Archive for December, 2009

La Crosse Technology WS-7014CH-IT Wireless Weather Station

Posted by on Saturday, December 26, 2009. Leave a Comment

  • Wireless weather station reads indoor temperature, humidity, and remote temperature
  • Radio-controlled time and date reads info from U.S. atomic clock
  • Included remote sensor reads temperature from up to 330 feet away (depending on obstructions)
  • Forecasts weather conditions (up to 75 percent accuracy) based on air pressure
  • Measures 3-1/2 by 5-1/2 by 1-1/4 inches (W x H x D)

Product Description
The La Crosse Technology WS-7014CH Wireless Weather Station transmits the remote temperature via a wireless 915 MHz transmission from the outdoor sensor to the indoor display unit at a range of up to 330 feet. The forecast icon is controlled by changes in the barometric pressure history for the past 36 hours, to generate a forecast for 12-20 hours in advance. Also displayed are indoor temperature and humidity, and time and date, which is set by the U.S. atomic clo… More >>

La Crosse Technology WS-7014CH-IT Wireless Weather Station

10 Reasons To Try Self Storage

Posted by on Saturday, December 26, 2009. Leave a Comment

Using a self storage unit may be a completely foreign concept to you. After all, for years, you’ve been busily shoving all of your stored items into closets, attics and garages. Why make a change now? Consider these 10 reasons to try self storage and begin reaping the benefits today!

Reason # 1: Your Attic
Have you ever heard of the concept of maximum capacity? Chances are that your attic reached this phase eons ago. And yet you continue to happily shove more items into this limited space. Do you even know what is in your attic these days? Using a self storage unit can help you to unload this space, take stock of what you actually own, and bring more organization into your life. How much of your stuff could you easily throw or give away? What is hiding in the attic that you need to use? Find out today!

Reason #2: Your Closets
Closets are for clothes…not for storage. And yet so many families use the various closets in their homes to store away unnecessary items. After awhile, the articles that should go in closets start not to fit, because so much else has accumulated. Uh-oh! Time to clean out your closets, and start storing items in your self storage unit.

Reason #3: Your Garage
Can you even fit your car into your garage any longer? Too many families give up their precious parking spaces for the millions of boxes that overtake garage space in their home. If you have piles and piles of boxes, you may not even know what all your garage is holding. End the mystery today and use a self storage unit to organize your gear while reclaiming your parking space.

Reason #4: Know What You Own
Self storage units are a great way to take stock of what you actually own. If something has been stored away in your house, you may have completely forgotten that you owned it. That forgetfulness may cause you to own doubles or even triples of some items.

Reason #5: Get Organized
When you store all of your boxes together in one space, and continuously add new boxes at random times, you can quickly forget what is where. In a storage space, you can arranged all of your items so that you know exactly what is where and can access it any time you need to.

Reason #6: Run a Home Business
If you run a home business where you sell items through online portals or home parties, you may not have enough storage space in your own home to stay organized and keep the inventory you need. Instead of trying to invent space where there is none, use a self storage unit to keep all of your items in order and readily accessible any time you need them.

Reason #7: Organize a Collection
Do you have a valuable collection that is just sitting around in a dark corner of your home? Perhaps you collect massive quantities of baseball cards, or you are an antiques fanatic and have quite a few more than you can display in your home. Use a self-storage unit to safely and securely organize your collection.

Reason #8: Protect Against the Weather
If you own a motorcycle or another warm weather only vehicle such as a jet ski, you may need a place to store for the winter. If your own garage is not large enough to accommodate, you can use a self storage unit to protect your items from the cold of winter and the weather that may be damaging.

Reason #9: Saving for Later
Many parents save special items for their children to use later in their lives when they’re living on their own. Whether it is pieces of furniture, boxes of dishes or pots and pans, or even baby clothes and necessities, it can take up a lot of room to keep these in your own home. Instead, use a self storage unit to organize and store these items so that they can be enjoyed years in the future.

Reason #10: Occasional Use Only
Do you have items in your home that you might need to use only once or twice per year? They may be large and bulky and hard to store in your attic or garage. Perhaps you organize an annual parade or large event and have items related to that. Your self storage unit is the perfect solution for safely and securely storing those items that you only need access to once or twice a year.

