One of the things that most of us are guilty of when it comes to storing items is getting it packed away quickly and put up in a closet, in the basement or out in our storage shed so we no longer have to deal with it. The problem with that is we sometimes don’t take the time we should to pack things away carefully and protect it. This causes massive issues ranging from breakage to warping that we just did not anticipate before we packed it away.

To alleviate that problem we should carefully consider what we have and where it is going before we ever do anything. Placing old vinyl records in a hot storage room on the bottom of a pile of heavy books is not the ideal way to store these items. That goes for any multimedia that can melt away in heat. Out brains know this but for some reason we do it anyway and then think later that we should have known better. Same thing goes for storing paper items, books, letters, etc on the bottom of a basement floor or storage facility at or away from home. It takes minimal amounts of water to get soaked up in these paper products and totally ruin them.

A little forethought goes a long way when determining the best way to protect those items that you want to store.

It wasn’t too long ago that I was visiting with a friend at his house and as we entered the kitchen, I smelled gasoline and it wasn’t just a hint of gasoline either.  After asking him about it he told me their lawnmower was stolen earlier in the spring out of their yard and since they don’t want the same thing to happen to the new one, they are storing it in the basement.

We went down to the basement and not only was the lawnmower there, but there were two full gas cans!  Well, he’s my friend and I decided right then and there if he is doing something this dangerous, I bet some of you are doing it too.  Because we don’t see or hear about gas exploding in people’s homes doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.  In fact, there are injuries and even death every year due to fires caused by the improper use of gas containers and/or equipment the uses gas.

The bottom line is if you can small gas, those fumes can be lit by a spark, static electricity or any type of open flame; including your pilot light!  The cost of a cheap shed to store these items in is nothing compared to the cost of loosing a life.  Think about it and be smart!

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you find the hidden storage in your home.  We hope this helps you find some additional room for those holiday gifts and treasures.

• Some cabinets are deep and hard to reach anything that has been pushed back to the back so many people keep items near the front.  You can use those deep parts of your cabinets for other things that you don’t frequently use, but want to keep.
• Under beds, benches and chairs is a great way to store movies, CD’s, DVD’s and other small items that can be neatly stacked in a decorative bin or basket and placed under a chair or bench.
• Nooks and crannies can be found all over a house if you take the time to see them.  Places where a basket of games or a throw blanket can stay until you are ready to use them or an opening for a computer bag or briefcase where they can be slide in and out with ease yet out of the way when not in use.
• The space in the garage between the studs.  There are some great holders and hangers that are wonderful space savers for utilizing this unused space.

Just start looking to see where things can be easily stored and collect decorative bins and baskets to use.  Make it a game with everyone in the house and see who can find the most creative storage area.  You never know what someone will come up with and who knows, it just may be the next big thing in storage!

Who says that a garden shed has to be boring?  Someone shared this book site with us, and we thought it exemplified exactly what an outdoor shed can be.

First of all, it is not a shanty where you throw and store junk.  It a thoughtful peice of architecture, treasured and kept.  In a backyard space, it would not be an eyesore, rather it would be afocal point, and a backdrop for a flowerbed or garden plot.  We just want to see more of this kind of outdoor storage building.  Thanks for sharing it with us!

I go into garages and sheds all the time that have a lot more space available in them than is being currently utilized yet they look like they are packed full.  Most people do not take the time to really “see” the space they are working with in order to properly use every inch to their benefit.  I apply this methodology to outdoor spaces but it can be used for office space and in the home as well.

The first thing I look for is dead space.  This is space that is there but not being used.  One of the best examples is space between the studs or the corners and small wall space between the garage door and the wall.  In order to use this space as well as get things off the floor and onto the walls you can use a wall mounted track system.  You want to open up the needed floor space and make use of all the wall space that you have available.  Once this is accomplished try to systemize or make your storage area make since and store things that are either related by task, i.e. lawn equipment or by season, i. e. snow skiing equipment together.  This allows you quick access and a lot more space.

I know it’s not what you want to think about in December, but it might save you some good money in the long term if you buy one of the larger items you will need this spring.  If you don’t think you need a storage shed, garage, greenhouse or other large outdoor item, then don’t bother shopping for one.  However, if you know you are going to have to bite the bullet anyway, why not get the deals now.

You can landscape on the cheap as well with this same principle.  Many outdoor product and structure stores have some great bargains going on during the holiday months.  There are items that need moved off their shelves before the next year’s batch can be brought in and many are pricing them to sell.  Online stores are also giving a lot of free shipping and free accessory deals right now that are attractive.  Just FYI.

If you are one of the lucky people that have four days off to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday then you may have time to purge all those items that you don’t need or use anymore.  I can’t think of a better way to help yourself and others by giving the things you no longer have use of away to those who have less or are struggling with purchasing Christmas for their families; especially those for children.

It’s also a great time to rethink your storage whether it is in the home, attic, garage or onsite/offsite storage shed.  Think about it this way; do you have to empty the entire area to get to those Christmas decorations?  If so, you may need to redo your storage space and make it easier to get in and out to retrieve the things you need during a given year.  After all, it gives you something to do with those three other days!

Everybody knows how great the shelf is and all the places they can be placed to help you with your storage needs.  However, what gets overlooked is the simple drawer.  Why should you put drawers in your storage area?  For one thing, they hold all those pieces that are too small to fit into jars yet not really big enough to sit on a shelf.

Drawers are also great places to put items that you would like to protect from dust or anything else that might spill and ruin the item.  Drawers are the perfect place to put rags and chammies as well as small electrical items that do better in a dust free environment.  When planning your workshop don’t forget to incorporate the drawers.

Get ready.  With Christmas right around the corner it won’t be long before you will, once again, have more stuff than you know what to do with.  At this point you will need to know what to do with it all.  Well, let me help you get ready before it happens so you will be prepared for this great day.

Years ago I realized that Thanksgiving was a signal to me to look around and find everything we have not touched in the past year and donate it to a charity, church or community organization.  It works out every year that what we give away each year makes room for what we get.  I’m not sure why it works out that way; it just does.  You get the satisfaction of giving to those who have less than you as well as cleaning out items that you just don’t use or use anymore.  Try it and let me know how it makes you feel.

The holiday season is not only the time for parties and entertainment it is a great time to get organized.  After all, you have to move those decorations in and out of your storage units anyway, whether that be a shed, a basement or just closets throughout your home.  Anytime you are forced to go and get anything out of your storage area and it takes you more than a few minutes to find it and remove it, you have an organization issue.

There are plenty of shelves, bins and organizational systems that you can buy but the main question is; do you have space to store those items or are you just stuffing more and more into less and less available space?  Before you invest in the organizational systems, you may want to invest in getting some additional space either through off property solutions like a secured storage space or an on site solution with a utility shed of the appropriate size.  The bottom line is do it now while you’re having to go through your holiday decorations and save yourself time later.