From the Manufacturer

The Rubbermaid 3743 Small Deck Box offers a unique storage solution for grill accessories, charcoal as well as lawn and garden tools. The Small Deck Box assembles quickly without tools and is constructed of strong one-piece panels that will not rust, peel or need painting. It also doubles as an end table, a perfect storage solution for condominium owners and apartment dwellers with small balconies.

Mini Deck Box, Strong 1 Piece Panel (more…)

You asked for it. Well here are more storage space solutions, hints, and tips. The trick is to make every inch count. Just because you house is small does not mean you have to put up with limited storage space. And they all can be done without knocking down walls or adding on expensive additions. We have done the homework, so now you need to do the work. But do not worry. These tips, hints, and solutions are quick and easy. So get started.

Outdoor Storage Space

If you have got big storage space needs for outdoor equipment, a storage shed is for you. A storage shed is a roomy structure with a wide access entry for big equipment like tractors and lawn mowers. They keep outside storage items dry from and free from forming mildew. Some are decorative and match the main property structure. Others are just plain ugly metal storage sheds that develop rust overtime. Storage sheds come in three choices, pre-made, assembly required, and build-it-yourself. They require regular maintenance like a house, so if you dislike painting and roofing, think about renting a self storage unit.

Kitchen Storage Space

Have you finally had it with that dark and dingy storage space under the kitchen sink? Well there are many types of under sink storage solutions to solve you storage needs. There are two types of roll out storage trays which roll on smooth-action ball bearing drawer guides. They will get everything out in the open and let you find exactly what you need at a glance.

Make every inch in your kitchen count. With upper-cabinet shelves you can solve many storage problems. If you have empty space above you kitchen cabinets, you can use it as storage space to display decoration that you keep in storage boxes. But the reason why you do not use that storage space probably is from the sunk-in surface. This area is a dust trap. So here is your storage solution. Build upper-cabinet shelves. Upper-cabinet shelves not only keep decoration from sinking out of view, they are easy to clean.

Closet Storage Space

Stop singing I do not have enough closet space blues and maximize you closet storage space with an organizational system. Is your closet too small and overstuffed? Do your cluttered shelves, sagging clothes rods, and jumbled shoes all cry for more storage space? Of course, the coolest storage solution would be to expand the existing closet, but that is usually impossible. Instead, you can organize you existing closet space to make every cubic inch count. It is surprisingly easy and economical to squeeze more storage out of limited space. Double you closet capacity with and efficient built-ins.

Garage Storage Space

The wall in your garage is way too valuable just to hang rakes, bikes, and garden hoses at random on nails, hooks, or shelves. To make every inch of that wall storage space work for you, design a wall storage system. Organize your garage with an easy-to-build storage system that will hold your clutter.

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.

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.

Climate controlled storage has become very popular with families and individuals in just the past few years. As people begin to collect new items, add new members to their family, or start to make more money they often outgrow the storage space available in their own homes. For these individuals storage becomes the answer to many storage problems with climate controlled storage becoming the ultimate storage solution. With climate controlled storage families do not need to fear storing their valuables outside of their homes ever again. Now they can safely store their valuable clothing, furniture, and more without risk of damage.

Up until very recently families and individuals interested in storage were only provided access to units that were little more than garages without the house attached. They were offered bare concrete floors and basic walls that would release heat during the winter and evaporate cool air in the summer. This meant that the temperature and climate of the storage unit was at the complete mercy of the elements. Many people stored their items only to find that they were ruined by leaks, damp air, and too much heat. This lack of stability made it impossible for individuals to feel safe storing the valuable items in storage units with many people placing their things in storage expecting to get them back in bad shape.

As an added nightmare the poor construction that was letting in the heat and cold was also letting other things in with it. Many storage units were easily infested by rodents and insects. The basic construction designed solely to keep out the elements did not thing to prevent pests from entering the facility. Without climate control and sound construction people would go to retrieve their items from storage and find that the entire area had been overrun by mice or insects.

Protect your personal items when they are in storage by choosing to use only climate control storage units and avoiding everything else. These days most new or remodeled storage facilities offer climate controlled units to their clients. The storage units that are equipped with climate control features will never drop below freezing temperatures during the winter months and they will not get overheated during the summer months. Most storage companies offering climate control will even allow clients to set a constant temperature for their unit.

