Posts Tagged ‘garages’

Organize That Garage Once and For All with These Items

Posted by on Saturday, January 23, 2010. Leave a Comment

If you own a home with a garage, you may be suffering from a conflict of interests. Should you use the space in the garage to hold your car? Or should you use it to store all of the items that you do not want to give up? As with many things in life, home garages are not all the same. Each one is built and sized differently. Your family probably has very different garage storage needs than your neighbor, and a different garage as well. When it comes to home garages, one size obviously does not fit all, and the same goes for garage storage needs as well.

Yet despite differences in garage size and storage needs, garage owners continue to search for ways to make the most of their respective garage storage space. The following are some useful garage storage items that can help maximize the amount of storage space your garage currently has.

Shelves and Containers for General Storage

A good shelving system is easily one of the best purchases you can make for expanding your garage storage space. This is simply because shelves help you make the most of your vertical space. In typical garages much of the floor space is taken up by parked vehicles and it’s not available for storage. Therefore it’s important that you really use up as much vertical space as possible when storage room is tight.

Sets of free-standing shelves are perfect for this, since you can move them from place to place as you need to. There’s nothing wrong with fixed shelves, just as long as you’re not one of those people who likes to periodically rearrange things! Either type of shelving will work well, and regardless of what type you prefer, there are shelving systems to fit your needs.

Storage cubes and stackable containers are another great option, especially if you want storage that will help protect your stored items. Durable PVC cubes are both stackable and portable, and the easy to open doors are perfect for keeping your garage tidy. With durable plastic and a tight-fitting door these will definitely help keep your possessions in good condition.

Storing Sports Equipment

From softballs to tennis rackets and skis, sports equipment comes in such a diverse array of shapes and sizes that it’s not always easy to find good storage that can handle every item. Usually the best way to handle everything is to get several different storage items, especially if your family has several members interested in different sports. However, the EZNET is a great solution to this problem. The EZNET is a wall-mounted net made from durable industrial-strength netting. It can hold up to fifty pounds in weight, and it has the ability to expand to fit items of any shape as well. The EZNET isn’t just suitable for the garage either. It can go in your kids’ rooms to hold toys, or double as a wall-mounted laundry hamper.

If you an avid fisherman you may feel you only want the very best storage equipment that’s built to specifically store rods, reels, and other fishing-related gear. For this purpose, a sturdy fishing rod rack is the perfect option. It holds up to a dozen rods upright in a secure fashion and has drawers and hooks for storing tackle as well. This is the perfect garage storage item, making good use of vertical space while taking up a remarkably small amount of floor space as well. It’s also mounted on four sturdy castors, so it can easily move anywhere you want it to go.

Organize your Tools

Every tool lover knows that tools can often be awkward and sometimes rather bothersome to store. Preferably you want the tools that you use most to be in plain sight and easy reach. The ideal solution is some form of wall-mounted storage that has a place for each tool that that keeps them all in order and in plain sight for whenever use is needed. Wall-mounted brackets are perfect for power tools and garden tools such as forks, rakes, brooms. Storing garden tools securely upright is particularly important as it will prevent them from rusting and rotting longer.

Take out the Trash

Taking out the trash can be a really big pain, especially if you have a large family that generates more than usual. With a portable trash can trolley, taking the trash out is a snap, and it makes storing trash cans a no-brainer too. This sturdy portable trolley can take two cans and up to 250 pounds in weight, and its durable construction makes it difficult for the cans to tip over. Easy-rolling wheels mean you will never have risk back injury lifting heavy trash cans again.

Ryan Anderson is a freelance writer who writes about cleaning and maintaining an orderly home, often discussing a specific kind of item such as garage organizers.

Equipments Found in Garages

Posted by on Friday, January 22, 2010. Leave a Comment

A garage is a place where automotive vehicles are serviced, repaired and stored. It is also a place for storing things and for building workshops, where in, tools or equipments are stored in order to service your own vehicle. In order to have an efficient garage, owners should provide basic equipments that usually vary with certain specifications.

A garage is a place where automotive vehicles are serviced, repaired and stored. It is also a place for storing things and for building workshops, where in, tools or equipments are stored in order to service your own vehicle. A garage is like a cabinet with a rolling door in which you can put all the necessary tools, especially for making repair works for the vehicle. It is a structure that is not enclosed completely and is also often called a “carport”.

