Page 13 April 9, 2015

SPRING FEVER

Garage organization 101

Garages are coveted by
homeowners across the
country, offering a space
to park a car and protect
it from the elements. But
many people do not park a
car in their garage, only to
find the garage become a
home to clutter.
Garages tend to become
the official catch-all of a
home. When an item cannot
be crammed into a hiding
space elsewhere, it often
ends up dumped into the
garage, where it joins the
long list of other abandoned
items. It can be easy to let
garages become a wasteland
because everything put
inside a garage is behind
a closed door. That mess
can quickly build up, and
reclaiming your garage
requires
energy,
time,
organization, and a plan.
Organizing a garage will
take some time. An entire
weekend or two consecutive
days may be necessary

depending on the level of

disarray. Taking everything
out of the garage and going
through the sorting process
may take the most time.
When sorting, separate
any broken items, which
can immediately be put at
the curb for trash pick-up.
Examine things that you
have not used in some time.
If you havent missed it,
theres a good chance that
you can discard the item or
donate it. Create separate
piles for donations and
trash.
Move the items that will
be kept into a separate pile.
After all of the trash and
donations are removed from
the premises, then you can
look at what is remaining
and begin planning out a
more organized storage
system.
There may be things in the
keep pile that are simply
out of place in the garage
and may be better stored

Even a home that looks neat from the outside may be

housing a disorganized mess behind the garage door.
elsewhere. Think about
which items can be moved to
a basement or attic because
of their infrequency of use,
such as holiday decorations,

suitcases, and collectibles.

You may prefer to move
lawn and garden items out
of the garage and into a
shed in the backyard.

After
completing
the
sorting process, look at the
garage as a blank space
and measure out the room
that you have. This will
provide an empty canvas
as a starting off point. To
maximize the amount of
space you have as a work
area or a place to park your
car, invest in as many tools
as possible to utilize vertical
space. Shelving, hooks and
cabinetry will take things
off of the floor, while storage
units with doors can hide
items that lack aesthetic
appeal. Rolling tool caddies
and cabinets can keep all
tools neat and in organized
drawers so youre never
hunting and pecking for a
tool again. A cabinet that
has a lock and key can
be utilized for dangerous
chemicals that need to be
kept out of the hands of
children and away from
pets. Think about how the
garage will appear from the

curb when the door is raised

and create a design that will
be functional and neat.
Take
the
opportunity
while the garage is empty to
give walls and floors a fresh
coat of paint and improve
the lighting in the garage. A
brighter garage makes for a
better work station.
For those who can use
a little extra help, there
are
professional
garage
organization
companies
that can come in and install
custom cabinetry and work
surfaces. This is an option
if you desire a high-end
garage.
When putting items back
into the garage, label where
everything is stored until
you become accustomed to
Page 15 April 9, 2015
the new organization. This
way youll be able to find
everything easily.
Organizing a garage can
be tedious, but the reward is
ultimately worth the effort.

SPRING FEVER

Trellis Systems
enhance home exteriors
decorative low-maintenance option to accent a single or
double garage door
Homeowners looking for a unique way to accent a single or double garage door now have
a decorative low-maintenance option with the Fypon(R) PVC Trellis Systems. Available in
two sizes to accommodate either single- or double-car garages, each trellis system kit can
also be fabricated to use in alternative settings, such as over home entryways, garden sheds
and free-standing garages.
A Fypon PVC Trellis System comes as a complete kit including outlookers reinforced with
PVC for durability, attractive beams, lattice and hardware. The PVC pieces come in smooth
white that are easy to put together in just a few hours to create an accent trellis for over a
garage or home entryway.
The trellis system adds architectural diswtinction to any home while resisting rotting,
decaying, warping, splintering, mildew growth and insect infestation. The low-maintenance
PVC pieces may remain white or can be painted or stained to complement the overall style
of the home. For details on trellis kits, visit www.fypon.com.

Home insulation
is a smart investment

While investing in retirement is top of mind for many of us, there are other
investments that can pay off over a longer period of time, like insulation. Home
improvement specialists tell us that we can protect our home investment, too,
with a spray foam insulation like the popular-selling, Icynene. This type of
insulation can provide a complete air seal with optimal R-values, delivering
up to 50 percent in monthly energy savings. More information on this topic is
available online at www.icynene.com.

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We are YOUR full time Garage Door Dealer

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(800) 727-4859 (712) 246-2444

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