Renting a climate controlled storage unit is often more expensive than renting a traditional storage unit because of the fees associated with maintaining a stable temperature. Storage companies will usually be able to tell you the exact temperature of the climate controlled units throughout the year. This is extremely useful if you are storing items that should not fall below, or rise above, a certain temperature. If you are afraid that the storage company will not keep the climate controlled units at a constant temperature throughout the year do not sign any contracts with them until you are guaranteed some control over your temperature and have that requirement added into any contract. Most storage companies that offer climate control will specify a maximum and minimum temperature that has usually been chosen with cost effectiveness in mind.

Climate control is an important feature when storing items of any value. Many people who have stored their items in standard storage facilities have been shocked to find their belongings completely ruined because of humid weather and other natural problems. Wood furniture often cracks after being exposed to extreme cold followed immediately by extreme heat. Regulating the temperature of a room is the only way to guarantee the safety of your valuable items. This protection will help avoid problems such as rusting, mold, mildew, and other deterioration. This protection is especially useful when storing antiques and other delicate valuables that are not able to handle constant changes in temperature and climate especially dampness in the air.

In addition to protecting from the weather the sturdy construction of climate control units will help protect your belongings from rodents and insects. In standard storage facilities it is not uncommon for renters to find that their belongings have been ruined by nesting rodents and infested by insects. Using a climate controlled unit will help avoid all of this while protecting your belongings from serious damage. This will help keep you from going to your storage facility one day and leaving in anger when you discover nearly all of your valuables have been ruined by pests or mildew. Investing a bit of additional time and money into finding the right climate control storage facility can help save your valuables from damage and harm when in a storage facility.

So long as people have stuff, they need a place to put it. This has been true since before written language. It was discovered that over six millennia ago, the Chinese had a system for storing their personal belongings, where select individuals would be tasked with the job of keeping watch over the items for peace of mind of everyone else. The items were most commonly stored underground, where the facility was monitored to ensure that people can only access their own belongings. The British too had systems in place for storing valuables during extended vacations or leaves. Banking companies would gain responsibility over the property, providing safe and secure storage. Many other systems arose providing a long term storage solution to consumers. All of these systems involve individuals moving your stuff to their facility and safeguarding it.

Self storage options did not really begin to show up until the 1960s, where the first self storage facility was built in Odessa Texas, know as the “A-1 U-Store-It U-Lock-It U-Carry the Key.” One of the founders, a gentleman named Russ Williams, worked on the creation of the facilities, having been inspired over his own personal need to store boats and oil field equipment. His need to store boats was not only his own, as many people were looking for new and cost effective boat storage options. He and many others needed to have quick access to the stored goods, basing his design on the pattern of side by side garages he observed for an apartment complex. Vehicle storage, as well as other kinds of storage, became part of the design, and not soon after does the design arrive at what is familiar today. The first facility was in an industrial area and was 100 feet by 30 feet in size. The facility had asphalt drives and was built with block walls, block partitions and panel garage doors. The units were sized at 30 feet by 10 feet, in part to provide space in order to accommodate 24-foot bass boat trailers.

Self storage was the greatest invention for storage companies all over the world for a number of different reasons. The main problem for companies that store your goods for you, should anything happen to your goods once they leave your possession, the storage company becomes liable. This not only includes theft and loss, but also any sort of damage as a result of fire, flooding or whatever else. The biggest reason people utilize storage is the security and safety of the goods being stored. Someone along the line must be responsible over the well being of the stored goods.

In the present, self storage options have shifted the bulk of the liability onto the consumer. If there is a fault or flaw on the part of the storage facility, then they will be liable should theft or damage occur. The other big change with self storage is that the proprietor of the facility is not granted access to the goods being stored. Security over the stored goods in each of the storage lockers is then maintained by two different systems, one of which is a physical lock provided by the consumer, and the other of which is the presence of security cameras and required gate codes for the facility to keep non-members out. More complicated systems can be employed, such as card readers and thumb print scanners. Should the consumer fail to make a payment then the facilities owner can place a lien on their property, holding it to sell in order to recoup costs. This is the only real case where the facilities owner can access the property stored.

There are many cases where self storage is only a part of the service provided. Your local gym, postal office, bank and many other places will possess a small area spot for piece inspection, as well as an area to store goods while the consumer is off doing other things. The bank provides the best security for the consumer, while not offering a lot of space. Large scale self storage options on the other hand, can include RV storage, boat storage, vehicle storage, climate control storage, drive up access storage and numerous other options depending on what your individual needs are. Once you know how much storage space you need, you can work on finding the right service to meet that need. If you only need to store small valuables, a safety deposit box in a banking institution may be ideal. If you are looking to store a boat on the other hand, a self storage facility with drive up access is the better choice.