Historically, during the 1950s, a typically garage has a door connecting directly to the interior of the house. Now, more residential garages are often attached to the house, while commercial garages are a separate room that resembles a modern shed.

One should have a handy list of equipments inside your garage so that you will not find it hard to fix your vehicle or other stuff right in your own garage. These important equipments are as follows:

1. Air Compressors
These are mechanical devices that are required for pumping air or compressing gas with pressure. It fills the vehicle tires with air. This is for cases where in the air inside the tires have decreased. Air compressors can also be used in patch works and spray paintings of vehicles.

2. Fluids and Exchange Equipment
These garage equipments ensure mobilization and the standard exchange of a vehicle. It helps in maintaining fluid intake via checking mileage duly given by the vehicle, cleaning the defect.

3. Lift Equipment- Hydraulic Lift
A hydraulic lift is used in lifting a vehicle towards a certain level. This is done for cases of repairing or giving alternative treatment without strain on your vehicle. This is ideal for cars and vans for it can lift up to a 3 ton capacity weight.

4. Jacks and stands
Jacks and stands are basic tools for a garage that mainly requires the screwing and unscrewing of certain parts of the vehicle. This is also in order to erect it at a level of alignment used by a mechanic.

5. Washing equipment
These equipments are used in order to manually cleanse the removed parts of a vehicle and replace it afterwards. The process actually removes excess oil and dust inside the inner surface, as well as in and around the engine itself.

6. Wheel Balancer
An ergosonic balancer allows a car wheel to be balanced an accuracy of 2-gramme less at 90 rpm in seconds. It also has ultrasonic sensors which automatically measures the rim diameter, width, wheel dimension and offsets it with no chances of operator error and manual programming. A wheel balancer is a large cabinet that provides the capacity for an increase in weight and accessory storage.

For bicycle wheels, there is a digital balancer for wheel centering, along with a lateral and radial rim in order to measure eccentricity. Hence, motor digital balancers allow a perfect balancing of wheel bearings with non rotating shafts.

Fort scooter wheels, a manual digital balancer allows the rotation of wheel bearings, granting precision for a very tool thin shaft. Thus, for motorcycles, car and scooter wheels, a manual spin balancer with rotating shaft are actually more suitable.

7. Service Stand
Service stands are available within a work bench and a drip tray. This used for other tool supplies. You can do piping from the floor through the legs or otherwise.

8. Wheel Aligner
An aligner is a combination of accuracy and speed that is being used with the steering wheel. This is for both axles that are measured by the 4 measuring heads, along with its high resolution technology sensors of 8 CCD.

9. Tire Changing Machines
Technical Data:

• Net weight: 155 kg, Max.
• Wheel diameter: 980 mm, bead loops.
• Opening 45-325 mm, Max.
• Wheel width: 12″
• Chucking device: 8rpm
• Maz motor torque: 1000Nm
• Motor power: 0.75HP (055kW)
• External clamping: 10″-18″
• Bead loops: Max power 2400 kg
• Internal clamping: 12″-20″

10. Wheel Balancing Weight Pliers Top
These equipments are used in cutting, loosening and securing weights in wheels. A pliers top is made from Chrome Vanadium steel.

11. Wheel Balancing Weight Pliers Soft Head
It is used in cutting sizes, loosening and securing wheels on alloy aluminum rims. The plier’s soft head is made up of chrome vanadium steel.

12. Clip Fitting Tool
A clip fitting tool is designed for fixing or removing two-piece weight balances. It is also used in order to hook, lift the lip or remove body weight.

13. Adhesive Balance Weight Remover
This tool removes adhesive weight of the wheel without damaging the actual alloy rims.

Weight: 60gms

14. Rim Width Calliper
This tool measures the pitch circle wheel diameter that has been mounted on holes of 3, 4 and 5.

15. Wheel Alignment Mechanical Turn Table for Passenger Cars
This tool is used for truck wheel alignment machines.

16. Tire Levers
This tool removes locking rims of 420 mm up to 460mm.

17. Brush with Plastic Handle
This tool is used for lubricating tires and for changing it with machines.

18. Valve core Screw Driver
This tool is used along with a standard single ended 1″ stem length. This is commonly used for fixing and removing valve cores, particularly the VG5 from one end and the VG8 from the other end.

