Organization

We are in the process of updating our website and are currently creating a new How To article section on garage storage and storage ideas. Keep an eye out for exciting new storage ideas and don’t forget that all items are able to be purchased here at Garage Storage and Cabinet Systems.

Storage is something we never seem to have enough of. Over time homeowners collect a myriad of items, some we need, some we don’t. We inevitably end up with too much stuff, not enough space, and either end up throwing things away or in many cases renting a self storage unit to keep things in while valuable storage space right in our own homes goes to waste. The average one car garage has about 60 linear feet of wall space and is 250 square feet. In most cases garages are underutilized or even completely unused. It is a terrible waste of space that if used properly could end up saving you a lot of money over time.

We conducted a search online for monthly storage unit rentals and obtained pricing from a number of leading self storage companies. We looked at different cities around the country to try and get an average cost and ended up with a range of prices. The pricing listed here was done in August of 2010. A simple 5’ x 5’ self storage unit will typically run between $45.00 – $65.00 per month, while a unit comparable in size to the typical one car garage, 10’ x 25’ will run anywhere from $150.00 to $250.00 per month (Not Including Taxes and Fees). At $150.00 per month in two years time you will have spent over $3600.00 to $6000.00 and would have absolutely nothing to show for it. Even if you don’t need the full 10’ x 25’ space and opted for the smallest 5’ x 5’ unit you still will have spent over $1080.00 to $1560.00 over two years. Over a period of ten years you can see how this can easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

For that kind of money you could easily buy garage storage cabinets to store your things at home where they are most easily accessible, safer, and less expensive. The best part of buying garage cabinets is that once you pay for the cabinets they’re yours, and you don’t have to buy them all at once. Buy what you can afford now and you can always add additional cabinets later if you choose. The monthly payments on garage cabinets will go away while the payments for a storage unit will not, and the monthly storage unit cost is only going to go up over time. Cabinet prices can vary more than storage units do, but the fact is that they don’t have to cost a small fortune.

Depending on your garage layout you may not have 60 linear feet of available wall space for cabinetry. But assuming you have even half of the total wall space that still leaves you with 30 linear feet of cabinetry and a whole lot of floor space left over. Large cabinets have a depth of 21” to 24” and with smaller 12” or 16” depth cabinets you would still be able to park your car in the garage. However that would defeat the purpose of gaining back all that valuable storage space. You can even incorporate a work top surface over base cabinets, with pegboard, slatwall and even open shelving to create a workshop area.

To compare and to give an idea of cost, 30 linear feet of wood cabinets can run between $2000.00 to $4000.00 depending on the sizes and finish. For those homeowners who are looking for a little more style, there are cabinet sets that come in a variety of materials, styles and finishes to suit your particular tastes. In as short as two years time you will have paid for your cabinets and every year thereafter you will be saving where you would have been spending before. That is a good return on investment!

An important thing to note is that not all cabinets are created equal! Many home improvement stores sell cheaply made knockoffs that have limited or no listed load carrying capacity at all. From outside appearance they may look the same but be assured they are not. To get the most out of your investment you must be sure to purchase quality cabinets that will hold up even the heaviest loads. Cabinet construction should be made from ¾” material for greater strength and will hold at least 100 lbs per shelf or 200 to 300 lbs per cabinet. If the cabinets will be attached to the wall make sure the fastening system is ample enough to support the weight. Cheap wall anchors will not do! Be sure to ask your cabinet supplier what the capacities are before you purchase, you’ll be happy you did.

Garage cabinets add storage space, utility and value to your home. They help organize your belongings and make your garage look extraordinary. Having a garage that is neat and organized with your belongings hidden away behind closed doors will not only gain you additional storage space, it will make you the envy of your neighbors as well. When asked if storage space is important when purchasing a home most people agree that it is. You can bet that when it comes time to sell your home, your garage cabinets will be a welcome addition.

What do garage storage and the current state of today’s economy have in common? They both appear to be completely different topics and for the most part they are. However the state of today’s economy has had a huge influence on homeowners as well as on the businesses that provide products and services including garage storage products. In just a few short years the whole idea of buy-and-sell has been replaced with buy-and-hold-if-you-can. We will discuss how garage storage fits into this idea and how it can help homeowners ultimately save money.