Self storage is commonly used for short term storage. That’s because it’s the ideal solution for people who need to store something for a short period of time. The contracts are typically month-to-month with no long term commitment required, and no penalties or charges for removing items early. The convenience of self storage lends itself to short term storage, because you can go anytime the facility is open to add items or remove them.

For people in the process of moving, self storage is perfect because it can be so flexible, cost-efficient and short term. But there are many good reasons to consider self storage for your long term storage needs, too. Traditional storage might require a long term contract and therefore seem like a good long term storage solution. But if you use self storage instead, you get the flexibility of being able to come and go when you please and add and remove things when you want, while knowing your items are secure behind your own lock and can’t be accessed or moved as they can with traditional storage. Self storage can make it much more convenient to store items that you need to access regularly or just from time to time. There are a number of situations where long-term self storage might be a good idea.

Business documents. Businesses that need to keep boxes and boxes of paperwork for legal and tax reasons can benefit from long term self storage. As the number of boxes decreases or increases, it’s easy and hassle free to rent a smaller or larger storage unit. And when access to the paperwork is needed, it’s convenient to go anytime the facility is open. The amount of document (and now even disk and digital) storage businesses are required to keep can be astounding. These boxes can take up valuable office space or storage space within a company. With long term self storage, they can be conveniently stored off site where they’re still accessible.

Boat storage. If you live in an area where you can only use your boat from spring to fall, you’ll have to store your boat for the winter. This might be in your backyard or your garage, but self storage is great for long term boat storage, too. Some areas might require that boats not be visible from the street or be present in a yard, so if you don’t have a garage or a storage building, you’ll have to rent storage for your boat. And you may opt to store your boat off-site even if you have a garage or storage shed. Why use up all that space with something that can only sit there for at least a few months? Self storage is the perfect solution.

RV storage. Most people use their recreational vehicles only on certain occasions throughout the year. It doesn’t have to take up valuable garage space when you’re not traveling across the country in it. Self storage will let you store your RV safely and securely when you’re not in a traveling frame of mind.

Vehicle storage. You might have many reasons to store a vehicle. Some people prefer not to drive in the wintertime and take other transportation. And some cars and other vehicles like classics and show cars are best stored during the winter season for their own protection. Vehicle storage is an ideal use for long term self storage.

Seasonal wardrobes. Closet space is almost always at a premium in today’s homes. We might all dream of huge walk in closets, but few of us have that luxury. When the seasons change, we either leave last season’s clothes and heavy coats in the closet with this season’s clothes, which take up tons of space and make it harder to get to what we need. Or we pack those clothes away in boxes, bags and bins and try to cram them in the backs of closets, under beds, in our backyard storage shed or in the attic, and these places are usually already full of other stored items.

Mini storage would be a good choice for a person’s seasonal wardrobe. A closet-sized storage unit can hold winter clothes to make room in your closet for the clothes you need during the current weather, and because self storage is so convenient, when you want to change you simply trade the clothes in your storage unit with those in your closet. Long term storage for clothes is ideal for those with large wardrobes, with a minimum of closet space, or both.

Those looking to give their garage a makeover and create additional storage space can be heartened by a number of solutions available including garage cabinets, garage flooring, overhead storage, storage containers, and more. At Garage Outfitters, you’ll find the finest cabinets, coatings, and all-around solutions the industry has to offer, and you’ll also find something else. We call it HandiWall, and once you’ve installed it and seen the difference it can make you’ll call it a godsend.

HandiWall is one of the many great products offered by Garage Outfitters, and is an all-encompassing and ideal garage storage solution. Durable and versatile, each HandiWall set includes a host of accessories including shelving, hooks, bins, baskets, and various specialty storage products. The durable commercial finish of these products makes them a perfect choice for use inside as well as outdoors in any weather conditions. And because they are built for easy and instant reorganization, they offer a versatility that allows for change when you need it.

Install HandiWall as the panel system for your garage walls. Each panel is tongue and groove in style for easy installation, and is 1/2 inch thick, 12 inches high, and available in eight foot lengths. You’ll look long and hard to find a system that works so well and looks so good in your garage. It’s all about the functionality and aesthetics that are the calling card of all of our products, and that the accessories in our HandiWall line offer in spades.