19. Tyre Mounting Aid
This tool is used for mounting rim clamps that are European styled, specifically the VR and the ZR, which are highspeed low profile tire changers.

20. Ventifix Steel
This tool is used for mounting rubber snap-in-valves on passenger cars.

21. Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit
This is a complete kit which includes a knife, instruction sheet, probe, repair seals and insertion tool.

22. Opacity Meter
This tool is used for displaying smoke opacity degree and co-efficiency of light absorption.

Other equipments and tools:

• Garage Storage Rack
• Fire Extinguisher
• Power tool holder
• Fuel Injector cleaner
• Oil Extractor
• Car Batteries
• Wheel Nut Impact Socket
• L Shape Spanner (Socket)
• Four way Wheel Nut Wrench for Passenger Cars
• Four way Wheel Nut Wrench for Passenger Trucks
• Double Ended Wheel Wrench for Trucks
• Flexible Skiving Knife
• Rubber Pad for Passenger Cars Lifts
• Hoe Style Inner Liner Scrapper
• Mast Air System, Schrdu Frame
• Tyre Bench Spreader
• Universal Adaptor
• Flexible Valve Ext.
• Tyre Pressure Gauge
• Serrated Wooden Handle 038mm, 6mm thick
• Headlight Tester

Thus, garage can also be used as a work space for home improvement. Managing a complete set of garage equipment is important for servicing ones vehicles and other home works in an efficient way.

For more information on Equipments found in Garages please visit our website.

Sports Garages

Posted by on Monday, January 18, 2010. Leave a Comment

Are you the sort of individual who likes to spend the weekend biking through rugged trails? Do you enjoy skiing or snowboarding? Do you like to pack up the car and go kayaking or canoeing? Are you a surfer who just can’t get enough of the waves? If your answer to any of the aforementioned questions was yes, then you fit the bill of someone who lives for outdoor sports and activities. You know better than anyone else that a day spent without experiencing an adrenaline rush is like a day that is not worth living. Getting out in the open and experiencing the rush that comes from whatever activity you are passionate about is what makes life worth living.

Imagine if you had a space where you could store all of your gear in a convenient and efficient manner. Imagine being able to pack up your car at a moment’s notice and head out on a new adventure. All of this and more is possible and can be achieved with the help of a sports garage, a dedicated space for you and your sports gear, which can be put in place by the help of some professional advice about garage storage solutions from the experts .

Garage Works is an Australian firm that has been pioneering the development of ergonomic and efficient garage design. If you have the type of garage where finding something entails a complicated and tiring search, Garage Works can help you. Garage Works can help you create the perfect garage for your needs and requirements and transform your garage into an area you will actually enjoying spending time in. For more information, please visit the company website at http://www.garageworks.com.au

.

Kathleen Terrana has worked in the design industry for over 5 years and has worked with some of the top companies in the field. Her articles are full of insightful details about her field of work. Please visit
www.garageworks.com.au

The History and the Future of Garage Organizer Systems

Posted by on Monday, January 18, 2010. Leave a Comment

The original garage organizer system was just some basic shelves that were put up along the garage walls, usually just using scraps of plywood and pine that were lying around the house. I have to admit, this is still the type of garage organizer that we use today. It works fairly well for boxes, but not good for all the miscellaneous, odd shaped items that end up in the garage.

After basic shelves, came the evolution of a utility shelf. Often made out of metal or heavy duty plastic, and the plastic ones usually break completely down to shelves and supports. We have some of these also, both the plastic type that break down as well as heavy duty metal shelves.

Along with these basic shelves, we have the everyday cabinet that can be found in many ordinary garages. The garage organizer cabinet is usually made of metal or particle board. We have the particle board variety which is heavy and will be ruined if it gets wet. But it is very good for storing paint, stain, fertilizer and other household chemicals.

But in the last 15 to 20 years, the garage organizer has evolved into full systems. These systems range from grouped cabinets of various sizes and configurations to wall slat systems that are very versatile. These wall systems can hold a variety of different hooks, shelves, baskets, caddies etc. that can hold an entire multitude of items from gardening tools to sports items to seasonal goodies to tools and bikes.

It seems like that would max out the ideas for garage organizers, but then somebody realized that there was an entire ceiling that was going unused. There are multiple overhead systems that take advantage of this fact, from a shelf that hangs from the ceiling (some on a pulley system) to special tote holders.