Simply Self Storage – What Could be Easier than Simply?
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.

Picking The Right Storage Unit For Your Rv

Posted by on Saturday, December 26, 2009. Leave a Comment

Today, there are many different types of recreational vehicles (RV) on the market. The popularity of RVs is reflected by the many styles, colors, designs which are available for purchase from a variety of manufacturers. RVs are no longer just for the occasional cross country vacation but have become part time homes for some and regular vacation options for others. Owning an RV offers the freedom of traveling without the need to reserve a hotel room. Traveling in an RV lets you set your own schedule and avoid the hustle and bustle of plane travel or the crowdedness of a car, van or sport utility vehicle.

Unless you live in your RV full time, you will need to have some storage options for your RV. Sometimes it’s possible to store your RV in the driveway or on the side of your home, but in many neighborhoods, this is not acceptable which means you will be required to find a place to store your RV. Picking the right storage unit for your RV means understanding the different types of storage units you have to choose from and choosing the one you believe is best for your particular RV.

Metal RV storage buildings may be the best way to store your RV. Metal RV storage buildings are made of steel that is strong enough to withstand virtually all weather conditions, including hurricanes. Choosing a metal RV storage building as your option will most likely entail building the structure yourself or having it erected for you on your property. Of the many advantages that choosing a metal RV storage building to store your RV, the price, the convenience, the durability and the location are all advantages that make the metal RV storage building an excellent choice to store your RV in when you are not on the road and want to protect your RV.

RV garages provide a secure storage place that ensures your RV will be protected by being stored inside a garage space that you must pay a rental fee that may be due weekly, monthly quarterly, for an entire year or another arrangement specified by the garage owner(s). RV garages are great for storing your RV for an entire season or longer but shouldn’t be discounted for short storage needs as well. RV garages are not as convenient as building your own metal RV storage building but are the next best indoor option if you cannot build a metal RV storage building. Additionally, RV garages are usually relatively easy to locate and offer flexible terms on the length of time you can store your RV there.

RV storage sheds are similar to metal storage buildings but are not complete enclosures. RV storage sheds can offer good protection for your RV in terms of covering and keeping most weather elements off your RV. RV storage sheds do not require you to purchase a building kit since you are only renting the storage shed space for the amount of time that you need it. If you are looking for short term temporary storage for your RV, an RV storage shed is most likely your best option. RV storage shed owners usually have flexible terms and inexpensive rates that allow you to store your RV for a period ranging from a few weeks to extended periods of a year or more.

Outdoor RV storage units may very well be the most economical option for storing your RV. These storage units are often comprised of wide open areas such as parking lots that are secured by gated access that may also be protected by security personnel. Outdoor RV storage units may be adjacent to and owned by RV sales stores, offering a convenient place to store your RV alongside new ones. Outdoor RV storage units are a great local way to have access to your RV when you need it. Even if you have paid for your rental in advance, outdoor RV storage units are often stored in a manner that allows you to move your RV if you want to.

Picking the right storage unit for your RV means knowing what you want from your storage unit whether it is building your own or using the storage facilities of a rental company. Understanding the terms of your RV storage rental agreement is important to ensure you have space for the amount of time you want. The right RV storage guarantees you some peace of mind.

Simply Self Storage – What Could be Easier than Simply?
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.

Vehicle Storage: You’Re Garage Or A Rented Storage Facility

Posted by on Friday, December 25, 2009. Leave a Comment

Leaving a vehicle unattended for a long period of time can create problems when you try to drive it again. Rust and corrosion can form on the body or inside critical components, goo can clog the fuel system, sludge can form in the engine oil, mildew can grow in the interior, and constant sunlight can slowly fade the paint and deteriorate vinyl, leather, and rubber parts. That’s why if you need to store your vehicle, whether for the winter or because it can’t be driven for an indefinite period of time, certain precautions and storage locations should be taken before you put it into storage.