HandiWall’s built-in durability makes it the perfect choice for indoor or outdoor applications including your garage. There is a reason these products are consistently chosen to be used in the toughest commercial display projects; namely a durable finish ready, able, and willing to withstand the elements and thrive in high abuse applications. Because all garages aren’t created using the same dimensions, HandiWall can also be custom cut to fit any area perfectly. And because we know that styles and tastes differ from one household to the next, we are proud to offer a number of top of the line solid core designer colors and wood grains.

Bringing a sense of order to your home via the creation of additional storage space is the dream of many a homeowner. We invite you to do so in a stylish, sensible, and affordable way, by learning more about HandiWall and everything this amazing and versatile product brings to the table.

Garage storage space often becomes more and more limited over time as the humble garage becomes a dumping ground for all of the items that aren’t needed anymore but for some reason, just don’t seem to be able to reach the bin.

The original purpose for most garages is to store vehicles and they do excel at this.  Keeping your car locked away in a garage shields it from the weather, passers-by who may scratch or lean on it and of course safe guard it from thieves.  These are all beneficial to car owners, can save money on car repairs and maintenance bills and with some insurance companies even reduce your car insurance premium.

In times of financial struggle any which way to reduce outgoings needs consideration and it’s possible that the garage isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.  Clearing your garage of clutter can release space to store valuable possessions such as cars and motorcycles, especially older or classic vehicles that are prone to the dreadded rust!

Implementing a storage solution in a garage can also provide space to securely store tools and other valuable items such as golf clubs or bikes.  Having a dedicated area to lock such items away means that they are out of the house, but easily accessible and most importantly secure.

There are also in-direct benefits of making your garage a secure and weatherproof area for storage.  One such example is for those who like to store packaging, it’s not unusual to keep the box for a computer or television as it’s well known that if  the time ever came to sell it, a much better price can be achieved if the original packaging is still in a uasble state.

Unleash the storage potential of your garage and the opportunity to save some money at the same time.

Garage storage solutions usually come packaged in some pretty plain colors. I mean, everyone gets it that shelves are a good idea; but that’s so drab. Everyone also gets it that cabinets are good – can someone please pass me the Nodoz. I am not suggesting that shelves and cabinets don’t have a place in solving your storage problems. I am just saying that we can all go beyond these basics. Let’s take a look at some creative ways to store things in your garage that go beyond shelves and cabinets.

One of the coolest creative garage storage solutions I have seen utilizes the space overhead. If you think about it, we all tend to use floor space without a second thought. We even lift things up just a bit when we start setting things on a bench or on a shelf. Those things help, but it’s time to think just a bit higher. There is space above to spare. How about overhead storage racks that attach right to the rafters of your garage? Have you seen these things? You simply screw some tracks into the wooden rafters above and slide on some plastic bins. Viola! There you have it, an overhead storage solution for your garage. This allows you to put all those things up out of the way that are hardly ever accessed. Things like holiday decorations, lights and such.

One of the on going problems with not implementing the right garage storage solutions is that when things get cluttered along the outside edge of the garage, there is absolutely no place to store things that really need storing. It is obvious that you should get rid of the things that you never use or access. Be gone with such rabble. Once this is done you are in a position to truly appreciate and utilize the next several creative garage storage solutions, i.e., bins and racks.

Turns out there are actually bins designed for storing sports balls, roller blades, rackets, baseball gloves, and many other things that typically get tossed on the floor or lost in a pile somewhere. Most of these are attractive powder coated metal bins that are easily adjustable for where you want to install them on the wall. Some even have integral hanging racks with different attachment point options. This is a nice feature because while one height might be good for the adults in the family, it will be completely unworkable for the shorter folks. Anytime you can get adjustable garage storage solutions, that is a good thing. The kids will thank you. And, if you think about it, it’ll actually save you time and effort as well because you won’t always have to be running out to the garage to hand things down to the kids when they need them.

As for racks, these are real things of beauty. Garage storage solutions have to take care of the things in life that don’t stack or store away in bins easily. These are things like bikes and fishing rods and reels. Have you noticed how frustrating it is to try to lean a fishing pole against the wall? They always tip over against the ones next to it and turn into a mangled mess. Racks designed for storing fishing gear are a real life saver. Bike racks are made that allow storage against the wall, or lifted up into the space above. Whatever you do, be creative with garage storage solutions and you will be forever glad you did.