My Garage is a Mess But What are My Options in Garage Organizers?
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
The Benefits Of Having A Camping Hammock
You love the outdoors, and as such you like to go camping whenever possible as a form of relaxation. To you, there is nothing better than relaxing amongst the elements of nature. However, you are bored with just being able to relax in a tent. Now you can make your trip even more relaxing by bringing a camping hammock along.
About Camping Hammocks
camping hammocks are similar to regular hammocks in their basic design. However, camping hammocks do not usually come with a stand for the hammock. For this reason they are actually easier to set up, and also easier to pack.
People who are not familiar with camping might wonder why someone would want to bring a camping hammock along. To them, camping is all about hiking and experiencing new activities. A camping hammock is more for those people who want to go camping in order to get away from the hectic pace of the city.
If you are interested in purchasing a camping hammock, there are some safety precautions that you should take. First of all, be sure that the hammock you choose is sturdily made. Many people make the mistake of buying a hammock simply because it is a good price. However, if the hammock is not sturdily made, you certainly cannot enjoy relaxing in it.
Next, be aware of the camp site you will be going to. A camping hammock is usually meant to be suspended between two trees, so be sure that you have two sturdy trees that are in close proximity to one another for the hammock.
The final step is being sure that you suspend the camping hammock high enough off of the ground. If the hammock hangs to low to the ground and someone gets in it, they run the risk of damaging the camping hammock. Also, be sure that you tie the hammock to the trees tightly. The hammock should come with directions as well as a diagram that will allow you to complete the necessary steps properly.
The price of these kinds of hammocks will vary according to the material it is made out of, as well as how many people can comfortably recline in it at the same time. These kinds of hammocks can be found at local sporting goods stores, or online through a variety of different websites. With the proper research, you are sure to find the right camping hammock.
Ann Marier
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/the-benefits-of-having-a-camping-hammock-161692.html
Discount Camping Gear For All Your Outdoor Needs – A Complete Review.
Do you remember the last time you went camping? What better way to find peace and quiet with Mother Nature. Imagine just you, a crackling camp fire, and the trees. Simply leave the crowds of people and smog behind you for a weekend. Its time to head and bond with the great outdoors as well as take in breathe of fresh air. But hey, don’t just take off right now for the nearest patch of timber. First you need to do a bit pf planning. Do you already have decent camping supplies? This is important folks. For sure you want to escape from all the hi-tech technology but you don’t want to rough it like a caveman! Do not worry if you don’t have the necessary equipment at hand. Simply hop online today and check out all the discount camping gear available. The World-Wide-Web has it all for the absolute best deals.
When was the last time you ventured into the bushes for a quiet night under the stars? For me, this was my absolute favorite past-time as a child. What I mean is, I took it all the way. I just wasn’t one of those guys that stumbled upon a bunch of discount camping gear, and decided to try a new hobby; no sir, I was the real deal.
I lived with my family on 15 acres of woods and we didn’t even have a neighbor for miles. I enjoyed taking off up through the trees with my knife on my side and my long boy in hand. My sleeping bag was perhaps all I needed to tote along, canteen, and a few matches. Well, I can say roughing it was my forte. Now for those who are probably wondering what I ate? Well, the woods were filled with squirrels and rabbits. I could always shoot one with my bow, skin it, and then roast it over the fire. For sure that’s good eating, folks. Please don’t nock it until you’ve tried it.
In any case, the majority of you might prefer to bring along a few more supplies. Perhaps you’re in need of a good tent, camping lantern, and a decent campfire grill. Sure, you will be able to find these all in cyberspace. Truly the greatest thing about the web is all the discount camping gear you will find. Hey, don’t waste your money and time browsing at your local sporting goods store. I assure you will find better deals on discount camping gear via the Internet.
For those of you who are on a look out for quality discount camping gear for that next big outdoor getaway. Well, look no further than your laptop. You can find virtually any camping supplies you can fathom – Online. Make sure you browse through a range of websites in order to locate the best prices on discount camping gear. Now you can’t possibly go wrong – especially with the world at your fingertips!
Tracie M. Loewe
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/discount-camping-gear-for-all-your-outdoor-needs-a-complete-review-92886.html