Gladiator® GarageWorks, the leader in garage
organization, has teamed up with "Master Builder"
Karl Champley to help you organize your garage.
Whether it's a complete makeover or just organizing
the garage, Karl and the Gladiator brand will help
you make the transformation a breeze.
For two decades Karl Champley's mission has been
to help homeowners learn to use tools correctly and
acquire new do-it-yourself skills. A recognizable
personality from many home improvement shows,
Karl has helped hundreds of homeowners overcome
the angst related to do-it-yourself projects.
Now he's taking on the garage.
KARL'S TIPS & TRICKS -Making a Statement with Organization and Design
Last updated: 6/26/2012
When it comes to outfitting your garage, entryway, basement or mudroom, organization shouldn't be the only consideration. Make a statement by choosing products that reflect your design style. Recognized by design-savvy builders and shopkeepers, architects and interior decorators, Gladiator brand products are designed to showcase the value of your home. Here are some tips for outing the designers in all of us:
TEXTURE
When homeowners make a concerted effort to focus on design, color is usually their first step. But don't forget about texture. Balancing and contrasting the rough with the streamlined and the warm with the muted is equally important. Many Gladiator® GarageWorks products highlight a combination of wood grain and stainless steel. Pair bamboo with matte black or maple with the brand's signature tread plate for a finished, high-end look.
ORGANIZATION IS AESTHETICALLY APPEALING
Why is it that home staging professionals remove what seems like mountains of extraneous clutter from kitchens and living rooms? A clean, organized space is not only functionally important, it's visually attractive. The same applies to storage and auxiliary areas of the home, especially when considering the added value of usable space. Gladiator brand's Rack shelving is one of the simplest ways to store large and heavy items off of your floor. Each shelf is designed to hold up to 2,000 lbs. That's a lot of stuff.
CONNECTING SPACES
When prospective homebuyers or renters take tours with realtors, they (knowingly and unknowingly) look for design touches that thematically connect different areas of the home. And that doesn't mean painting every wall of a home white. For homeowners who already have Gladiator brand products in their garages, the new Storage Bench is perfect way to continue a design feature into the mudroom, entryway or even living room, where it makes a stylish entertainment center or coffee table.
AN UNDISCOVERED CANVAS
For those who like to get creative but are reluctant to make aesthetic changes in finished areas of the home, the garage is the perfect area to get inspired and try new ideas. Considering the extra square footage in what is often the main entrance to a home, it's a great opportunity to make dramatic improvements. Many Gladiator products are fully modular, allowing you to change your design feel as time passes. The new Chillerator® refrigerator even has heavy duty locking casters, making sure you can maximize the space that fits your personal style.
VISUALIZE
If you have a cluttered space, but don't know how or where to begin tackling it, you're not alone. The hardest part (by far) is getting started. And for those who like to see what organizational systems might look best before actually purchasing them, Gladiator brand's Design Studio is extremely helpful. It's a fun interactive website-based program that allows users to mock-up areas of the home with different products and features. Put in your room's dimensions, then design away. Measure twice, cut once, right?
SHELVING IS KEY
Cabinets are nice, but if you're looking for an affordable option and don't need quick access, pick up a few plastic totes at your local store.
Then, place them on the
Gladiator® 45" GearLoft™ shelf so you can clear the garage floor.
We recommend clear plastic totes so you can see through them, or if you get colored ones, label it with the contents of the tote.
If you're a winter sport enthusiast, there's plenty of equipment you need to keep in order. Hang skiis and snowboards on Gladiator® Hooks and store goggles and hats in the
Gladiator® 18" Wire Baskets. And those snow shoes can go on the
Gladiator® 30" shoe rack.
Sure you can shove the shovel in the corner of the garage,
but many times, it doesn't stay in place. You don't want it falling on your
car or tripping you up the next time you take the trash out, do you? Instead,
hang your shovel or any other yard equipment like rakes on a
Gladiator® Tool Hook. Place it close to the garage door for easy access to the driveway or yard.
If you spend a lot of time working in the garage,
do your best to make the space green. Gladiator®
GarageWorks now offers a workbench made from nature's most durable
and sustainable material – bamboo.
Create a complete work station by docking up to two
Ready-To-Assemble modules, with optional casters installed,
underneath the 66.5" Bamboo Modular Workbench.
Make it easy to recycle by setting up a recycling zone
within the garage. If you have a habit of throwing aluminum cans into the trash,
set-up a recycling center right next to your trash bin or compactor. With the storage bin holders,
you can set the recycling bin off the floor and stack them up (plastic, aluminum, paper) saving
you space. Speaking of saving space, don't forget to compact your trash. Gladiator brand has
its own compactor in its signature tread plate design to help you condense what you throw out in style.
Do you have an extra fridge in the garage to handle the spillover from the kitchen? Did you know that it's costing you an extra $49/year in energy costs? Only Gladiator® GarageWorks has an ENERGY STAR® Qualified refrigerator built to withstand the extreme temperatures and humidity of the garage, which means you'll save on your energy bill. The Chillerator refrigerator is 53% more efficient than same size refrigerator purchased between 1993 and 2000, saving $49 annually in electricity costs. So think twice before putting your old fridge in the garage and take a look at the Chillerator® garage refrigerator.
