The Home Aesthetics

Archive for the ‘Garage’ Category

One of the most important storage areas of a home is the garage. Because the space it offers is limited it should be used efficiently. So the garage is a prime candidate for storage improvements. Of course you have many options for improving the storage in your garage.

One of the options is to buy a modular storage kit. This can have parts and components that you can mix and match together and can solve many storage problems. Another option would be to build your own storage solution. If you have too many items that you keep in your garage maybe a modular
storage kit cannot provide you the needed solution. The improvements made to your storage may help you reduce clutter, store seasonal items in a more conveniently way and improve organization.

Cabinets, shelves, wall-mounted racks and plastic containers are the most popular types of garage storage and organization solutions. Cabinets work well for protecting their contents from moisture and dust. Shelves save space more efficiently but the most affordable solution are the wall-mounted racks. Clear plastics containers help you to store several items and allow you to see the contents.

You recently bought a house that has a bedroom addition above the garage but it is not insulated. Adding insulation should make those rooms more comfortable and save on energy bills. There are several options for insulating above the garage.  Depending on the local building codes, the size of the area, whether you decide to hire a professional or do it yourself and maybe the most important factor is your budget.

If you have a sheet rocked garage, the fastest way would be to have blown-in insulation installed behind the sheetrock. A fair warning here, the blown-in insulation may be expensive if your garage  is small. If your garage is not sheet rocked you have to install lame-spread rated batt insulation and cover it with sheetrock. First check
your local building codes for the requirements of  the thickness of the sheetrock for garages including fire safety rules. The lack of smoke detectors in a garage and the possible storage of flammable and combustible
liquids can cause a garage to be considered a hazardous space. This is the reason why you should contact a local contractor to help you in insulating this space.

The garage is that one place where we all seem to love to be disorganized, however the sooner you get organized, the sooner you can make better use of that space. Organizing your garage can be a tiresome task for many homeowners. When you think about organizing your garage you should keep in mind that this activity means to find a designated place for everything while keeping your goods available for everyday use. The following
five steps compromise a simple system for garage organization.

Sort your garage items. First of all sort and categorize all the items in your garage, for this you should empty your garage and start sorting everything into categories. Separate the tools from sporting equipment, electric tools, etc. You will realize how much stuff you have and only then you will be able to determine the best ways to
organize and store everything.  Misplaced items in your garage should be returned to their proper place. Also you should sort the things that should be in the garage from the things that should actually be in the basement, attic or better, sold at a garage sale. Remember to recycle everything that you decide to throw away.

Separate seasonal items and equipment. A special rack should be installed to hang lawn maintenance
tools and to keep them accessible yet out of the way. If it is near winter place snow related tools like snow blowers, ice scrapers, snow shovels and also skis, snowboards and sleds grouped together. Also the items for warm seasons should be stored in a special cabinet. Near the beginning of every season you should plan this activity and rotate the cold and warm items places in the cabinet. For the other sporting equipment, shelves and drawers should be designed.

Additional shelving and cabinets. While organizing you should consider adding additional garage storage space to help you maintain the organization.
Shelves and cabinets should be mounted on the walls. The basic principle is to store the items that you use on a regular basis in a way that makes them accessible every time you need them.

Create efficient working area. Installing a bench or a table would be a good choice if you use
your garage as a workshop. A sturdy tool chest and a pegboard  are great in storing your tools and keeping them easily accessible.

Relocate trash and recycling bins nearby the garage. To easily dispose unwanted items from your garage a good
idea is to relocate the trash and recycling bins near to your garage entrance.  This way you won’t be tempted to keep
certain items because the trash bins are too far away.

Now would be the time to hire a handyman to have cabinets,closets and shelves built right into your garage. Invest in some good storage units as described before and start organizing, sorting and storing.