Garage Tailors

Garage Interior Design & Renovation | Garage Flooring

CALL IAN AT 416.617.7551
FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION
COMPLETE THE ONLINE GARAGE SURVEYGarage Survey
  • GARAGE STORAGE
    • Bicycle Lifts & Racks
    • Garden Tools
    • Recycling & Garbage
    • Sports Equipment
    • Tire Storage
  • Unique Spaces
    • Shelving, Platforms and Mezzanines
  • Services
    • Wall Organization Systems
    • Garage Cabinets
      • Iconic Cabinets
      • Contur Cabinets
      • Global Steel Cabinets
    • Garage Flooring – Done In a Day
      • Ribtrax Garage Floor Tiles
    • Overhead Storage Racks
      • Strong Racks Overhead Storage
    • Car Lifts
    • Work Stations & Workbenches
  • GARAGE UPGRADES
    • 1 Car Garage Transformations
      • 1 Car Garage – Cabbagetown
      • 1 Car Garage: Slatwall, Cabinets, Overhead Storage – Toronto
      • 1.5 Car Garage – Etobicoke
      • 1 Car Garage – High Park
      • 1 Car Garage – Markham
      • 1 Car Garage – North Toronto
      • 1 Car Garage – North York
    • 2 Car Garage Transformations
      • 2 Car Garage – North Toronto
      • 2 Car Garage – Markham
      • 2 Car Garage – Etobicoke
      • 2 Car Garage – Stouffville
      • 2 Car Garage – Bayview Village
      • 2 Car Garage – Beacon Hall
      • 2 Car Garage – Brampton
      • 2 Car Garage – Etobicoke
      • 2 Car Garage – Lawrence Park
      • 2 Car Garage – North York
      • 2 Car Garage – Oakville
      • 2 Car Garage – Oakville (2)
      • 2 Car Garage – South Oakville
      • 2 Car Garage – Oakville (4)
      • 2 Car Garage – Toronto
      • 2 Car Garage – Willowdale
      • 2 .5 Car Garage – Toronto
    • 3 Car Garage Transformations
      • 3 Car Garage – Aurora
      • 3 Car Garage – Bayview York Mills
      • 3 Car Garage – Newmarket
      • 3 Car Garage – Toronto
      • 3 Car Garage – Etobicoke
      • 3 Car Garage – Richmond Hill
    • 4 Car Garage – Richmond Hill
  • About Us
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Customer Testimonials
  • Contact
    • Consultation Request
You are here: Home / Archives for Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder

Can you and your garage pass the squeeze test?

September 24, 2013 by Rick Scully

Is your garage causing you stress?

Back right 1 car central toronto garage 190x143 before

Before left wall 1 car garage nov 2011 190w

Thomas transformation 2 car garage beaches 190x143 slatwall organizers hooks garden tools before

As the season changes, many people find themselves faced with an unappetizing item on their plate, namely the garage and what could have been.  During the warm summer months the very best of intentions were always there.  Yet, somehow the task of organizing, of making sense of all that stuff in the garage never seemed to make it to the top of the to-do list.  This chore kept getting put off to the next weekend, the next available Friday afternoon.  Finally now we find the season change is upon us, and the garage is no better than it was at the start of the season.  The summer ended so much faster than anyone planned on.  Now you may very well feel like you have a monster on your hands. 

To help you come to terms with this, your friendly team here at Garage Tailors Garage put together a 7 point self-evaluation garage organization quiz.  You can use this quiz to help you figure out where you are and what your best options are at this point.  Relax, no one is going to grade this quiz so this is for your eyes only.  This is just a fun way for you to find out how much you can or cannot squeeze into your garage and whether you experience what we affectionately call Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder.

1. Do you feel your blood pressure rising if you pause to consider your garage, the things that need to be moved in, the things that need to be moved out, the things that need to be shuffled around to prepare for the upcoming season?

2. Are you embarrassed to open up your garage door in front of your neighbors for the mess that’s readily visible to anyone that takes a peek inside?

3. If your garage door happens to be open and a friend stops by to chat, do you find yourself apologizing for the mess?

 4. Does your car fit in your garage?  Seriously, if you have a one car garage, will one car fit in there at the same time as all your stuff you have strewn about?  Or, if you have a two car garage, can you comfortably park both cars inside without moving some of your stuff to one corner or the other?  Also, whether it’s a one car or a two car garage, if the car(s) are parked in the garage, can you safely get to your car without stumbling over piles of your stuff?

 5. Do truly know where your stuff is?  If you suddenly need a pair of shears to trim the bushes out front, can you locate them without hunting all over the garage?

 6. Do you actually know how much stuff you really have?  You may be surprised to learn that during organization storage solution installations the team here at Garage Tailors Garage often surprises homeowners.  These homeowners are shocked and amazed to learn there are duplicate or even triplicate tools such as snow shovels, rakes and the like strewn all over the garage.

 7. How much time would you reckon you spend moving piles of stuff around to get to the tools or materials you are looking for at the moment?