Come spring, you'll find yourself using the hose again to water the lawn or wash your car. Instead of cramming the hose in the corner of your garage, invest in a piece of GearTrack® channel and a Deep Hook that will secure the hose to the wall for easy access and storage.
If spring time means play time in your family you might suffer from soccer balls, footballs and basketballs rolling around the garage floor. This can be unsightly and also dangerous as you can trip on a loose ball. Keep things in place with the Gladiator® Ball Caddy, which mounts to a wall system and has openings along the front so you don't have to dig deep to retrieve what you need.
Did the slush from the snowy winter leave a stain on the garage floor? If so, consider investing in garage flooring that's easy to maintain and provides a finished look. Gladiator brand's floor tiles snap together easily, are slip-resistant and help to cover up cracks and stains on the garage floor. Best of all, if the floor ever gets messy, you can hose it down for a quick cleaning.
If the warmer weather has you exploring the neighborhood on two wheels, getting to the bike and storing it in the garage can cause all sorts of headaches. Try the Gladiator Claw™ Advanced Bike Storage which allows you to hang or release the bike in one motion with its intuitive push-lock mechanism, it also clears valuable space on the garage floor. The ceiling mount version gets a bike completely out of the way, while the wall mount version allows kids to put a bike in its proper place.
If you face differing seasons, store unused items behind closed doors. For instance, the Ready-to-Assemble Extra Large GearBox is perfect for putting away holiday decorations or storing potting soil. Made of heavy-duty steel construction, the unit holds up to 250 pounds and with adjustable shelves, you can make room for large and extra-large items.
Smaller tools like screw
drivers and tape measures are easy to misplace, yet essential to many
jobs. Invest in a unit with multiple drawers and compartments like the
new Gladiator® GearChest so you never “lose” what you have. Deeper than
most standard tool chests, there is ample space for hammers, mallets and
bigger hand tools as well as sections for hard-to-find socket sets,
matches and screws.
If your tool collection
does not require an entire tool chest or drawer unit, consider hanging
them on the wall for easy access. With the right hooks and small bins,
you can create an effective storage system for essential items like
screws, nails, wrenches and scissors. By storing items visibly on a
wall, you will save time often wasted digging for tools and parts.
There is another benefit to
proper tool organization. Beyond protecting tools from damage and
extending their longevity, storing tools in designated areas will reduce
the risk of accidents from tools left on the ground or out in the open.
Be diligent about tool storage and store sharp or dangerous tools up
high on the wall or inside lockable drawers and cabinets.
Don't let the size of the garage restrict you. Use the walls and even
the ceiling to put up shelves or hooks that are going to
help you get
the most out of the confined space.
The garage is what you want it to be. Approach the garage as you would
a room in the home and try painting the walls for a
budget-friendly
makeover. Just remember to pick a color that matches both
your
personality and your home's exterior for when the garage
door is open.
Unless you have unlimited funds, your garage is not going to turn into
a showcase overnight. Have a vision for your garage but
don't feel like
you have to spend a fortune all at once. With a modular
system like
Gladiator® GarageWorks, you can start small and dream big.
Don't retire your old refrigerator into the garage. Choose a
refrigerator that has been designed to withstand the extreme
temps and
humidity of the garage. Depending on the age of your old
refrigerator,
Gladiator brand's ENERGY STAR® qualified Chillerator® garage
refrigerator is 30-53% more efficient and that means you'll
save on
your electricity bill.
When it comes to renovations or upgrades, consider the garage as you
would the kitchen or the bathroom. Investing in the garage
could help
set your house apart from the rest if you're looking to sell
or
refinance your home. If you're working with a budget, pick
an
organization system that allows you to invest in phases.
Over time,
your incremental investments will make a significant
difference.
From science projects to holiday decorating do you ever find yourself
fighting for more space? If you're struggling for room, look
no further
than the garage. Get rid of the clutter and organize
essentials to
transform the garage into a multi-purpose room that the
whole family
can use.
Think twice about the space under the stairs - it's got potential if you can leverage the vertical space. Use GearWall® Panels under the stairs that lead to the second floor or basement. Line the walls with the panels to get your stuff off the floor and neatly organized whether it's keys, coats, hats or a dog leash. It's a quick and easy weekend project with satisfying results.
How organized is your closet? Do you treat it like the garage because you can close the door and forget what's inside? Well, maybe it's time to get all of your stuff in order. Line the walls with Gladiator® wall systems to support a wide range of baskets, hooks, shelves and the many accessories that Gladiator brand has to offer. Outfitting a custom closet can be very expensive and this solution from Gladiator® GarageWorks will save you money while still providing great results.
Consider lining the basement walls with GearTrack® Channels or GearWall® Panels. This material is waterproof and will not deteriorate with moisture making it the perfect solution for basement organization.
A laundry room can be easily transformed with wire baskets, shelves and accessories all supported with the GearTrack® Channels or GearWall® Panels. The baskets are perfect for lint removers, dryer sheets or hangers, while shelves work nicely to hold detergent. You can even install a Clean-up Caddy to store stain removers, anti-static spray and a roll of paper towels.
Looking for a cool solution for your little or big boys' socks or shirts? Consider Gladiator® Modular GearDrawer or Modular GearBox cabinets mounted to the walls or on the floor. They will last for years to come from a little bloke all the way through to an old bloke! If you move, just take them with you!
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Gladiator® GarageWorks Indy Takeover I - Hernandez Family