So with this innovative idea in mind, it made me wonder what will come next? What does the future garage organizer look like? Perhaps rotating shelves where everything has its own place, and it would be fully computerized. Just punch into the computer what you are looking for, and the shelves and cabinets would mechanically rotate until the desired item was front and center.

Perhaps some of the cabinets could even be kept in the crawl space above the garage and would robotically come down through a trap door when you did a search on the garage organizer computer system.

Better yet, think of Star Trek the Next Generation. You just walk up to a contraption built into the wall and say like Jean Luc Picard, “Tea, Earl Gray”, or more appropriately, “Stain, Dark Walnut” and the item would instantly appear. The question is, do you store everything willy nilly in the crawl space and attic, or are they just molecules floating somewhere in space to reassemble when called upon. On Star Trek, I used to wonder if they had a storage hold full of anything you could possible need to appear when summoned, but I am pretty sure it was the latter molecular scenario.

Star Trek may not be the future of garage organizer systems, but it will be interesting to see what does evolve. But for right now, there are some great systems available to improve your garage storage needs.

But perhaps we won’t need a garage, because cars will be obsolete. Beam me up Scotty!

MJ is a freelance writer for ClickShops Inc., where you can find the perfect garage organizer for your garage at www.garagecabinetsonline.com.

Garage Organizers Take Away All Your Excuses

Posted by on Monday, January 18, 2010. Leave a Comment

Garage organizers are not all created equal, not by a long shot. When you have stuff to store, but not enough space to store it in, then you know a lot about storage – or the lack of it. Many garages are used to solve this problem with simple plywood shelves. This works, but isn’t very attractive. It also isn’t very efficient. There really isn’t all that much difference between a pile of stuff on the floor and a pile of stuff on a shelf. It can be nearly as frustrating and as equally irritating. Creating a truly organized garage space takes a little bit of planning and thought. Once you’ve figured out exactly what you need to organize, then you can purchase the appropriate organization solution for your garage. Assuming that you’ve figured out your needs, here are some possible organizers for your consideration.

First, you could opt for something as basic as garage organizer cabinets that can be mounted on the wall, or put on rollers and left on the floor. These are really nice because they allow you to store items on shelves, then hide them out of site behind doors. No more embarrassment when friends and family go out to your garage. But you can do more, way more.

Garage organizers go way beyond simple shelves or even cabinets. Another one of the more popular solutions for garage storage is adjustable wall rack systems. Companies like Gladiator, Bench Solution, Flow Wall, or NewAge VersaTrac all make various wall track systems that are truly customizable and versatile. Think about all that stuff that clutters up your garage that just doesn’t fit in a cabinet or on a shelf. Hoses, rakes, shovels, brooms, roller blades, rackets, weed trimmers, etc. With a wall system you can adjust the racks and hooks so that you can make a truly functional and customizable space. Yard tools no longer have to plague your life. Don’t you hate the way they start out stacked in a corner, but somehow find a way to creep out onto the floor and invariably get in the way? Say goodbye to that little problem forever!

As a large active family, we have lots of bikes and sports equipment to manage. Rather then just have all those things rolling, bouncing, and lying around, we’ve found that overhead garage organizers are a simple, but important part of our garage. For the bikes, we bought some Prostor ceiling mount bike lifts. These allow us to use the space above, while still allowing easy access to the bikes when we want to use them. For the basketballs, soccer balls, and baseball equipment, we purchased a couple of Prostor ball and bat sport racks. These are great. They are solid steel and have a really nice smooth finish. They were easy to mount up on the wall and does exactly what we wanted them to do – keep stuff off the floor!

Garage organizers are also available for other specific items. You can get racks for golf club bags, fishing poles, ski equipment, roller blades, lawn and garden equipment, even ladders and wheelbarrows. No matter what you have to organize, you will be pleasantly surprised at your options. You truly can make sense of all that stuff. There just isn’t any excuse for clutter anymore. Go for it!

MJ is a free lance writer for Click Shops, Inc., where you can find a large selection of garage organizers at www.garagecabinetsonline.com.

Garage Organizers for Both Frequently and Infrequently Used Items

Posted by on Sunday, January 17, 2010. Leave a Comment

Garage organizers come in many shapes and sizes. There are specialty racks, shelves, and cabinets. There are hoist systems, overhead platforms, and other ingenious ideas that people have come up with to help organize stuff. Sometimes “garage organizers” even refers to a type of person, as in people who organize garages. Usually it just refers to ways and means of making sense of life’s various things that tend to clutter up our garages and homes. Lets take a closer look at this last area. A good place to start is to break down the things that you and your family members use on both a regular and an occasional basis.