 Well, there are your 7 questions.  There is no real score per se, just a self assessment to help you figure out where you are.  As you might imagine, knowing where you are is the first step to moving forward and making a better choice.  So, take a look back at your answers.  Your answers are a big clue for the next step, which as you might have already guessed is better organization. 

 Of course, you are already aware of the value of a proper storage and organization solution since you’ve made it this far and to the end of the quiz.  Now, one last thing, look back to your answers and ask yourself one final question: Is now the time to take some action and get organized?

Filed Under: Before-After, Community involvement, Environmental Responsibility, Garage Makeovers, Garage Storage Solutions, Garage Storage Systems, Organizing Tips, Overhead Garage Storage Tagged With: blood pressure, Car Garage, garage, garage door, garage organization quiz, homeowners, Garage Tailors Garage, organization solution, organization storage solution, park in the garage, Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder, self-evaluation garage organization quiz, snow shovels, squeeze test, storage solution installations, two car garage

Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder: Getting Started

October 25, 2011 by Rick Scully

clean and de clutter garageLast time, we discussed Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder and how to cope with it.  Today, we’re going to prepare you to start your garage cleanup.

Remind yourself why you’re doing this.  There are probably tools, seasonal decorations or other items that you know are in your garage, but you just can’t find them.  Maybe a paint can spilled or things are piled so high there’s a risk of something falling.

Sometimes when we can’t find something, we replace it.  Don’t be surprised if you end up with multiple sets of tools, weed whackers, etc.  When you have proper storage systems with slatwall hooks for tools and equipment, you won’t be spending money on things you don’t need because you’ll be able to find everything you have.

Here are some things you can think about when you’re preparing to attack the clutter in the garage:

First, plan to dedicate an entire day for this and get members of the household on board.

Second, before you start removing items, designate areas for three categories:  Keep it, donate it, toss it.

Be prepared to experience emotional attachments to some of the things you find.  This is where a family member can help you decide – if you’re not putting it to use, it’s best given to someone else.

I have three basic rules:

  • If it can’t be used, or has no value, toss it.
  • If you no longer need it, or plan to use it, give it away or sell it.
  • If you need it and use it, keep it.

Tip:  Half-full cans of paint can be taken to Rona.  If you’re throwing out a lot, you can take it to a dump yourself, or call a company like 1-800-Got-Junk.

Once the garage has been purged, it’s time to get organized.  We want to maximize the space we’ve got on the floors, walls and overhead.  Stay tuned for the next blog.

Filed Under: Garage Makeovers, Organizing Tips Tagged With: de-clutter, emotional attachment, garage cleanup, garage purge, garage storage systems, garden tools, overhead garage storage, seasonal decorations, Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder, slatwall hooks, spilled paint, weed whackers

Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder

October 13, 2011 by Rick Scully

seasonal garage anxiety disorderFor most of us, the garage is likely the largest room in our house.  Our cars are probably our second largest assets.  It makes sense to use this space to house and protect our vehicles.

During spring and summer, however, we leave our cars on the driveway to have easy access to things like lawn mowers, bicycles and gardening tools.

It’s during the first cold snap of the year as we’re putting everything away that we look into our garages and wonder how two cars are going to fit.  Seeing everything that’s filling up the garage, we experience paralysis.  Often, there’s no clear way to start the clean-up process, so it doesn’t get started at all.

I call this Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder (SGAD):  All the stuff  is preventing us from using our garages for what they’re meant for and it causes concern.

In the next two blog entries, I’m going to help you cope with your SGAD!  But first, we have to think about motivation:  how badly do you want to get your car in that garage and why?  

If the garage is de-cluttered to make room for vehicles, we can:

  • say goodbye to scraping ice off the windshield before the sun comes up
  • get into a warm car – in the middle of winter
  • worry less about security, especially for those who spend much of the winter down south

One of the main objections to cleaning out a garage is the amount of decision making that has to happen. It requires some tough choices about what to keep and it’s usually a full day’s worth of work.

I’ve encountered garages that were full of furniture – both from parents who have downsized and children who were moving out, seasonal decorations, winter tires, garbage and recycling bins.  Some of the clutter has value, but there is only an emotional attachment to the rest.

The feeling of relief that’s experienced once all the stuff you’re not using is gone, will give a sense of release and freedom necessary to move forward with new activities and projects.

How great would it be to have shelving and storage systems that allowed garden tools, holiday decorations and toys to be found without digging through boxes?  Easy access and storage for seasonal items like paddles, kayaks and canoes and tires?  A discreet space for your garbage bins?

Garage storage systems, whether it’s cabinets, wall organizers, shelving, or a combination, can keep the garage organized all year round.  So when next fall comes, we’re not standing in front of our garage doors, wondering where we’re going to park our cars, we simply drive them in. 

Stay tuned for the next blog:  How to get Started.

