As the winners of our 2015 “Get Your Garage Back” contest, sponsored by Toro, we helped homeowners Courtney and Bajorn Gaylord of Columbus, Indiana, clean out and organize their cluttered garage.
“Get Your Garage Back” Contest
Courtney submitted the photo below detailing the clutter in her garage with her contest entry.
In addition to a complete garage makeover, the Gaylords also received some cool Toro lawn equipment and other prizes, including:
- Toro Recycler SmartStow lawn mower
- Toro UltraPlus Blower Vac
- $250 Home Depot gift card
- Briggs & Stratton PowerSmart Series generator
- Briggs & Stratton Professional Series pressure washer
A high school English teacher, Bajorn is also a very active DIYer. Home improvement projects he has tackled include building a gate and fence in the yard, constructing a treehouse for their kids, installing wood flooring in the house, and adding a kitchen island.
Garage Makeover
The first step in the Gaylord garage makeover was to remove everything from the garage, then sort out what to keep and what to throw away or recycle.
When the garage drywall had been repaired, the spiders lurking in the corners were sprayed with Miss Muffet’s Revenge from Wet & Forget, which kills spiders and keeps them away for up to 12 months.
After the garage walls have been painted, the real work of the garage makeover started, including:
- Shelves for storage
- Bins for scrap lumber
- Workbench and storage cabinets
- Drop zone cabinet and bench for shoes
- Garden tool storage racks
- Bike rack
- Overhead storage area
- Fluorescent lighting
- Reversing refrigerator doors to provide easier access.
One corner of the garage was turned into a workshop for Bajorn, complete with a workbench from Monkey Bar Storage and wall mounted cabinets.
To keep Bajorn’s scrap wood organized for his DIY projects, an oversized wood pallet was cut to size and mounted vertically to create a wood storage bin.
Hanging racks were mounted on the walls for storing the Gaylord’s gardens tools and bikes, along with an Overhead Storage Rack attached to the ceiling, all from Monkey Bar Storage.
Tankless Hot Water Heater
In addition to the garage makeover and other prizes, the Gaylord’s old tank type hot water heater was removed and replaced with an energy efficient, wall mounted tankless model from Rinnai.
Tankless hot water heaters are not only more energy efficient, they also take up a lot less space than a traditional floor mounted tank water heater.
Read How to Choose a Water Heater to find out more.
Further Information
- How to Build a DIY Drop Zone Shoe Cabinet (videoz
- Garage Organization (article/video)
- Simple Garage Storage Solutions (video)
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Garage Tennis Ball Car Gauge
To tell where to stop your car in the garage, screw a hook in the ceiling plumb with the front of the car. Drill or punch a hole in a tennis ball, and attach a string to it. Run the string through the hook, and attach the end to the garage door opener. (Watch Video)
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
Crescent Pass-Thru Wrench
The Pass-Thru Adjustable Wrench Set from Crescent can be used as an adjustable wrench, an adjustable pipe wrench, and a ratcheting pass-thru wrench. The Crescent Pass-Thru Adjustable Wrench Set is available at The Home Depot. (Watch Video)
Ask Danny Lipford:
Garage Door Maintenance
To keep your garage door working properly, check and tighten the bolts and screws regularly. Use a spray lubricant to lubricate the garage door track, rollers, and chain. Finally, check the door closing sensors to make sure they work properly. (Watch Video)
