional knowledgeable about how to properly install weight-bearing shelves.

Holiday decorations, camping gear and other seasonal, or seldom-used items can take up considerable space in your garage. Such items are ideal for overhead storage because they don’t need to be accessed frequently. A small step ladder provides access to overhead shelves. If climbing up and down a step ladder isn’t appealing, try hydraulic shelves. With the touch of a button the shelf lowers for loading. Another push of the button raises it overhead again.

Lift Ladders and Bulky Household Items Overhead

Large ladders come in handy if you own a multilevel home. Yet, they can be difficult to store. Even when stored along a wall, a large ladder consumes a lot of valuable real estate. Store bulky household items overhead using overhead shelving or an overhead rack made especially for storing such items.

Keep Kayaks and Seasonal Sporting Goods Overhead

Ladders aren’t the only bulky items that might be stealing space in your garage. Kayaks, skis, surf boards, snow boards, fishing poles, roof racks and other unwieldy recreational items can either be stored on overhead shelving, specialty hooks or a customized overhead sling. A made-to-measure overhead garage sling has the added benefit of making it easier to load kayaks and roof racks onto your vehicle.

Utilize Overhead Bike Racks

It can be difficult to find just the right place to store your bicycle. A variety of vertical and horizontal wall racks are available. However, if there is limited wall space left or you already have a tight fit in your garage, overhead bicycle storage provides another good option.

Overhead bicycle storage racks operate on a pulley system that is either manual or motorized. A two-bike pulley system stores bikes flat against the ceiling and requires minimal clearance space. The five-bike pulley system, which requires 60-inches of clearance, is designed to take advantage of the generous height of tall ceilings.

Maximize High Ceilings with a Custom Built Mezzanine

Towering garage ceilings offer another exciting option for maximizing storage space. A custom-built mezzanine provides additional space ideal for storing seldom-accessed items. To accommodate a garage mezzanine, the ceiling must be at least 14-feet high and deep enough to accommodate the 8-foot depth of the platform, without obstructing garage door rails.

Mezzanines run the full width of the garage and can either be installed at the rear of the garage or over the garage door. The overhead garage balcony is accessible via step ladder, stairs or even a car lift. Light, bulky items—like seasonal decorations and off-season sports equipment—are ideal for storage in a mezzanine.

Overhead space is an untapped storage jackpot in most garages. Sturdy steel overhead shelving is the perfect place to store seasonal and seldom-used items. Specialty racks make light work of storing ladders and other bulky items overhead. Customized overhead slings make lifting and lowering kayaks, roof racks and other sporting goods a breeze. Overhead bicycle racks safely store multiple bikes while reserving floor and wall space. A made-to-measure mezzanine provides loads of overhead storage space for bulky items.

Need more storage in your garage? Contact a garage renovation specialist to discover how overhead storage options can maximize your storage space.

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Prepare Your Vehicle for Fall & Winter