Ok we all get the idea the garage is disorganized and you want it to be organized! Set aside, then Plan and Prepare for a day to organize your garage. You will need to spend some time doing a bit of a stock take of the situation. Really give some thought to how our suggestions are a fit for your garage and select your storage solutions based on your needs and budget. You will need to be prepared with some empty boxes, garbage bags, some labels and markers and if things are really serious, a mini skip. Do you need a mini skip? - If you do; book it now! Do you need more boxes or stackable plastic containers? Collect boxes from your local fruit and veggie store or buy some big plastic tubs from $2 shops, or hardware stores. Fishing tackle clear lidded boxes also often found in craft shops are great for all the small screws and washers. Pull out drawer units can also be handy and keeps the little bits handy on the bench top ice cream containers are great in the garage too for holding all sorts of oddments. If you need and have room for more storage shelves, Op shops and $2 type shops can be good for cheap functional pieces. Or buy some brackets and wood from your local hardware store. Create a plan What is being moved from where, to where? what will be the advantages of moving it? Think about how often you use something and position it accordingly - the most used item most accessible and the least used higher up and further to the back. Make use of wall space for all types of storage Some wall mounted storage solutions include:- Peg boards Hooks and racks - for garden tools anything from the leaf rake to your bike or hoses. The ceiling can be great place for storage especially if you have rafters to utilise Skis and fishing rods can be balanced across rafters ropes and pulleys can be used to hang a kayak or roof racks. Putting shelving up can be very rewarding so if there is room for some shelving of whatever length and width give it a go store all manner of items. This is a great way to store paint tins and power tools. Just be aware of weight ratings to be sure what you put on them will be held securely. Consider if you need to ask someone to help you move some heavy or awkward things. Asking for help is a lot better than getting a bad back! On the big day equip yourself with sturdy shoes and old clothes including gloves and maybe a mask if you have to deal with lots of dust/sawdust/cobwebs or chemical fumes. Whack on some music that will keep you on the move. To get started sometimes we need to make a larger mess to clean up so don't be upset if after your first half hour attempting to get organized it looks worse than when you started! We all have different styles but this is what I did recently to declutter and get our garage organized. Take some before photos Using your space well is the key to having your garage organized. You will need to get rid of what you don't need; this may be heartbreaking, but on the whole it will be satisfying as you and your family decide what is no longer needed and can live without. Take photos of things that have been special if that is what is needed to move on. Allocate an area for going to the op shop, to be given to friends, local club/charity Auction event etc. You can get good prices for scrap metal, especially for the copper, stainless steel, bronze and Aluminium so look into this if you have any lying around. Also make piles to sell - you may not have enough for a garage sale but still a few products good enough to sell. To earn some extra cash might even be a good motivator for you to take this job right to the end! EBay is great to sell off the repair manuals for the cars you had years ago, the old backpack, power tools, hand tools, garden tools, kids prams, toys, exercise gear, snow & diving gear etc If you need to experience the feeling of progress load the stuff for the op shop / friends etc into the car and take away immediately, phone friends and give them a deadline to have collected it before you give it to someone else or simply toss. You can also put a FREE sign for your nature strip. Anything you put here will be gone quickly! Same with wood - "free firewood". Once you have some space, and you are down to what you want to keep, put in place a system that will save your garage from being that disorganized again. Make a monthly note in your diary to assess the stuff in the odds and ends box in the shed and take it to the op shop - recyclers etc. This is an easy system that keeps you on track and you will enjoy the satisfaction of ticking it off your monthly to do list. At some point you might have decided you have enough for a garage sale. Before you get carried away with how much money you will make - (although some people make a lot of money out of a garage sale) on the whole it may not be the most effective way for you to get rid of your stuff. We previously lived in a rural town and passing trade was limited so sales were not great but once we put a sign out that said "garage sale all stuff free" then they came in droves and we were happy to get rid of it. We didn't have to pay removalists to take it all to our new home and no tip fees, or have to store it in our new garage and we could then quickly get back to life. Alright, the garage is decluttered and is now ready for sorting; think about what you need access to right now. Seasonal rotations help to declutter - your camping gear, beach stuff and skis won't likely be needed all at the same time so put away at the back what you don't need and make easier access for the things that you do. My Father was an earth mover and needed discipline to put things away and once he had a place for everything clearly marked he followed it to the letter, so much so that in his latest employment he is getting the workshop in order on a large cattle station using many of the simple ideas we share here with you. Plan "Organize your life" to create space and time for you and those you love. Ensure you have the balance in management of yourself, Family, Home, Work, and Finance in your daily routine. http://www.organizeyourlife.com.au Author - Claire McFee This is one of a handy set of "how to articles" accompaniment to the "Organize your life system", which in simple terms is a complete set of headed lists from the main areas of our lives, Family, Home, Work, Finance, Personal, each list comes with tips and links to manage every thing from the mundane to the most important. For change to occur in your life; you must take action beyond downloading this article, you must read it, then set yourself an easy to follow plan. Then "Do It" Claire loves helping people achieve a healthier more balanced life though better organization and also through preventative health measures. Claire has a lot of success with publicity for her business including being featured on TV several times, plus numerous feature articles in news papers and magazines of note. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_McRitchie
