Garage Storage Systems – Reclaim Your Garage
For most households, the garage has become an unspeakable place, it is where all our unloved and unwanted stuff gets unceremoniously stacked in a pile to die. Before long, the car gets pushed out and parked under a tree, while our junk stacks up higher and higher. Finally, it gets to the point where nothing else will fit, and no one really knows what is in there anymore. If this sounds familiar to you, then you have no doubt considered giving the garage a big clean out, but it’s so difficult to know where to start, and how to ensure that, after putting in all that effort, you don’t end up right back where you started from.
The best place to start is to bite the bullet, and drag everything out. You will have no idea how to tackle the job until you can see it all laid out before you, and the act of pulling it all out gives you no more chances to procrastinate. The mess needs to be cleaned up, you can’t just leave it lying all out on the driveway. If you make this bold move, make sure that you have a good run of weather coming up. The last thing you want is for it to start bucketing down with rain in the middle of this task. Once you have everything out of your garage, separate it into three piles; Things you definitely need, things you don’t need, but someone else may be able to use, and stuff that has no right being kept in the first place. You need to be ruthless during this project, and cut out as much clutter as you can. The best way to quickly get rid of the second pile is to have a garage sale, which is a whole different topic for another day. The pile of stuff that should have been thrown out to begin with should be thrown out. Be careful that you are disposing of any chemicals in the proper manner. If you are unsure of how to dispose of something, your local council should be able to help you out.
Once you have decluttered and got rid of as much stuff as possible, it’s time to start formulating a plan, a vision of your ideal garage. This will mean different things to different people, but the basic outcome you are looking for is minimum mess and maximum organisation. One of the main lifesavers when it comes to garage organization is the storage cabinet. Garage storage cabinets are specifically designed for strength and durability. Many of the items you will store in your cabinets will be quite heavy and bulky, so it’s important to choose a cabinet that will withstand a bit of a beating. The most common type of storage cabinets for garages is stainless steel. Keep in mind that your garage is more exposed to the elements than other rooms in your house, and stainless steel will resists rust from an overly damp environment. Many people try and save money by using second hand wooden cupboard for storage, but they don’t stand the test of time, or the rigors that they are subjected to in the garage. If you want something that will last, then a steel or aluminum cabinet is your best choice. You aren’t limited to the plain metal look, however. Many garage storage manufacturers have cabinets available in a rainbow of colors. Many people like to match the color of their car with their cabinets. There is nothing wrong with a color coordinated garage.
There are, however, some things that you want to have easy access to, or that are just too awkward to store in a cabinet. For this reason, it’s important to leave space on your walls for a decent shelving system. The type of shelves that you need will depend on the type of items that are being stored in your garage. For example, if you have a family of bike riding enthusiasts, then there are special racks that you can purchase specifically designed to store bikes on garage walls. This is also true for sporting equipment, such as golf clubs, fishing reels, and even kayaks. For everything else that doesn’t need a custom shelving solution, you should consider getting a shelf system that is modular, rather than a solid one piece metal shelf. This way, you can shape the shelf to suit your garage size, and you personal needs. They may cost you a little more, but in the long run it is worth it for the extra versatility that they provide.
If you are a bit of a handy person, and like to tinker around with engines, or do a bit of woodwork, then it’s imperative that you leave yourself some space for a decent workbench. Now workbenches tend to take up a lot of room in the garage, so I wouldn’t be getting one unless you really need it, however there are a couple of designs that can help you to minimize the amount of space lost. The first is the moveable workbench. By getting a workbench that has wheels on it, you are able to roll it out of the way into a corner when it is not in use, and pull it out into the middle of the garage when it’s time to do some handy work. The other option available is the folding workbench. There are workbenches available that will literally fold away to nothing, allowing you to slip it away behind a cabinet when it is not in use.
Something that is not necessarily going to help with organisation and storage, but is of the utmost importance if you are serious about turning your garage into a neat and useful area, is the flooring. It may seem like an unneeded expense, but having your garage floor fixed up makes a world of difference, and will make working in this space a pleasure. There are a few different options available for garage floors; by far the most effective (and also the most expensive) is liquid granite, that coats the entire floor in a smooth epoxy finish that will last for decades. The benefit of having this type of floor is that it is resistant to oil stains and chemical spills, which happen all too often in a garage environment. If you cannot afford such an extravagance, then consider PVC tiling. These tiles come in squares, usually about 200 cm wide, and are designed to be interlocked together, meaning that they are versatile enough to use in any garage space. They are also available in different colors and styles, allowing you to really personalise the look of your garage floor.
So you’ve filled up all your cabinets and shelves, but still find yourself with a pile of junk and nowhere to put it? Look up! Even with your cars parked in the garage, there is a huge amount of unutilised space right above the bonnet and all the way up to the ceiling. Luckily, garage storage system manufactures have realised this and have designed some products that can be used for overhead storage in the garage. Once you have a platform attached overhead, you will find that it is the perfect place to store camping equipment, irrigation, and boxes and tubs that aren’t needed all that often. Some of these storage solutions come with smarts as well. For example, you can have your overhead platform installed with a pulley system, so that you can lower it when you need to access something, rather than climbing up a ladder. If you really want to go high tech, you can even get platforms that work on a hydraulic system with a remote control. Unless you really know what you are doing, I would recommend that you get a professional in to install this item, the last thing you need is a ton of stuff crashing down on the bonnet of your car (or even worse, your head)> If you are handy, check out Ask The Builder’s awesome tutorial on overhead garage storage.
Along with the main items mentioned above, a good garage storage system should also have places to put all those items that you use on a regular basis, and need to access easily. This includes power tools, screwdrivers, hammers, nails and mowers. Pegboards are a great way to hang you tools and keep everything in it’s place, and having a rack to hang shovels and forks keeps them out of the way and keeps you from tripping over them all the time. A cupboard with small drawers in it works perfectly for storing screws, nails and bolts. For super efficiency, label the front of each drawer so that you know exactly where everything is. It can get frustrating when you need a particular bolt, and have to open 25 drawers to find the one you want.
Some items need to be stored safely and securely; in particular, chemicals, pesticides, and petrol should be kept out of the way of children and pets, and preferably away from the heat as well. It’s a good idea to have a lockable cupboard specifically for these items, to avoid in contamination or accidents.
Many people have problems in their garage with pests. The garage is a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of little critters, including mice, rats, spiders and wasps. Keeping you garage neat and tidy, and having a everything stored away in it’s place, will really help to alleviate this problem. You’ll still need to keep an eye on them and have a bit of a clean out of cobwebs every now and then, but it will be so much easier once you have a proper system in place.
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