The best place to store a car is out of the weather, preferably inside a building that’s cool, dark, and dry. Many might initially believe that their garage is the best place to store the vehicle but take a few factors into consideration such as is the vehicle to be stored going to prohibit other cards from being stored in the garage? Is there any activity in your garage such as the kids bringing their bikes in and out or do you have any animals that go in the garage. What else do you store in the garage and is it an entryway into your home where people will be bumping into your vehicle?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes then it may be in your best interest to rent a storage unit to place your vehicle in where it will be nice and safe. Most individuals over the age of 17 years old own a car here in America, and if they do not, they strive to make that a reality. Cars have changed with the times, and so have all of the bells and whistles that come with modern automobiles. Families typically have 2-3 cars or more, depending on the number of teenagers living in the household at the time. Of course there are other reasons why people might own more than one vehicle besides the necessity of each parent having their own car to get them to work or to school. Car enthusiasts are buying up the muscle cars that they remember from their youth and restoring them to their previous luster. Collectors go in search of that perfect fixer upper and then spend a great deal of time and money restoring it.

It seems that there is often a need for a car storage unit that serves as an extra garage for all of these spare vehicles. This is a growing trend in the industry and is beginning to catch on. There are many reasons why people choose to rent or use a car storage unit. For instance, if a household has more cars than will fit in their garage, or if they do not have a garage at all, a nearby car storage unit can be used to hold one or more of their vehicles. A car storage unit can also serve as an excellent holding area for tractors and trailers when they are not in use.

In large metropolitan areas, parking on the street or in public parking garages can be very expensive. In large cities, parking is a huge expense. Renting a car storage unit is a much more economical way of storing your vehicle, especially when you only use your car to drive outside of the city. Another reason that people might rent a car storage unit is that it serves as a place to store their snow plows, riding lawn mowers, dune buggies and RVs during off season or cold months.

In addition, a car storage unit is perfect for business men and women who will be traveling for extended periods of time and want to maintain the safety and security of their vehicles while they are away. It is best to keep the vehicle out of harms way. There is less worry for you in the long run, and the cost of a car storage unit is worth the peace of mind that you will feel. Military personnel are another sector of the population who can benefit from the use of a car storage unit to keep their cars and trucks safe and secure until they are home again.

The benefits of using a car storage unit fully outweigh the price that one would pay for the rental of the space, and it is easy to see why classic and antique car collectors will go the extra mile to keep their investments safe. A car storage unit is secure and affordable, especially when you consider the cost of the vehicle itself.

Simply Self Storage – What Could be Easier than Simply?
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.

Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice-Cream Maker, White

Posted by on Friday, December 25, 2009. Leave a Comment

  • Electric ice-cream maker produces up to 1-1/2 quarts in about 20 minutes
  • Easy to use–no salt or ice required; chills to desired consistency
  • Transparent top locks into place for safety and convenient monitoring
  • Nonstick chamber ensures quick cleanup; instruction booklet with recipes included
  • Measures 10 by 10 by 15 inches; 3-year limited warranty

Product Description
Whatever your style, the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker will help make a delicious frozen dessert to match it! Make fat-free sorbets, low-fat frozen yogurts, rich ice creams up to 1-1/2 quarts quick and easy!… More >>

Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice-Cream Maker, White

The Garage: Storage or Mess?

Posted by on Friday, December 25, 2009. Leave a Comment

When putting homes on the market, many people fail to prepare one room in their home. While not technically a “room” as such, the garage is a part of the home that is often overlooked….by sellers. Chances are that if you have been in your home for many years, you have collected a fair amount of “stuff.” Where does most of this surplus “stuff” end up? You guessed it, in the garage.

For most people the garage is a holding pen for years of accumulated clutter. Now this may not seem like a big deal, but when selling a home clutter can be a big problem. If you are one of those people that tend to be a bit of a pack-rat then cleaning out your garage will be a good project to undertake. Don’t forget that when your home is viewed, every room including the garage will be under scrutiny. Maybe its time to sort through the stuff and decide what is worth keeping.

Another aspect that is commonly overlooked in garages is the general condition of the garage itself. Dingy walls and stained floors take away from the overall aesthetic quality of the home and buyers will notice this. Give the garage a coat of paint, or if you are really up to the task there are some amazing garage organization systems that improve the look and organization of garages a thousand fold. Prospective buyers will appreciate the added attention to the overall cleanliness of the home.

