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Recent Blog Posts
Is a Fall Garage Sale a Good Idea?
With cold weather in full swing (and even snow!), many people would tell you that garage sale season is over. Spring and summer are both widely considered the best seasons of the year to host a yard sale for many reasons. Millions of Americans participate in "spring cleaning" each year and discover many unused valuables that they then sell at a garage sale. What if, however, you find yourself needing a garage sale in the fall? While fall may not be the most popular season of the year to host a sale, you should not be discouraged. A fall garage sale can have many advantages.
Weather
The first thing that typically discourages most people from hosting a fall garage sale is the weather. Fall weather is unpredictable, making planning an outdoor activity like a garage sale a little difficult. You may face snow one day, only to have a beautiful warm day the next. When planning your fall garage sale, checking the weather is important. Sure, on crummy fall days people typically tend to avoid outdoor activities. On those beautiful, blue sky, perfect fall days, however, people flock outside to soak up the weather before winter hits. When planning your fall garage sale, allow yourself a couple of different weekends to choose from. The more options you give yourself, the better your chances are of scoring a beautiful fall day. The more people out and about, the better for you and your wallet.
Thanksgiving Fun for Your Garage
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, now is the perfect time to focus on fun, family, friends, and giving back to your community. Did you know that you can use your garage for a variety of wonderful Thanksgiving oriented activities? Transform your garage into the perfect setting for your family's Thanksgiving meal, or set up a community fundraiser and give to those less fortunate in your area. There are endless possibilities for getting the most out of your garage each season. Here are a few amazing ideas for incorporating your garage into your Thanksgiving this year.
Transform Your Garage into Your Thanksgiving Dinner Venue
Thanksgiving is a time to come together as a family, enjoy traditions, and eat ridiculous amounts of food. Many people celebrate by getting together with friends and family, but inviting lots of people over can lead to space problems within your kitchen and dining room. If you are out of seats at the table this year, consider transforming your garage into a makeshift dining room for all of your Thanksgiving guests. Especially for families with smaller homes, or small dining rooms, the garage can be the perfect Thanksgiving party venue.
Replace or Remodel: Which Option Is Right for You?
Many people set aside time each spring to work on home improvement projects. As the snow melts and temperatures become more tolerable, millions of families embark on remodels, renovations, and all sorts of other household projects. If garage repairs are on your to-do list this spring, you may be wondering how to best go about them. Should you tear down and rebuild a new garage, or is remodeling your existing garage the best option? Based on your needs, we will help you find the perfect plan of action for your garage repairs this spring.
What Changes Need to Be Made?
First, make a list of the changes you would like to accomplish this coming spring. Are you hoping to improve the look of your garage? Replacing things like garage doors and windows is fairly simple, and if the overall structure of your garage is still in good shape, remodeling is likely your best option. If, however, you find structural flaws on your garage, things like cracks in the walls or floor, tearing down and replacing your garage could be necessary.
The Future Is Here: Amazing Garage Technology
Smart home technology is a rapidly growing industry in America. Over the past few years, many new products have been released that make controlling a home as easy as clicking a button. Using apps on smartphones and tablets, people can control almost everything within their homes; turn lights on and off, monitor their thermostats, lock doors and windows, and control music, just to name a few possibilities. Beds are now controllable with an app. Crock pots can be controlled from work. While smart home tech is still a relatively new industry, it is safe to say that American homes will continue becoming more futuristic. One of the most recent areas smart home technology has expanded into is garages. Make your garage the talk of the block by using some of these amazing new technologies.
Smart home tech has allowed people to monitor their home's security for years now. Apps allow homeowners to lock and unlock doors from a distance, monitor video feed of their property, and report any suspected threats immediately to authorities. Now, your garage door can be high tech too. WiFi compatible garage door openers are available for sale, and are typically not much pricier than unconnected door openers. If your door opener does not need replacing yet, adapters allowing WiFi capabilities can be retrofitted to unconnected door openers.
Keeping Water Away from Your Garage
Garages are easily susceptible to water damage. They provide many easy points of entry for water from a rain storm or flooding, and are often not as waterproofed as the rest of the house. On top of that, many households do not monitor their garages often, so extensive water damage can occur before the problem is even spotted. Do not let water invade your garage this year. Taking a few simple steps can help you prevent damage to your foundation, garage, and the items within it.
Water Damage Risk
Most garage owners have faced intrusive water at some point. Water can sneak into your garage in many different ways; through leaks in your garage floor or walls, under doors, or through holes in your roof. The biggest danger of water damage in garages is that it often goes unnoticed. Most household garages are used for storage. Stored items like boxes or unused furniture provide perfect hiding places for water to pool behind, underneath, or be absorbed. Many people do not spot the early signs of water damage, and end up noticing only after the water has pooled severely, leading to potential damage to the structure of your garage.
