Our garage is a mess! The last house we lived in, there was no garage. So we were excited when we moved two years ago into a larger house with a garage. How wonderful for winter weather! We would not have to go out and defrost and clear the snow from the car. How wrong we were! Last year we were dumped on with snow, the worst winter in decades, and our car was outside in the driveway. What about our garage? It was a being used for storage, both organized and unorganized.

We really did try to organize our garage. We built shelves along the walls for boxes and plastic totes. Along another wall we had some metal shelves for home business items. There was also a work bench to keep tools organized with a cupboard above it that came from the kitchen remodel. But everything was still a mess, there just wasn’t enough room. The motorcycle was in the garage, so that was good, but it took up floor space requiring the rest of the garage to be even better organized if we hoped to fit a car in as well. Also, we were sloppy recyclers. We were really good at recycling milk jugs, cereal boxes and cardboard, but for some reason people just opened the door and threw it into the garage to be gathered and taken to the recycling center once a month. I know that we had recycling bins at one time, but who knows what happened to them?

So enough was enough, we did not need another winter with our car outside. My husband is a “do it yourself” kind of guy, which is really great, but we needed some help to get our garage organized, something that didn’t cost a lot of money. We did not need the fancy large cabinets that are really nice but out of our budget. Also, it is the garage, rough built shelves worked great, we just needed creative ways of finding more space.

With a little research, we discovered some GREAT garage organizers to help us get more out of our limited space. Obviously, this was a universal problem that someone had put a considerable amount of thought to and had done something about it! There are many different items available to hang most anything on your wall or ceiling.

If you have wall space that is not used up by shelving, you can get some great wall garage organizers. They come in different forms, but are basically like a peg board or wall slat system that is used in department stores. Once you have the wall system in place, you can purchase different types of brackets, hooks and shelves to fit most any need. There are hooks for hanging gardening tools to help organize your rakes, hoes, shovels, etc. There are special shelves and baskets available to fit other sporting goods or other miscellaneous items. You can get large hooks specially designed to hang bicycles or garden hoses, or really small bins for organizing different hardware items such as screws, nuts and bolts.

Now, I don’t really have much extra wall space for special hanging needs, though I could used some of these specialty hooks to help better organize some larger tools and bikes. And such hooks are available without having to purchase an entire wall system. Perfect for what I need.

The main accessible space that I have is the ceiling and I discovered some really neat systems to hang items. Some garage organizer systems are full metal shelves that hang. The shelf can come in varying sizes and depths. Sizes can vary from as small as a 2’ x 6’ to as large as a 4’ x 8’, with drop down depths varying from 12” to 45”. These shelves are perfect for seasonal items such as camping supplies. Some shelves, such as I have described, you have to access by ladder, other systems are available that work on a pulley system for easy access.

Another great garage organizer system that I found was tracks that hung from the ceiling. The tracks have an “L” shape. You position two sets of tracks the distance apart that you need so that you can hang plastic totes between them. For us this is perfect. All of our Christmas supplies are already kept in green plastic totes. We just hang the tracks 30” apart, label our totes and hang them by their lips on the tracks! Economical and we can keep using storage container that we already have. Also great for hanging plastic file containers. After all, where are you supposed to put those files that you are encouraged to keep for seven years? Many of these systems also come with special hangers for bikes and ladders.

Well, it did not take too much to get our garage organized. After all, we had been trying but were short just a little space. By using garage organizers to better organize some wall space for those awkward items like large tools and ladders, and then ceiling space for specialty items that only need to be accessed seasonally really helped. Though I have to say, that my favorite garage organizer gadget is my bike pulley!

MJ Marks
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/my-garage-is-a-mess-but-what-are-my-options-in-garage-organizers-702050.html

I’m looking for something that isn’t too big. It would be very nice if it had a filing cabinet as part of it.

Thank you!