Adam Coyle is a representative of Smith Bowden Real Estate, serving the Madison, Wisconsin real estate community. Smith Bowden specializes in helping buyers invest in properties and expand their real estate portfolios. For more info check out www.smithbowden.com.

How To Get More Garage Storage

Posted by on Friday, December 25, 2009. Leave a Comment

It’s becoming a joke these days that a garage is used for almost anything except storing a car. Most people store their sports equipment and other large items and also use their garage as a workshop. Some have even put a home office or a gym in the garage space. If it has reached the point where you cannot fit your car in your garage, maybe you should think about putting in some shelves for additional storage.

Garage shelves can be obtained either site built or prefab. If they are site built, you will have to fit them into your existing space but you can adapt them to your needs with equipment you can find at your local home center, lumber yard or hardware store.

Basic garage shelves can be built out of 3/4 inch plywood of 1x or 2x lumber, simply set on heavy duty shelf brackets. The brackets should be attached to the studs with long screws and the shelves should be attached to the brackets. This is necessary because of at he weight. For additional strength, a brace can be added at each stud.

Floor supported shelves are very stable and are made by running vertical 2X4s every 50 inches and placing them on the floor, then attaching them to rafters or ceiling joints at the top., Then, 2X4s are run horizontally between the uprights and particleboard is used for the shelves. Usually 19-25 inch deep shelves are used and the 2X4s are placed on 25 inch spacing. The advantage of this is you can change the spacing to accommodate larger items.

If you are storing small items, it is better to attach a series of 1X2 strips to the inside edges of 2 adjacent studs. Then, cut some 1X4 and 1X6 lumber and fit them between Th studs and slip them on top of the 1X2s. This creates some small shelves that can be adjusted for small items such as cans, jars, bottles; you may want to organize your screws and nails in these jars and bottles.

For really durable, heavy shelving, choose steel shelving. Plastic shelving may be alright if you are storing things that are light weight, but if you have heavy items, you should choose steel. The disadvantage of steel is that you cannot cut it to size to suit your needs, but have to pick from the standard shelves. These do come in different widths, depths and heights, so you can find the ones most closely suited to your needs.

You should make sure that the prefabricated shelves you choose can be adjusted. AT least two different levels of adjustment between the framework is desirable. Make sure the pins are heavy duty and have a bar in place to prevent them from working loose.

Finally, make sure your prefabricated shelves can be attached to the wall for security against tipping. If you are going to use the shelves for heavy items, this is really an important feature.

Concentrating on the area of garage organizer, Greg Hansward published principally for http://www.insidewoodworking.com . You can see his writings on garage storage cabinets on his site.

Gladiator Garageworks Manufacture a Large Variety of Garage Storage Options

Posted by on Thursday, December 24, 2009. Leave a Comment

Gladiator GarageWorks is a company that puts out some of the coolest garage organizers and systems on the market today. Since everyone wants to have a nice organized garage, and nobody likes clutter and mess, it is important to take a look at what sorts of options you really have when it comes to making sense of your garage space.

Having the right work surfaces and places to do projects in the garage is obviously one of the main concerns of anyone with a garage. It can be absolutely frustrating to need a place to set something down, only to find that every square inch is covered with stuff. The solution is to either organize things, or to get more space. Gladiator Garageworks helps do both. They make workbenches that are spacious and heavy-duty. The solid maple tops are both durable as well as attractive. Plus, they are designed to be able to put Gladiator modules underneath for even more storage. These benches can support up to 1,000 pounds because the frames are made out of steel. Using workbenches is great because, by doing so, you create dedicated space for your project and repair needs.

Another Gladiator Garageworks product line that I think is particularly useful is their cabinets. You might remember from years gone by the old plywood cabinets that used to be so common in garages and sheds. Well, those days are no more. These days people are more interested in steel and durability. The cabinets put out by Gladiator Garageworks have fixed and adjustable shelves. They have tread plate doors. How cool is that? They are designed to support hundreds of pounds and come in various widths, heights, and depths. Some even have heavy duty casters.

To complement these cabinets, Gladiator has come up with what they call their “modular” boxes. These are basically storage gear boxes on wheels that have drawers and/or shelves, and are under three feet tall. This means that these can be rolled in and out from under their workbenches. Now that’s smart thinking. If a smaller box on the wall is more your style, Gladiator GarageWorks makes those too. 24″ and 30″ wide sizes are available and are also constructed of heavy-duty steel and tread plate.

