Lou Manfredini here, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man.” My family and I recently spent a weekend putting away all of the summer items around our home, such as outdoor patio furniture and decorative hanging plants. Once again we discovered that we just don’t have enough space.

Our goal this winter is to actually park two cars in the garage. Living in Chicago, this makes for a cleaner get-away when the cold hits and the snow falls. To help us with this daunting task, we made a few key purchases to help get organized. These items can be helpful for anyone looking to find a little more space this holiday season.

First, we purchased some large hooks to hang all the kids’ bikes from the ceiling of the garage, freeing up valuable floor space. Our garage is tall enough so that the front of the car fits right under the hanging bikes. These hooks cost a couple of bucks for a pair and just screw into the wood framing.  The size of the hook you need is dependent on the weight of the bike, so make sure you weigh the bike first before making any purchases. Also, make sure the hook is wide enough to fit around the tire or whatever part of the bike you plan on using to hang it. If your garage has a drywall ceiling make sure you find the framing with a stud sensor so you can get a strong hold.

Another use for inexpensive hooks is to organize tools, rakes and shovels on the walls of your garage instead of piled up in a corner, which will help to prolong the life of your tools while also freeing up space. You can purchase a contraption specifically designed for this job or you can create your own custom version to suit your needs. Simply nail a 2×4 to the wall and attach hooks of various sizes to hang tools.

We also invested in some outdoor storage boxes to free up additional space in our garage. The boxes are perfect for storing bulky items, such as chair pads and pillows from our outdoor furniture. Rubbermaid and Suncast make durable, waterproof versions that can even double as tables and seating areas next spring. For storage needs inside your garage, inexpensive, 20-gallon plastic storage totes with snap lids are a great solution and are much more durable than cardboard boxes. You can find these and other storage containers at AceHardware.com.  Choosing containers in a uniform size will make it easier for everything to fit nicely on a shelving unit or stacked against a wall. Another bonus? The snap lids stay in place, offering protection from damp conditions and bugs. Place a few of those little silica gel packs that come with your kids’ shoes (and almost everything else you buy these days) inside to help prevent humidity damage and slap a label on the front so you’ll know exactly where to find all those gardening tools that seem to go missing every year.

If you have storage cabinets or drawers already installed in your garage (lucky you!), try painting the doors with chalkboard paint so you can label each space according to what is inside and update it as you move items around or add something new to the space. You’ll need about 3-4 coats of chalkboard paint in order to get your cabinets looking great and be sure to sand in-between coats to make for a smooth finish. Once the final coat is completely dry, “season” it (just like you would season a cast iron skillet) by rubbing chalk dust all over the surface and then wiping clean with a damp cloth. Every thing has its place, and now a quick look at the cabinet door will tell you where that is.

With a little time and effort you can get your garage organized this winter as well!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Your home’s entry is the next thing people see after they walk up to your home. Think of it as curb appeal… but for the inside.

This is Lou Manfredini, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man,” and if you came to my house about six months ago you would have found a pile of shoes, which my four children seem to think belong right by the door. I found that having a place designated to store things gives you a better chance that they will actually get put away. If you have the space, place a bench that has some shoe storage in it so you can create a safe haven for some of the clutter that comes through the front door. These benches come in many sizes and a range of prices; in my opinion, the smallest size for effectiveness is about four feet long. A unit this size allows you to store about six pairs of shoes and also offers you a place to sit when putting them on. We placed a five-foot unit in my home’s entryway and I have actually seen my children put their shoes back in the cubbies! Our unit also has small drawers where gloves and hats (and sometimes loose change) can also be found.

If you can’t find a unit in your price range that fits your needs, get creative: Convert an old bookshelf – or an inexpensive new bookshelf – into an entryway storage unit by adding baskets or colorful totes to help keep backpacks, homework and other items neatly organized and out of sight. Or add bins below a plain bench, install a few hooks overhead to hold coats and keys and you’ve got yourself a custom entryway! A coat rack or coat tree can also keep things organized and neat. Look for one that also has umbrella storage in the center. Any piece you choose should serve multiple purposes, because the last thing you want in an entryway is too much furniture or too many obstructions.

If you are entertaining this holiday season, consider using foldable coat racks that you can place in the living room for guests to hang their coats on. These racks keep guests from going upstairs to lay their coats on your bed, which means one less room to keep clean.

What inexpensive ways can you make your entryway more appealing?

image Ace Hardware

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Finding a place for everything is definitely a challenge.  Another challenge we have faced is affording the organization supplies that we need. Here are some tips for saving.

1)  Plan out your purchases.  This month we bought closet organizers.  Next month, I’m hoping to purchase some shelving for one of the closets.  An extra $30 doesn’t hit as hard as the $150 you’d like to spend.

2)  Improvise until you can afford what you want.  The first month in our home, we knew that we couldn’t spare the extra money for closet organizers.  Our master bedroom closet is pretty large and had nothing in it.  For the first six weeks, we put our clothes in the hall closet and only unpacked essential clothing items.  Now we have two closet organizing systems in our closet and can utilize our hall closet for other things.