Tough to find unless you had one custom made , but have a look at this !~
http://www.everythingfurniture.com/hs-stackables-set-8.html#axzz0l8CYDrwq

There are a number of reasons why organizing the kitchen can be a great idea – having an organized kitchen can save you both time and money, while keeping you healthier by preventing the buildup of various germs that can make you sick. You might even find yourself losing weight because of your organized kitchen, since it will make it easier for you to cook at home and adopt a healthier diet. One of the primary excuses that is used to keep from organizing a kitchen is how much it can cost to redo a kitchen design in order to make it more organized; this does not have to hold you back, however, because there are a number of low-cost solutions to getting your kitchen organized that can be done on even the tightest of budgets.

Organize Your Kitchen into Zones

One easy way to get started organizing the kitchen which does not cost a thing is to divide your kitchen into clear zones, with each zone having a specific purpose. All that this requires is reorganizing your existing kitchen layout, grouping items into existing drawers and shelving so that everything within each zone works toward the purpose of the zone. Most common zone layouts include anywhere from three to five zones, with three being generally agreed upon as the minimum number that can be used efficiently. Zones generally include a cooking zone that contains the stove and microwave, a prep zone that contains all of your bowls, whisks, cutting boards, and other prep materials, and a clean-up zone where your sink, dishwasher, and your cleaning and sanitation supplies reside. You might want to have a separate serving area as well, with your plates, cups, and silverware kept there instead of using kitchen space for storage of these items.

Make Use of Existing Storage Options

A number of items around the house can find a new purpose as part of your kitchen organizing plans. Small boxes that you receive with checkbooks and similar containers can be placed inside of drawers to make their storage much more efficient, and you can label the boxes to help you find exactly what you are looking for. This can help you save time as well. Larger boxes and baskets can be used to organize under-sink storage, helping you to reduce clutter and be able to find cleaning supplies or other items under the sink faster. Old baby food jars and other glassware can even be cleaned and then used to store spices and other small items, giving you the option of sealing the jars to keep the contents dry.

Keep Papers Organized

One of the main sources of kitchen clutter is paper goods, ranging from appliance instruction manuals to take-out menus and recipes to old newspapers. Instruction manuals and other booklets can be kept in gallon-sized freezer bags, letting you keep them all in a single convenient place so that you will always know where to find any manual that you are looking for. Menus and recipes can each be kept in their own binder, using plastic page protectors to keep them readable while making sure that they stay organized and safe from damage. The binders can then be kept in drawers, cabinets, or even on a bookshelf if you are trying to get everything that is non-essential out of your kitchen.

Sort the Cabinets

The cabinets in many kitchens are cluttered areas full of food, dishes, and the occasional storage container. Make better use of your cabinet space by working on an organization plan and getting rid of the clutter. Buy clear storage containers that you can fit on the shelves of your cabinets so that you can keep everything contained while still being able to see exactly what is in each container. Buy square containers if possible, as the use of square storage containers in your cabinets can not only help to keep them organized but will also allow you to store more in the space provided than the use of round containers would.

Make Use of Vertical Space

Countertops, drawers, and cabinets are not the only places for you to store kitchen utensils that you will be using; the walls of most kitchens are relatively bare and can be a great place for you to store those items which you use most often. Using a combination of small hooks and pegboards, create spaces on your walls to hold spatulas, slotted spoons, measuring spoons, and other utensils and small items that would otherwise have to be stored in a crowded drawer. Not only will this reduce the amount of clutter that you have to dig through in order to find what you need, but you will also be able to better organize your kitchen into zones if you can put the utensils for each zone within arm’s reach.

Shawn Thomas
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/low-cost-tips-for-organizing-your-kitchen-726677.html

The difference between kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets are subtle. Bathroom cabinets are a bit shorter (31” rather than 34 1/2”), shallow (21” vs. 24”), and don’t have quite so many options as kitchen cabinets from the same manufacturer.

But, being labeled “BATH” cabinets, it’s the section of a catalog many designers flip to when sitting down with a customer to come up with a plan. Yes, there are specific bath cabinets that don’t have a kitchen counterpart, but often times you can get away with swapping things out, and you may end up with a more functional bathroom in the end.

Thinking about this hypothetically…

Suppose you have a 72” bathroom wall that you need to occupy with cabinets. Also suppose that you already have a closet for clean towels and so forth, so you’re only concerned with space where people can wash up and prepare for the day. Hypothetically, you want a place for dirty laundry in the center, and a sink on each side.