You and your kid’s bikes are probably things you use often. These things can be stored with specialty racks that make it possible for you to access your bikes easily and quickly. without having them lying all over the floor. Picture how nice it would be to not have to deal with bikes flopping all over the place, or tripping on them when you try to navigate your way past them to try to get to something else. All in all, garage organizers for bikes is a wonderful idea.

Other things you use frequently that really benefits from garage organizers is sports equipment. Soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, golf clubs, roller blades, and all sorts of other things can be safely and neatly stored in bins and on hooks designed just for such things. This sure beats the normal dump-it-on-the-floor-and-run routine that most kids use. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times you ask them to put their things away, they somehow just end up all over the garage floor. If the kids know that there is a specific rack or bin for their stuff, it makes it more likely that they will use it.

Things that you use infrequently would be things like fishing gear. Garage organizers help make sense of this stuff too. Chances are you have fishing poles, reels, nets, and other fishing stuff that only gets used every once in awhile, but mostly just sits in a jumbled mess. Instead of piling all that stuff up willy-nilly in a corner of the garage somewhere, why not organize it neatly. Next time you get ready to go fishing, loading up will be a snap. Plus, you’ll save yourself the frustration of dealing with rods and reels that are a mess.

Probably my most favorite garage organizers are garage storage cabinets. These can be left on the floor on rollers, or mounted on the wall, or even situated on a table top. Many are lockable, and most have adjustable shelves. Paints, stains, sandpapers, miscellaneous hand tools, and other items that can really turn your tool boxes into jumbled messes go great in these sorts of cabinets. Like all garage organizers, these cabinets make our lives easier because the frustration of dealing with things out of place goes away. Instead, we create an environment where we can think clearly, access things we need easily, and just create a more relaxing vibe in our day to day lives.

Garage organizers come in all shapes and sizes, and I recommend them highly if you are interested in simplifying both the frequently, and infrequently, used items in your life. Do an inventory and decide to take action. Get the organizers you need and smile.

MJ writes for ClickShops Inc., where you can find a great selection of garage organizers for your home at www.thegaragedealer.com.

Clear Your Garage In Five Simple Steps

Posted by on Saturday, January 16, 2010. Leave a Comment

When it comes to a cluttered garage, things often get to a point where they seem too messy to fix without some Herculean effort. Your garage seemed so spacious – how did this happen? Easy: You got disorganized. To clean your garage you need to get organized, from the actual cleanup to how you act later on. By using the five-step process below, most people should be able to clean their garages in an afternoon and keep them clean. All you need is garbage bags, storage bins and a steel pegboard garage storage solution to get the most out of your garage’s interior space.

Step 1: Drive Away

Let’s make one thing clear: Never try to clean around your vehicle! Things will roll away underneath it, you’ll take longer to move things around and you’ll just end up with a half-finished job. It will also be difficult to execute Step 5 and install metal pegboards to make use of vertical space. So take your car out and find another place for it to park for the afternoon. If you’re worried about your reorganization efforts taking up space you need for the vehicle, just mark the space you need in masking tape. Simple!

Step 2: Take Out the Trash

Now that the car’s gone, take stock of all of the garbage in your garage. To do that you need to define “garbage” – and that can be trickier than you think. Garbage is anything you can’t or won’t ever use or sell. Many people are packrats who want to keep that rusty jar of screws or keys to your old, long-gone home, but be strong – they need to go. The same goes for that lawnmower you’re going to fix some day (if it’s been a year, that’s not going to happen – admit it!).  Once you’ve defined your trash, toss it out. You may need to run a load to the dump, but a lot of your garbage is going to be standard waste, good to go in a couple of bins. Make sure these are sturdy and able to stay outside, since if you bring them in you’re not really cleaning, are you?

Step 3: Move Things Back In

No, not “back in” your garage. This is your chance to repatriate all the stuff that’s wandered from closets, rec rooms and basements into the garage. Focus on moving these things back to their proper place. Families experience this kind of migration a lot; kids dump sports equipment, school books and other stuff at the threshold of the garage door. Well, it’s time to return these “gifts” to their senders. You may need to do some cleaning deeper inside your house, as indoor clutter tends to “invade” the space intended for these newly-returned objects.