Walk around in the shed if you can (!) & visualise it clean, tidy and orderly
Make some decisions on the big stuff, bin / op shop, a new space, or use it more effectively if you are going to keep it - i.e. the lawnmower and garden tools, power tools, hand tools, etc
Question if this is the best spot for them? How can I store this better?, Is it accessible for how often I use it?. Could I store it another way i.e. handle folded away, shelving over it, garden tools hung or standing in a drum or have in a tray against the wall.
De-cluttering
Accessibility
Clearly marked places for things -we cannot stress enough the importance that every thing must have a place and you must put it back after every use. If it isn't being put away ask why not ? - maybe it isn't in the most practical place or stored the best way.
Rules - Rules of the shed at our house with 3 teenage boys is; the work bench must be clean and clear before leaving the shed.
Discipline to follow whatever rules you set - motorbike time is deducted at our house.
Reward yourself for sticking to the rules.
Monday, January 12, 2009
How to Organize Your Garage and All That's in It!
Organizing Your Garage - Easy Tips
Your home can be immaculately clean and organized, but a lot of times it is the garage that has to suffer. It suffers because all of the items that are removed from the home to keep it nice and neat are usually stored in the garage. Then again, the garage simply becomes a catchall for tools, toys, and everything imaginable. Eventually, these things become a hazard, so it is good to get down to business and start organizing your garage. Start sorting The first step to organizing your garage is to sort through the items in it. You need to categorize everything that is in it. For example, you will have a pile for tools, one for toys, and another for sporting equipment. If you have stored any clothing in the garage, make sure you have a pile for that as well. Once you have all of these items in piles, you need to take anything that shouldn't leave the garage and place it in its proper place. That way you and anyone helping you know that those items stay. Seasonal items Once you have your piles, you now need to make new piles by sorting them out by season. This will help you to place your items into storage bins. For example, you find summer sporting equipment and winter sporting equipment. You can place each within their respectable storage space. The same goes for clothes, toys, and other seasonal items. If you have to, you can install more storage space. This means building shelves, purchasing portable closets for tool storage, and purchasing storage bins that you can label. You can even build cabinets to make everything easier to find. If you have everything stored away, you are left with considerably more floor space so that you can move around in your garage. Getting rid of the unwanted Once you have organized all of the things that you want to keep, it is time to get rid of those things that you don't want to keep. As for how you pull this off, there are several ways. You don't have to drive your unwanted items off to a dump somewhere and you don't have to overburden the garbage man. First of all, you can have a yard sale to sell those things that are in decent condition. People love it when others sell their junk because they are quite likely to find a treasure. However, you will find those things that cannot be sold in a yard sale, but need to be disposed of. You can then sort the trash into items that are recyclable and not recyclable. The recyclables can be delivered or picked up by the local recycling center, whereas the items that cannot be recycled can be picked up by a junk removal service. Even if you can't find something to do with the junk that the junk removal service can remove, they may be able to find someone who can refurbish the items and donate them to charity. Better efficiency When it is all said and done, you have a larger workspace that is more efficient. If you want to build things, you can do that. If you want to actually park a car in your garage, you can do that as well. Most importantly, you'll feel a lot better about the space that you are occupying. Even if your garage turns into your catchall, it will be an organized catchall. That will make it easier to sort through things in the future and even find those items that you can actually use. This makes life a lot easier. Prefabricated metal buildings direct from the manufacturer. Offers a wide selection of steel buildings, outdoor storage sheds, metal garages and more. Perfect for storing and protecting your recreational toys! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Garage Door Reviews
We have garage door reviews that can keep you a smarter way on how to make a fantastic garage, but before that you must plan your garage for example garage in an apartment. Garage apartment plans is very difficult to do because, you share with other tenants for a particular place but there is a good way to do that. You buy your garage door parts and other things to accomplish your garage like woods, steel, cement etc. if you have already this things in place, you can start building your garage in an easy way. You must think also the future of your garage, most especially your garage door, garage door repairs is very often than the other parts of your garage because it is the only part that you always used.