3)  Plan before you buy.  So many times we see a cool gadget or organizer in the store and we impulsively purchase it.  Instead of doing this, think about your needs and what you have to store.  Take measurements for the space you have.  Be sure you’re not stuck with an expensive gizmo that is useless to you.

4)  Get a second opinion.  Sometimes it’s best to tell or show your friends your storage problems.  They might be able to suggest something you hadn’t thought about or better yet, they might have something to give you that they no longer need.

5)  Search yard sales, Craigslist, and Freecycle.  These are free and inexpensive ways to get the things you need.  Place a wanted ad on Freecycle and Craigslist or search the ads already there.

What tips do you have to save money on organization?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

7)  Take something to do with you.  This one isn’t going to get you seen any quicker, but it can help save you time especially if you have a recurring weekly appointment.  I have cleaned out my purse, balanced my checkbook, clipped coupons, made phone calls, taken a short nap, and written articles while waiting.  No sense in doing nothing.

8)  Have your paperwork ready.  If you’re a new patient, then try to have the necesary paperwork completed before the appointment.  Stop by and pick up forms or call and ask to have them faxed or emailed to you.  You can even try to drop them off before your appointment.  This can save you 15-30 minutes on your first appointment.

9)  Have your current insurance card.  Researching insurance information and benefits can cause the office clerk to make phone calls which will keep you waiting.

10)  Try not to schedule appointments during busy times.  I’ve heard that Mondays and Fridays are the busiest days for appointments.  On those busy days the doctor may get behind schedule. Instead of scheduling on a Monday or Friday you could leave work an hour early on a Tuesday.

Please also check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our time saving tips.

What ways do you save time at the doctor’s office?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

4)  Find out the best way to communicate with the doctor.  Some doctors are now conversing with patients by email.  Some prefer to have you leave a message with the nurse who usually returns your calls within a few hours.

5)  Be willing to see a nurse practitioner or other physician on staff.  If my kids are sick and need to be seen right away then I know that I can probably get a same day appointment for being flexible and seeing any staff member.

6)  Ask about refill procedures.  Some controlled substances such as medicines for ADHD can only be given a month at a time.  Ask your doctor if you can call or email to get a new prescription.  Some doctors will let you come in every other month for these medicines rather than every month.

What ways do you save time at the doctor’s office?

Stay tuned this week for part 3 of time saving tips at the doctor’s office.  Please check out part 1,  10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office.

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Here are some tips to save you time:

1)  Be on time.  This one may sound simple, but so many people are late for their doctor appointments.  Being late can cost you time.  Many offices have a policy that if you’re more than 15 minutes late you’ll lose your appointment and have to reschedule.  And I’ve even heard of some office staff that penalize late clients by making them wait at least an hour or two to be seen even if they’re not busy.  This is not just rumor.  I have heard this from employees.  So the first simple step is to be on time.

2)  Call before your appointment.  Sometimes I will call on the day of my appointment just to confirm that everything is scheduled properly.  Unfortunately I have had circumstances where my appointment time was not written down by office staff.  Also, calling ahead gives you the opportunity to ask if the doctor is on schedule for the day or running behind.  The nurse may tell you to come 15 or 20 minutes later than scheduled.  This is time that can keep you from sitting around and waiting.

3)  Be specific when making your appointment.  Tell the person what the appointment is for.  If you tell them that you’re making the appointment for your hurting back and then you ask to have something else tested then they may not have the staff on duty at the time.

How do you save time at the doctor’s office?

Stay tuned later this week for part 2 of 10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office.

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Sandra Felton,The Organizer Lady® will be speaking about the ideas found in her 24 page booklet I’ve Got to Get Rid of This Stuff.

WHEN? Wednesday, March 18, 2009

TIME? 9 PM Eastern Time, 8 Central, 7 Mountain, 6 Pacific

HOW LONG? One hour has been set aside for your burning questions.

COST? FREE There is no charge for the teleclass.  Of course, regular telephone charges will apply just like when you call Aunt Sally in Wyoming.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE? Just dial the telephone number and use the access code given below when asked. For those of you who have never participated in a teleclass, it is just like listening to the radio, only over the phone.

TELEPHONE NUMBER to call is 712-432-1699

ACCESS CODE is 466504#

Come prepared with pen and paper to write your strategies and goals.

ALSO – If you miss the live teleclass it will be available on messies.com for you to listen to at your convenience!

If you attend, please let us know how it goes.  If everything goes well tonight, I may drop in on the call.

Image: Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

We redid our kitchen 4 years ago and have had the cabinets from our old kitchen sitting in our garage ever since.  I finally got tired of them sitting there and put them on Craig’s List yesterday.  I got 10 emails in less than an hour and I now have a check in my hand!  I even got what I was asking for them.  They didn’t even haggle the price.  I posted the listing exactly 24 hours ago.  I am SO HAPPY! Now we can use the money to fix up our next project to sell.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Post from: Thrifty Mommy