Step 4: Organize Seasonally

At this stage the garage should only contain things that belong there. Now’s the time to ask yourself which objects belong there all the time and which should really only be there at certain times of the year. For example, if you only use your workbench in the summer, move it to a backyard shed. The same goes for garden tool storage. Likewise, move your skis, snowboards and other winter gear into a different area for the summer. Remember your choices so that when the seasons roll around you can switch out the right equipment in an hour or two instead of making these decisions all over again.

Step 5: Use Pegboards to Exploit Vertical Space

By Step 5 you should be left with only what you need in your garage for that particular season. Take a look at your garage. See any tables? Bare walls with nails? These are signs of under-used vertical space. Fix this by installing a steel pegboard system that’s strong enough to hang as much as possible, including bicycles, shovels, storage bins and heavy tools. For instance, Holey Rail’s steel pegboard system mounts on wall studs to let you hang very heavy objects – plastic bins and other items you’d normally have to leave on the floor. Once you’ve finished you should have a clutter-free garage with maximum available floor space. You only have the things you need, and have used pegboards to exploit wall space.

Ironsides Storage Solutions is the exclusive manufacturer of Holey Rail? heavy duty metal pegboard garage, garage storage solutions.

Garage Overhead Storage: The Pros & Cons

Posted by on Saturday, January 16, 2010. Leave a Comment

Garage overhead storage may be the best thing for you to use in your garage for your organizational needs, or it may not. If you are like millions of other homeowners who have garages filled with stuff, you are likely interested in using the best storage solution you can find. Nobody likes a cluttered mess, and a garage is so easy to just let go because most people don’t even think of it as a part of the actual living space of their home. Rather, they see it, and use it, as nothing more than a large storage unit and general dump all. Whether storing things overhead is best for you depends on your interpretation of the pros and cons.

Some of the Pros of garage overhead storage:

Allows you to free up space on the floor. Having to constantly negotiate your way around the things that tend to clutter a garage can be absolutely irritating, not to mention dangerous. Roller blades, bikes and basketballs just aren’t a good mix when they are constantly under foot. Seasonal items, like Christmas decorations, are needed for such a small time of the year that it just makes sense to get them up and out of the way for most of the year. Putting those bins up in the available space above just makes good sense. Ease of access. Most garage overhead storage systems are easily operated because of the power of leverage. With ropes and pulleys, almost anyone can raise and lower the platform that some of these systems use.

Some of the Cons of garage overhead storage:

Not all overhead storage systems are the same. While some have ropes and pulleys that lift the platforms full of boxes and stuff up out of the way, others are bins that ride on rails installed on the ceiling. Or stationary shelves that hang from the ceiling. Both of these have to be accessed by ladder or step-stool. This is not practical for some homeowners. A better solution might be shelving or modular wall units that are easier to get at. Human nature being what it is, there might be a tendency to simply fill up the newly created space underneath the garage overhead storage with more stuff, rather than leaving it free and clear. Unless you are committed to leaving free space alone, you may want to think twice about just putting things overhead. It will be difficult to access if the space below is filled with stuff, regardless of the type of system you use. Some systems are a bit trickier to install, especially the pulley systems. While the cost of most overhead garage storage is not prohibitive, some does tend to be a bit more expensive than what some other options cost. If money is a factor in your decision, then you’ll want to carefully think about this. Of course, the money you spend on any eventual solution is going to be money well spent if you do your homework.

There may be other considerations for your particular situation that only you know about. Depending on the size of your garage, other storage opportunities you have available to you, or your personal preferences for ease of access to stored items, you may find that overhead garage storage would be a perfect option for you. If not, that’s okay too, because there are many other storage systems and products available on the market.

MJ is a freelance writer for ClickShops Inc., which offers a variety of garage overhead storage options at www.garagecabinetsonline.com.

Top 5 Reasons to use your Garage Overhead Storage

Posted by on Friday, January 15, 2010. Leave a Comment

I am not sure when it all started, maybe in 1986 with Lionel Richie’s hit song, “Dancing on the Ceiling”. Perhaps a young child looked up and dreamt about dancing or walking on the ceiling, and though they may never have actually done that, they did realize that the ceiling had potential for other uses, like storage. Maybe someone discovered the use of ceiling space before then, I really don’t know. But I do know that there are a multitude of garage overhead storage options available today.

