By Doug Martz
How does your garage rate on a scale of one to ten with helping your family manage their daily activities?
If you’re not giving yourself at least an eight and you don’t let the kids in the garage without adult supervision for fear of injury, it may be time to get control.
Here are four garage accessories that can help you quickly tame your garage and turn it into functional space that is safe and beneficial for the whole family.
Wall organization systems
- Wall organization systems get everything off the floor. Wall hanging storage systems are ideal for organizing everything in your garage.
- Keep gardening tools and supplies together. Instead of standing rakes and shovels against the wall where they can fall and create a danger, store them on racks that keep them up off the floor and clean and dry.
- Group athletic equipment by sport using baskets and racks for bats, balls, mitts, cleats, hats, etc., so nothing gets misplaced.
- Each family member can have their own section for their specific sport or hobby with lower baskets for little ones, so they can put things away without needing help.
- Install low shelves for wet and muddy footwear to eliminate piles of shoes and boots on the garage floor.
- Even without enclosed or locking cabinets, you can keep dangerous tools, chemicals or products out of reach of children and pets. Take advantage of unused vertical space. Overhead storage is especially good for large and awkward shaped items that don’t fit into garage cabinets.
Specialty hooks
Specialty hooks come in all shapes and sizes and work with wall hanging systems. Many items can hang on hooks, but for big things, such as bikes, skateboards, skis and golf bags, getting custom hooks designed to safely and securely manage the weight and bulk of specific items ensures safe and damage-free storage.
Storage cabinets and shelving
Cabinets capture usable space and provide behind-closed-doors storage, hiding unsightly clutter and maintaining order. Designing cabinets around parking stalls, workbenches, countertops and laundry appliances provides storage right where it’s needed, keeping necessities close at hand.
Doug Martz (dmartz@tailoredliving.com) is president of Tailored Living.