For many years homeowners felt safe knowing that the value of their homes would go up. The idea was simple. You buy a home, live in it for a while, start a family, outgrow it, sell it for a profit and move into a bigger house. It was an easy decision to make because real estate was a sure winner. You were almost guaranteed to make a profit on the deal, and if you were to look at the historical average home prices all the way back to 1963 you would see that it was indeed a good model to follow. However that model was flipped on its head in 2005 when the housing bubble finally burst. Buying a home no longer guaranteed you a profit, and in some cases homeowners were being forced into foreclosure due to risky loans and falling home prices. The collapse of the housing bubble has had a direct impact not only on home valuations, but on the mortgage markets, Wall Street, banks, home builders, home supply retail, and on consumer’s wallets.

Those homeowners who were not forced into foreclosure now have the tough decision to either sell at a loss, or to continue living in their current homes with the hopes that someday the market will come back. The problem that arises is what to do as your family expands but your home does not. New children, returning college grads or ailing parents can all add a significant amount of “stuff” around your home, and the need for additional storage is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

One option is to take out a second mortgage and renovate your home to allow for additional storage. This is a very risky plan as it assumes that the housing market will make a complete recovery and give you a return on your very large investment. Another option is to optimize and fully utilize the space you already have, and the garage is by far the most underutilized room in your home. A very large percentage of people have unorganized garages and with the huge amount of garage storage products available today it is not only easy but very inexpensive to increase your storage capacity and better utilize the unused space.

The garage is typically one of the largest rooms in your home next to the basement with the average one car garage having around 50 linear feet of useable wall space. Items like cabinets, shelves, pegboard or slatwall systems can be installed on walls to provide vastly increased storage space. Overhead rack systems can also be installed to keep larger items off the floor, and even simple hooks can be used to hang bicycles and other sporting equipment. Even utilizing a workbench can help save space by having a home for tools and may even allow you to empty those junk drawers into bins on your bench.

There’s no other room in your home where lining each and every square inch of wall with cabinetry looks appropriate, and in fact doing so will actually make you the envy of your neighbors. For far less then it would cost to add a room in your home you can increase your useable storage space by a very large factor. If done properly you may even end up adding a good amount of equity to your home.

For most of us, the garage has become a sort of dumping ground for our most infrequently used items, tools, construction leftovers, toys, garbage, and the list goes on and on. A vast majority of garages are in some form of disarray, and with all that mess it’s sometimes hard to remember that in most cases the garage is one of the largest rooms in your home. But there is hope! With all that space available we fortunately have the greatest opportunity for improved organization. But where do you begin?

The best place start is to create a plan. Clear out your garage, take an inventory of your things, and get rid of what you don’t need. This could be a huge project in some cases but take your time as this process can reduce your clutter by a large percentage. At this stage it might be beneficial to have a friend or neighbor help as they will be impartial and not emotionally attached to anything. It may be necessary to obtain a mobile storage container to temporarily store your stuff while you work on your garage. This way you can have access to all your belongings and it will keep them secure while you finish your project. There are a few companies out there like Pods and Pack-Rat that offer storage units that can be kept right in your driveway. Take measurements of your walls, ceiling height, doors, windows, and areas around any mechanicals like furnaces or hot water heaters and create a drawing or layout of your empty garage. This will help develop an optimum storage plan for your new garage. Next, think about what kind of storage you would like to have. Do you want to hide things from view or would you like everything visible? Is your garage going to be strictly for storage or would you like to create a workshop? Also with the garage cleared out, now is the time to consider adding additional things like lighting, fans, new outlets, heating and cooling, etc.

Once you have your “Master Plan” it’s time to select your garage storage products. There are a number of products available for garage storage including Cabinets, Shelves, Overhead Racks, Tool Carts, Tool Boxes, Pegboard, Slat Wall, Bins, Totes, Workbenches, Etc. Use your layout to determine where you would like to have your workbench placed or where the best spot for your shelving will be. Remember to consider all of your clearances. Make sure you will be able to open your car door with your new cabinets installed, and that you’re not covering any light switches or outlets. Also consider your budget. Lining every wall with cabinets is the “cleanest” and most attractive way to organize your garage but shelving can be an economical option as well.

Treat your garage like it’s a room in your home, not just a room to dump things in. You will be amazed how much extra space you will have just by doing a little layout work and adding some garage storage products. You can always contact us at http://www.garagestoragecabinetsystems.com for products and ideas on how to get the most out your garage space.