Filed Under: Garage Makeovers, Garage Storage Solutions, Garage Storage Systems, Organizing Tips Tagged With: bicycles, canoes, cleaning garage, garage, garage cabinets, garage doors, garage flooring, garage storage systems, garage wall organizers, garbage bins, gardening tools, holiday decorations, house, kayaks, lawn mowers, park cars, recycling bins, scraping ice, seasonal decorations, Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder, security, two cars, vehicles, windshield, winter tires

Do you suffer from Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder?

August 10, 2010 by Rick Scully

suspending shelvesLabour Day will soon be upon us, which means summer is drawing to an end … but that’s not all. Any day now, thousands of Canadians will be hit with a common ailment that we at Garage TailorsGarage like to call Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder.

What are the symptoms? Anxiety. Will the former glory of your garage ever be restored following the care-free months of summer? If you’re like most individuals, there are kids’ bikes, hose pipes, shovels, rakes and planters strewn across your garage floor. I’d even venture to guess that a few of you have a pile of top soil sitting on a blue tarp in the very spot you once parked your car.

All of this is very well, but the seasons are-a-changing. In just a few weeks, the leaves will begin to fall upon the beautiful, waxy finish of your vehicle. If cars could talk, yours would be saying, “I’m worth a lot. Protect me. Please let me reclaim my space!”

Clearing out the garage is a daunting task – we understand – so to make it easier  we’ll be sharing a few tips in our next post. Be sure to check them out.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Filed Under: Organizing Tips Tagged With: garage, garage tidy-up, organization, Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder, vehicle

The Secret to Taming Garage Storage Chaos

April 19, 2010 by Rick Scully

In almost every home, garage storage is a fancy phrase that means “opening the door and tossing it into the void.” We know the garage is designed to keep the car safe from theft, vandalism and the weather and yet we fill it up, especially in winter when piles of not-yet-recycled Christmas boxes hide our outdoor tools or we can’t even get into the garage for the sports equipment that has created a nest for itself just inside the door.

It’s enough to cause despair of ever having a well-kept yard or putting the car in there again one day.

I know that feeling – I see it everywhere I go. It’s called “seasonal garage anxiety disorder” and it can defy all attempts to create garage storage systems.

But don’t worry, there’s something you can do that will make your garage infinitely more functional. Something that you can do right now. Something that will help you figure out what you really want.

(And no, it’s not pick up the phone and call us in to do some garage storage design – although that will help too).

Change how you think about your garage.

We all see the space as something outside the house, something not related to the other rooms in the house, and yet that is exactly what it is.

A room.

Just as you would never let your kitchen get so full of stuff that you can’t enter it, if you think of your garage as another room in the house with its own purpose you’ll stop seeing it as a dumping ground. So why force one of the most valuable assets we own (our car) to sit outside of the room built specifically to house it?

You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll start throwing things out and finding homes for the rest when you make this simple mental shift.

And to help you make this change in thought patterns go check out our Frequently Asked Questions section to find out how you can start tossing out the junk and reorganizing what you have left.

Filed Under: Organizing Tips Tagged With: garage, garage organization, garage storage design, garage storage systems, organization, room, Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder, space, transforming

  • GARAGE STORAGE AREAS
    • Automotive Accessories
    • Bicycle Storage & Bike Racks
    • Garden Tools & Supplies Storage
    • Household Supplies
    • Recycling and Garbage Bin Storage
    • Sports Equipment
    • Tire Storage
  • Storage Solutions: Made to Measure Solutions
    • Shelving, Platforms and Mezzanines
  • Products
    • Exotic Car Enthusiasts
    • Garage Wall Organization Systems
    • Garage Cabinets
      • CTech Cabinets
      • Contur Cabinets
    • Garage Flooring – Done In a Day
    • Storage Systems
    • Overhead Garage Storage & Platforms
    • Work Stations & Workbenches
  • GARAGE UPGRADES
  • Customer Testimonials
  • Consultation Request
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • About Us
  • Contact

GARAGE VIEWS FROM NUVO

  • Get Ready to Drool – Epoxy Garage Floors Are the Ultimate Luxury Upgrade!
  • Is It Worth Investing In Epoxy Garage Flooring?
  • A Guide To Help You Get Rid Of Unwanted Mess In The Garage
  • Things To Keep In Mind While Organizing Your Garage
  • A Guide To Help You Convert Garage Into A Practical Space
  • 5 Key Reasons Your Garage Door Needs An Instant Repair
  • Did You Select The Right Door For Your Garage?
  • Do I Really Need A Garage Cabinet System?
  • Make Best Use Of Your Space With These Amazing Garage Storage Ideas
  • 5 Top Reasons To Keep Your Garage Properly Structured
  • A Detailed Guide To Help Keep The Garage Properly Organized
  • Five Reasons to Install an Epoxy Garage Floor Coating

Garage Tailors INC.
51-3176 Ridgeway Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
L5L 5S6

416.617.7551
Twitter LinkedIn Google Plus Pinterest Facebook RSS Feed
Copyright © 2023 · Garage Tailors Garage Inc.
Website Design by Yenius Interactive Marketing