Scenario 1: Bath Cabinets

In the center is a hamper pull out cabinet, 34 1/2H x 18W x 21D. That is the only width these hamper pullouts come in, so if you want something wider, you’re in the “Out of Luck” department, with this manufacturer anyway.

On the right and left are sink bases, 34 1/2H x 27W x 21D. They have no drawers (just fake fronts) and no shelves. Being narrow, that’s just how they come.

Scenario 2: Kitchen Cabinets

In the center, in place of the bathroom hamper pull-out, is a simple kitchen base cabinet with a roll out tray. It measures 34 1/2H x 24W x 24D, and essentiallyy performing the same function as the hamper pull out.

To the right and left are your sink bases, 34 1/2H x 24W x 24D. They’re a little narrower than the bathroom vanity sink bases, but deeper and less expensive.

Using list prices in your hypothetical bathroom, the total for using bathroom cabinets is $1517, and for using kitchen cabinets it’s $1506. What you actually pay in a cabinet shop will vary, but the difference between the two should be proportionate.

And while the savings are small, you’ve gained an additional 3.75 cubic feet of storage space The counters will be up a little higher, which you should be used to if you spend any amount of time in your kitchen, and there will be another 3” of depth to them for putting things like toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and so forth.

For more information about bathroom vanities and using kitchen cabinets in bathrooms, or even to request pictures of different vanity designs, visit http://www.thecabinetfolks.com or email info@thecabinetfolks.com.

Craig Parker
http://www.articlesbase.com/bath-showers-articles/kitchen-cabinets-as-bathroom-vanity-use-kitchen-cabinetry-instead-of-bathroom-vanities-693884.html

The difference between kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets are subtle. Bathroom cabinets are a bit shorter (31” rather than 34 1/2”), shallow (21” vs. 24”), and don’t have quite so many options as kitchen cabinets from the same manufacturer.

But, being labeled “BATH” cabinets, it’s the section of a catalog many designers flip to when sitting down with a customer to come up with a plan. Yes, there are specific bath cabinets that don’t have a kitchen counterpart, but often times you can get away with swapping things out, and you may end up with a more functional bathroom in the end.

Thinking about this hypothetically…

Suppose you have a 72” bathroom wall that you need to occupy with cabinets. Also suppose that you already have a closet for clean towels and so forth, so you’re only concerned with space where people can wash up and prepare for the day. Hypothetically, you want a place for dirty laundry in the center, and a sink on each side.

Scenario 1: Bath Cabinets

In the center is a hamper pull out cabinet, 34 1/2H x 18W x 21D. That is the only width these hamper pullouts come in, so if you want something wider, you’re in the “Out of Luck” department, with this manufacturer anyway.

On the right and left are sink bases, 34 1/2H x 27W x 21D. They have no drawers (just fake fronts) and no shelves. Being narrow, that’s just how they come.

Scenario 2: Kitchen Cabinets

In the center, in place of the bathroom hamper pull-out, is a simple kitchen base cabinet with a roll out tray. It measures 34 1/2H x 24W x 24D, and essentiallyy performing the same function as the hamper pull out.

To the right and left are your sink bases, 34 1/2H x 24W x 24D. They’re a little narrower than the bathroom vanity sink bases, but deeper and less expensive.

Using list prices in your hypothetical bathroom, the total for using bathroom cabinets is $1517, and for using kitchen cabinets it’s $1506. What you actually pay in a cabinet shop will vary, but the difference between the two should be proportionate.

And while the savings are small, you’ve gained an additional 3.75 cubic feet of storage space The counters will be up a little higher, which you should be used to if you spend any amount of time in your kitchen, and there will be another 3” of depth to them for putting things like toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and so forth.

For more information about bathroom vanities and using kitchen cabinets in bathrooms, or even to request pictures of different vanity designs, visit http://www.thecabinetfolks.com or email info@thecabinetfolks.com.

Craig Parker
http://www.articlesbase.com/bath-showers-articles/kitchen-cabinets-as-bathroom-vanity-use-kitchen-cabinetry-instead-of-bathroom-vanities-693884.html