Publication date: 08/07/2009

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Make garage organization easy

For many guys, the garage is a place of solace. A place where they can go to work on their cars, build things for the home or store a collection of lawn equipment and sports gear. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to find a tool you need or tripping over your weed whacker because your garage is a mess.

That's why real men make sure their garage is organized so they can find things quickly. Fortunately, there are plenty of products available to keep your garage organized and clean no matter what your budget.

Before you spend time getting the garage organized, you should first focus on the floor. Start by cleaning it with a good all-purpose cleaner such as tri-sodium phosphate or Simple Green mixed in water. If you have oil stains, try a product like Remove-it by Dewitt Products, (800) 962-8599, www.dewittproducts.com. Now you can start to think about improving your floor's look and durability.

There are a lot of options you can consider that are durable, easier to maintain and less work than just painting a garage floor. If you have a new floor, you could consider using an epoxy-style coating designed especially for garage floors to keep it looking good.

Another option is the G-Floor Roll-Out Garage Flooring from Better Life Technologies, (913) 894-0403, www.bltllc.com, which comes in several different colors, patterns and thickness and is shipped in rolls that fit most garages.

Whirlpool's Gladiator GarageWorks, (866) 342-4089, www.gladiatorgw.com, offers both roll-out floor covering and interlocking floor squares. Both are slip-resistant and withstand common spills and the temperature changes that a garage floor experiences. You can clean these floors easily with a broom or a hose, and the interlocking squares also come in a variety of colors.

Once you have the floor cleaned, painted or covered, then you can focus on organizing your tools, paint supplies, lawn equipment and sporting goods.

Obviously, getting a good toolbox to store your tools is vital, and putting up some shelves and hooks to store and hang things can be a big space saver and organizer. You can find tool chests and storage items at most home centers and hardware stores. Today, there are plenty of other products on the market to help guys organize their tools and toys that go beyond just the basic tool box and pegboard hooks.

For example, in addition to making the flooring, Whirlpool's Gladiator Garage Works also offers complete garage organizing and storage systems.

With a line of durable work benches, cabinets and tool chests, you can easily store everything in its place. The company also offers flexible wall storage systems that help maximize every inch of space in your garage, and even has a golf caddy storage unit that holds two sets of clubs and a place for your golf balls and shoes.

Gear racks are also great innovations for garage storage and are available from online retailers like RedLine Garage Gear, (877) 624-2332, www.redlinegaragegear.com. These racks can mount on a wall or hang from the ceiling, and can hold lots of lawn equipment, bikes and other large bulky items.

Another site to find garage storage products is Garage Werks, (866) 999-3757, www.garagewerks.com, based in Ada, Mich., that offers everything from ceiling storage units to racks for bikes, sports equipment and tools.

So don't continue to trip over your golf bag every time you reach for a broom. Find the right products to organize your garage, and make your garage a place of pride.

Note: This article was accurate at the date of publication. However, information contained in it may have changed. If you plan to use the information contained herein for any purpose, verification of its continued accuracy is your responsibility.

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