Ideas for Storing Your Yard Tools in Your Garage
Yard work can be an enjoyable, but often tedious task. As soon as one project is finished, ten more pop up in its place. Each new season brings with it a slew of new projects in your yard; raking leaves, pulling weeds, potting new plants, trimming hedges. When it comes to yard work, the list of projects is seemingly endless. The next time you are faced with a weekend of yard work, do not waste time searching through an unorganized garage for your tools. Many different storage options are out there to help you find a perfect spot for each of your tools within the limited space of your garage. Consider using any or all of these awesome storage ideas to find a comfortable home for all of your valuable yard tools.
When left on the ground, or strewn about your garage, yard tools become dirty and are easily broken. Unorganized tools, especially sharp ones, also pose a threat to children. For safety and cleanliness, organizing your tools is key. The market is flooded with thousands of garage storage options. In a sea of storage racks, shelves, and cabinets, finding an option that works within your garage can be overwhelming.
From Garage to Football Den
For many Americans, the arrival of fall means one important thing. Football season is back. If your home does not feature a giant plasma screen television, or a man cave for your football viewing pleasure, you may be wondering where you'll be watching the action this season. Rather than fight for a seat at the bar, and be forced to sit next to obnoxious fans of the other team, take a look at the space within your own home. Many homeowners do not get much use out of their garages during the winter. Do not let that prime space go to waste. This fall is the perfect time for you to transform that cold, unused space into the football watching den of your dreams. Here's how:
Prepare Your Space
Initially, your garage may seem like too rough of a space to be converted into a comfortable lounging area. Many garages feature dirty concrete floors, unorganized tools and junk, and paper thin walls and doors. You do not want to invite your friends into a dirty, drafty space to watch the game. Instead, start early with garage organization. If you are like most people, your garage may have become the junk collecting space of your home. Start by sorting everything within the garage. Toss anything that does not have a purpose. Find simple storage options for your tools, kids sporting equipment, bikes, and anything else in your garage. Look for options that are easy to use and easy on the eyes. Nobody wants to relax and watch football in a cluttered space.
Garage Doors: To Insulate or Not to Insulate
With winter quickly approaching, many families across the country are readying their homes to be cozy and warm. Power and heating costs are consistently on the rise, so it's no surprise that many families turn to insulation as a method of retaining heat and lowering energy costs. Many heating experts would recommend insulating windows, doors, and sealing any less than airtight entry way that cold air could possibly use to sneak into your home. Many people attempt to insulate what is often the coldest room in their home, the garage. This can be tricky, as garages are usually the least airtight space in a home. Add in the fact that garage doors are typically lousy at keeping the cold out, and you are left with a chilly work space each winter. It certainly seems like a good idea to insulate your garage and garage door, but is it worth it? We will run you through what you need to know about insulating your garage door this winter.
Cold Spaces
Is Your Garage Child Safe?
Many new parents take extra precautions to ensure that their home is safe for their little one. Parents cover up electrical sockets, block off risky flights of stairs, and store dangerous substances out of a child's reach. Not many parents, however, take the extra step of child proofing their garage.
It is no surprise that a garage is not a friendly place for a young child. Full of potentially flammable substances, dangerous tools, toxic chemicals, and even garbage, childproofing your garage is not just a precaution, but a step that's absolutely necessary in ensuring the safety of your child. Below are a few steps that you can take to prevent dangerous garage situations involving your child.
Keep Them Out
The easiest precaution when it comes to garages is installing proper doors and locks to prevent your child from accessing your garage. Children are often drawn to areas they are told are dangerous, or areas they find mysterious, so put proper obstacles in place to prevent your son or daughter from accessing what is most likely your home's most dangerous location. Consider a self-locking door to provide peace of mind. You do not want your child wandering into your garage without you knowing about it.
Protecting Your Property from Raccoons
While it is hard not to find these mask faced, ringed tailed bandits adorable, raccoons in and around your home can be a real problem. Sure, they have a cute appearance, and look more like little cartoon characters than real pests, but they carry with them the possibility of disease and the destruction of your home and garage. If you have raccoons in your home, or are simply looking to fortify your property from them, below are some tactics to employ to remove raccoons from your home and keep them out for good.
Native to North America, raccoons live nearly everywhere in the United States. They are resourceful and intelligent, and are commonly drawn to human areas looking for food and shelter. If you have raccoons in or around your household, you have reason to be concerned. Despite their cute appearance, they can become easily irritated and aggressive, leading to safety concerns. Their bites could transmit parasites, or worse, rabies, which is why it is necessary to handle raccoon interactions with caution. Not only are they dangerous health wise, they can cause extreme damage to your home or property if not driven away.
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