Probably the coolest thing Gladiator Garageworks puts out is it’s Chillerator Garage Refrigerator (sorry for the pun). What more could a guy want in his garage than his own personal garage fridge. You can keep six packs of… uh… yogurt, or whatever else you want to keep cool. These are Energy Star compliant and are on casters so they can be easily relocated if necessary. This particular appliance has a 14 cubic foot fridge on the bottom and a 5 cubic foot freezer on the top. Sweet! They also put out a garage trash compactor. This is something I had never thought of, but it makes sense when I think about how much trash actually ends up being generated by activities in the garage.

Having a nice garage space is no longer just for the rich and famous. With innovative, high quality, durable, affordable and attractive products like Gladiator Garageworks makes, anyone can create a pleasant and useful space in their garage. There are lots of options that take garage use and organization to a whole new level.

MJ is a freelance writer for ClickShops Inc., where you can find the full line of Gladiator GarageWorks products for your home at www.garagecabinetsonline.com.

Keurig B60 Single Cup Brewer & K-Cup Mini-Brewer Refills

Posted by on Thursday, December 24, 2009. Leave a Comment

Product Description
Your mornings have never been brighter. Bold and invigorating or aromatic and flavorful, choose from a wide array of innovative K-Cup brewing pods – flavors designed by some of your favorite brands – and start your day in seconds with the Keurig single cup brewer…. More >>

Keurig B60 Single Cup Brewer & K-Cup Mini-Brewer Refills

Garage Storage Means Garages Aren’t Just for Cars Anymore

Posted by on Thursday, December 24, 2009. Leave a Comment

 

Maybe at one point garages were just a place to keep your car out of the elements, but this certainly isn’t the case anymore. Garages now double as extra space to store your belongings. Garage storage provides an excellent place to store out of season clothing, extra bedding, Christmas decorations and outdoor fun equipment like bikes, camping equipment and canoes. As with most things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to handle garage storage. If you are like most people, you are probably doing it the wrong way! And unfortunately in this case wrong can also equal dangerous. If your garage storage consists of cardboard boxes and garbage bags piled one on top of each other, your garage is an accident waiting to happen. Even if you have marked on each individual box what its contents are, what happens when you need a box on the bottom or one that is buried towards the back of the garage? Most likely you are left climbing and scrambling over bags and boxes to get what you need. This has the potential for disaster. You could lose your balance and fall, injuring yourself with a sprain or a break. Or you could also put a foot or a hand through a bag ort box you are climbing on. What happens if there is glass or ceramics? You risk cutting yourself quite badly. And what about the fire hazard cardboard boxes possess, especially if part of your garage is used as a workshop or an area to store paints and paint thinners? Also, it can be quite stressful to have a messy, unorganized space in your home, even if it’s the garage. So instead of risking injury every time you step into your garage, why not purchase some things to make garage storage organized and safe?

 

There are so many different types of products available to use for garage storage that your choices are literally endless. And with so many companies selling on the internet, armchair shopping makes purchasing even more stress-free. Whether you are looking for clear bins, shelving or work benches, you are guaranteed to find exactly what you are looking for through the internet. Over head racks with clear plastic bins is the best choice to store out of season clothing such as heaving winter coats and extra bedding like wool blankets. Using the ceiling for some of your garage storage is a great way to get more space. Also, it makes it easier and more convenient to store your totes. Since they are side by side and not stacked one on top of the other, retrieving what you need is a snap! Traditional plastic or metal shelving can also help with your garage storage. Shelves are great for storing any unused paints from home renovation project, books and odds and ends like children’s toys. It is also great to create extra pantry space for canned and bottled goods. If there is a mechanic in the family, ready made or custom made cabinets will work perfectly. This type of garage storage has drawers to store nuts and bolts and plenty of room for organizing tools, making it easier to find exactly what you are looking for. You can also get work benches to fit the space, turning it into a top notch work area. There really is no end to the different types of garage storage available on line. Coming in every shape, size and color, you should have no problem finding the storage solution to fit your needs

Big Dug is your one-stop-shop for all your racking, garage storage and storage