Storage Space Organization Ideas To Maximize Efficiency
October 24, 2013
If you have been keeping up with my posts on Shelves Blog lately, you would be aware of the fact I am in the process of moving to a new apartment. In fact, I have finished moving and now am in the process of getting organized in the new home. Although my wife and I moved into a two bedroom over our previous one bedroom, we did not gain a whole lot of square footage. However we were given a storage cube in the basement of the building. Here are a few storage space organization ideas I came up with while trying to figure out how to best utilize this bonus storage area.
Not all apartments provide the luxury of having a mini “storage locker” on the premises. While the 4 foot wide by four foot deep by 6 feet tall cube is not exactly enormous, it does provide some great storage opportunities. Storage space organization can be a bit of a dicey proposition, because if you are not careful the storage items end up costing you more space than the save.
The first idea for storage space organization is utilizing storage totes, such as the 20 Gallon Latch Tote from Sterilite. This is especially helpful if you want to store a whole lot of smaller items. Instead of piling them in bags or something else, these stackable totes are a great way to keep them safe and organized. The totes are made from plastic, which provides better protection from dust and moisture than, say a cardboard box.
If you are looking to store items that you need to be able to access, a small shelf such as the Pine Stacking Shelf is a perfect storage space organization tool. This shelf is made from sturdy solid wood and offers a variety of storage surfaces for your garage needs. I use it to store our toolbox and other heavy chemicals we do not want to keep in the home.
Even though these are very simple touches for an additional storage area, they really can make a big different. It is very important to keep storage space organization in mind. That way your storage cube does not become a big pile of “stuff” that you just keep adding to.
Truck Bed Bike Rack for the Necessary Evil
October 16, 2013
I am sure most Bike Racks blog readers are like me, and would not really mind seeing all cars wiped off the face of the earth. Cars, ugh, why – am I right? However, I will admit that the self-propelled automobile is here to stay, and is an important cog in the transportation equation. Plus, you need a vehicle to get you to some of those amazing rides that are not within bicycling distance. Even though I despise automobiles, I have a truck and a truck bed bike rack to get to those far-off riding locations.
I feel a little pang of guilt every time I fire up the old F-150, but I know that pretty soon I’ll be blissfully riding along paths that are free from the stresses of cars. What is great about using a truck bed bike rack to transport your ride is that they are totally safe from other cars on the road. There is a saying that a rear-mounted bike rack basically turns your bicycle into a $1000 bumper. Even the slightest fender bender means ruin for your state of the art bicycle.
What to look for in a truck bed bike rack
So when looking for a truck bed bike rack, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind. First of all it is important to look for a rack that is fairly light weight. This is important because you need to lift that sucker up into the bed – if it weighs over 100 pounds that is going to be a difficult task that requires more than one person.
Another important factor is that it can be secured to the bed of the truck. You can use a regular bike rack as your truck bed bike rack, but if it cannot get properly attached to the vehicle, you are going to have some bikes in the middle of the interstate.
With these factors in mind, I would recommend the Advantage BedRack by Heininger. This brand is very well known for their high-quality bike racks, which are durable and very easy to use. This rack is relatively light weight at less than 50 pounds. This is a perfect choice for those truck-driving bicycle enthusiasts like me.
Family Bike Rack: A Search for the Ultimate Rack
October 9, 2013
Last week I discussed the smallest bike rack, which is a great option for those that are on the go or live alone. There is no need to take up a ton of space when it is just you and your bicycle. However, this is not the situation for most of my readers. Today we head to the opposite end of the spectrum – we will look into the ultimate family bike rack!
When searching for the ultimate family bike rack, it is important to find a product that can accommodate all of your bicycles at once. I will assume that the average American family is about four people, so we will focus on bike racks that are able to accommodate up to four bicycles.
This pretty much limits us to just a couple of choices when searching for the ultimate family bike rack. It seems that most bike racks are designed to hold two bicycles at a time. If you find one that you absolutely love, then I would recommend getting a pair of two-bicycle racks. But this can waste valuable space in the garage or shed.
One great family bike rack is the Free Standing Four Bike Rack. This rack has a wide footprint that gives it excellent stability. The rack is made from steel with epoxy coating for a long-lasting quality. One other great benefit of this rack is that it is freestanding. This means it requires no additional mounting, which can be problematic when trying to store large items like bicycles.
Another great choice is the Garage Gator motorized storage system. This system is designed to store just about any item, from kayaks to bicycles. With a capacity of 220 pounds, that should be enough for all of your family’s bicycles.
Lastly, we have the Four Bicycle Hanger. This is a great choice for those that are tight on storage space, because it takes up zero floor space! However, you do need to mount it to a wall, so be sure to get it screwed into the studs.
There you have it – three family bike rack options that are perfect for any situation!