Mini Storage - The Perfect Place For Seldom Used Stuff
The average person owns items that they only use once or twice a year. Some Valentine fans might have decorations for seasonal parties and romantic outdoor displays that will be in their way everyday after and before Valentines Day. Other holidays and once a year occasions like birthdays that require special decorations also take up space while leaving rooms, closets, and more in a state of constant disrepair. Having seasonal decorations, various sports supplies, and other items in the way throughout the year can be annoying to say the least. Before you start thinking about throwing these seasonal items that you love and will probably need in the future onto the street corner consider investing in a mini storage unit. Mini storage is the perfect place for all of your seldom used things that you simply cannot afford to throw away. The average person does not consider mini storage because they do not realize it is an option or they are afraid that they cannot afford to rent storage space. What those that are afraid of the additional expense do not realize is that mini storage rental has become extremely affordable as storage rental companies find other ways to make money from clients. Now renting a small storage unit is extremely affordable and most cities have a variety of facilities for individuals to choose from. Once you decide to invest in a mini storage unit you must determine exactly how much space you will actually need. Min storage units are rented at a rate that is determined by size. The larger the unit you rent the more expensive it will be. To save money you must always pick the smallest storage unit possible. It will be tempting to purchase a larger unit to avoid cramming items into a small space but this would be a waste of money. Why would you pay for empty space? Instead concentrate on purchasing a small unit so that you can stuff all of your items into one small area. To find out how much space you need box and stack your belongings in your home. Use a measuring tape and measure the width and height of the area of space you will need. Once you have it you will be able to start visiting facilities that rent mini storage units so that you can start pricing your units. You will need to determine whether or not a security deposit will be required and, if a security deposit is needed, the amount. Be prepared to pay a security deposit equal to at least one months rent. Ask if any discounts are available for paying advance for six months or one year and be prepared to sign a contract if you do this. In some cases you might get a discount offered to you for simply signing a contract promising to keep your unit for more than one month. Always remember; never sign those contracts unless you are sure that you will stay since signing these contracts can mean you will be required to pay for the storage unit even if you are not using it during that contract period. Along with finding out prices and deposits needed to rent a mini storage unit find out what sort of access you will be given for using your mini storage unit. Most mini storage unit facilities will allow 24 hour access to their paying customers. In some cases the access to the units will be restricted from 9:00am to 9:00pm or similar times often coinciding with the schedule of the main office. This can be inconvenient to those that only have a small amount of free time to go to their storage units, who work nights, or who often need their decorations or supplies at the last minute. Lastly, take advantage of the security is offered by many mini storage facilities. These facilities want their clients to feel comfortable leaving their important items behind whether or not they are seldom used. Many mini storage facilities offer video surveillance and alarms that help them monitor who comes on the property and alerts them if anyone tries to break into a unit. This will help you rest comfortably knowing that whenever you need your items they will be their waiting for you. Taking advantage of mini storage is a great way to keep items seldom used items safe while they are out of the way. Having a mini storage unit will help you regain control over your home by opening up many decoration and efficient storage possibilities that were not possible in the past because of clutter. Simply Self Storage - What Could be Easier than Simply? Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_White
Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. We own and/or operate over 228 facilities with over 16.1 million square feet of storage space.