These options come in a couple of different forms. From shelves that hang, bolted from the ceiling, to pulley systems that you can use to lower and raise a shelf, to special tracks which allow you to hang everyday storage bins. But regardless of what type of garage overhead storage system works best for you, they all have some of the same basic advantages. Here are five reasons why you may want to use your ceiling space for storage.

Whether you own or rent a home, if you have a garage, you have space that you already “own”, so we should utilize all out space in the most efficient way possible. All garages have ceilings or rafters, so it makes sense to use them. Sure, if you have rafter, you can balance some items above them, such as skis or sleds, but a hanging shelf will hold a lot more stuff in a wider variety of shapes and sizes. Many people have so much stuff that they don’t know what to do with, that they go and rent a storage unit. If you already have a garage, this does not make sense. As mentioned above, you are already paying for your living space, why pay more to store your stuff elsewhere? If you can store items in garage overhead storage instead of paying for self storage, you will save money. After all, most garage overhead storage systems can be paid for with the cost of only a few months worth of self storage. Another great advantage of garage overhead storage compared to a storage unit, is that you can access your things at any time without leaving home. Sure, it is not as quick to access as a regular shelf, but it doesn’t take that much effort – definitely quicker and easier than traveling to a storage unit. > If you are like I have been, your indoor closet space is filled to capacity and beyond! Get things like keep sakes and seasonal items out of your closets and into garage overhead storage. They are the perfect storage solution for items that only have to be accessed occasionally. Finally, the best reason to use garage overhead storage is to free up your garage so that your car can fit inside! So many garages become a catch all, that only 32% of people with a two car garage can fit one car inside, and 25% of two car garage owners can’t fit any car into their garage! Winter is coming quick, and you know that you don’t want to have to scrape the frost and snow from your car. Reclaim your garage now, and overhead garage storage is the perfect solution for part of this problem.

So, regardless of the type of garage overhead storage system that you use, it is easy to see that there are reasons why almost anybody would benefit.

MJ is a freelance writer for ClickShops Inc., which offers a large variety of garage overhead storage options at www.garagecabinetsonline.com.

3 Ways To Design Your Own Garage

Posted by on Thursday, January 14, 2010. Leave a Comment

If you have decided to design your own garage, either by constructing a completely new one or by remodeling and existing one on your property, you are probably in search of ideas. Even if you know what features you want to incorporate when you design your own garage, you may not have the technical expertise to work them into a building plan, but don’t want the expense of paying a contractor to prepare the plan for you. Do you have alternatives?

Yes, and a wide variety of them. You can begin by investigating the different software programs available which will give you all the help you need to design your own garage blueprints. One of the better-known software programs is Plan3D.

Software Programs

You can subscribe to Plan3D online and, for a small monthly fee, use their service to design your own garage with all the features you want, and then view both its interior and exterior from every conceivable angle. If you’d like to design your own garage from plans you found elsewhere, you can even scan them to thePlan3D program and get a clear picture of how the finished garage will look in three dimensions.

If you don’t have any idea of where to find plans from which you can design your own garage, you can again do an online search. Many online companies have libraries of garage plans available for immediate downloading; these plans will include not only blueprints, but complete instructions on the materials you’ll need to get your garage constructed.

Finding Garage Plans Online

Homeplans.com is one such site, which in addition to having hundreds of plans for houses, has plans for both garages with workshops and garages with living space from which you can get ideas to design your own garage. For more info see http://www.garageplanshelp.com/Garage_Storage/ on Garage Storage.

Prefab Garage Kits

If you think you’d not only like to design your own garage, but construct it as well, look into the many prefabricated garage kits now available. Built from galvanized steel, they come prepared to assemble and can usually be constructed in les than a day with three or four people working on them.

If you do not have the necessary manpower to assemble a prefab garage, many manufacturers can provide construction crews for an additional expense. You will have to check with your zoning board to find out if steel structures are permitted in you area, and what dimensions are acceptable for garages. You’ll also have to pour a foundation for the unit, to provide it with extra stability.

You can have a hand in the design of your own garage by telling the prefab company what features you’d like to incorporate in the unit. You can further customize it by choosing among the many available styles and colors.

You can also find more info on Garage Organizer and Garage Storage Cabinet. Garageplanshelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Garage solution.