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?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Sometimes I get overwhelmed. I have over twenty 18 gallon totes filled with clothes for my kids.  I have both genders and clothes for both up to a size 4 for boys and 6 for girls.  I thought about giving some away so that I wouldn’t have to store them but let me tell you why I keep all my baby clothes.

The main reason I keep all of my baby clothes is because I am not done having children yet.  My boys will be two weeks apart on the calendar so keeping my boy clothes will save me tons of money for the second one.  I shouldn’t have to buy a stitch of clothing for the newest member of our family when he gets here soon.  We might be done, but if we aren’t and we have another girl, then I can hopefully use my girl clothes.

The second reason I haven’t given my clothes away is I enjoy blessing others as I have been blessed.  When Little Bit gets here at the end of July, he will be the 5th or 6th boy to have worn the clothes.  My girl clothes have gone through as many as six girls, depending on the size.  I have been blessed with many hand-me-downs and I enjoy loaning them out as well.  There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the relief on a friend’s face when they don’t have to shell out a lot of money for clothes since they are setting up a new nursery.  I really enjoy that feeling of helping others.

Having said all that, I realize most people don’t have a lot of storage space.  So pick and choose what you want to save and what you want to give to someone, sell at a yard sale, or consign.  I have chosen to keep all my clothes so far but will have one heck of a yard sale when I am done.  I choose to store my children’s clothes in storage totes sorted by gender and size so everything is organized.  Space saver storage bags are another great alternative.  My sister actually has a storage until she pays for in order to store miscellaneous items so her clothes go there.  Whatever your storage capabilities are, just be smart and reasonable about it.

Hope this helps you justify keeping your children’s clothes.  I will say though, that when you done having kids . . . SELL, SELL, SELL.  Get rid of your baby toys and don’t be sentimental about baby clothes.  I didn’t want to put my kids in my baby clothes and I can pretty much guarantee, no matter how cute your kids are dressed, they aren’t going to want to use clothes that old to dress their kids.  So get rid of them.  It’s that simple.

Hope to talk to you again soon.

Kelly

Note from Karen:  Thanks Kelly for the guest post.  I also kept our children’s clothes until we were done having babies.  I had a boy and a girl so I was not able to use all of the clothes again, but some of the items were unisex.  It was helpful to have all of the toys and baby items for the second child.  I tried to make sure the expensive items (carseats, high chairs, etc.) were unisex.  When we were done, I consigned a lot of them, put them in our yard sales, and gave a bunch away too.  Reselling the items brought in some extra income and I was also able to bless others with the remains. 

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Now we have the problem of our hall closet bulging with blankets and sheets.  I had to get on a step stool to put more blankets in the closet and even then, I had to cram them in.  When I would pull out a blanket that I needed, many more would come tumbling down on my head.  Then I had to get out the step stool again.  It was so frustrating.

I have been noticing the Space Bags at Wal-Mart and Target.  I have wondered if they worked well and if they were worth the money.  Last night I’d had enough!  I went to Target and bought a 3 pack of large bags for $12.99.

I brought the bags home and got to work.  I was able to fit about 8 blankets into the 3 bags, plus a few bed skirts and shams.  The bags are laying neatly in my closet now and I have room for more.  I am so thrilled with the results. 

Now I need to buy a few of the jumbo bags for our king size stuff.  Today I found a deal on the Space Bags website.  They are offering 7 bags for $19.99, plus shipping and handling.  I wish I had seen this yesterday. 

The Space Bags website also has testimals from hurricane victims.  According to the testimonies, the bags keep out water and protect items from water damage. 

Do you have problems with storing blankets or seasonal clothing?  Have you tried the Space Bags?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

 2.  Cool foods before placing them in the freezer.

 3.  Wrap foods well to prevent freezer burn.   Freezer burn is the dehydration of foods.

 4.  Pack foods in freezer and microwave safe containers.  This will save time when going to reheat the foods.

 5.  If you want to freeze something in glass, make sure you use glass that is tempered or specificially labeled freezer safe.  Mason jars are probably the best glass to use in the freezer.

 6.  Squeeze out as much air as possible.  If you are using glass, completely fill the container.  If you are freezing sauces, soups, or stews, leave a little room for expansion of the liquids when they freeze.

 7.  Do not stack food that has not been frozen. Wait until the food has been completely frozen before stacking it.

 8.  To prevent waste, keep track of the foods that you have.

 9.  Recipes with a condensed-soup base usually freeze well.

10.  Freeze casseroles unbaked or baked.  Allow additional baking time for frozen casseroles. 

11.  When cooking a casserole, use an instant read thermometer to check the center.  It should reach 160 degrees F.  If not hot enough, continue to bake the casserole and check it every 15 minutes.

12.  If a casserole recipe calls for cheese topping, freeze it without the cheese.  Add the cheese during the last 10 to 20 minutes of cooking.

13.  Store frozen meals at 0 degrees F, or colder. 

14.  For best quality, use foods within three months. 

15.  Label freezer packages with content, date, and cooking instructions.

16.  For quick, single-serving lunches, freeze foods in individual portions.

17.  Blanch or steam all vegetables and cool them quickly in ice water before freezing.  This will save the flavor and texture of the vegetables.

18.  You can freeze fruits with or without sugar, but freezing them with sugar will help retain the texture and color.  Use citric or absorbic acid on lightly colored fruits  such as apples and peaches, to keep them from discoloring.

19.  Repackage meats from the grocery store before freezing, or place the entire package in a freezer safe container or freezer bag.  The plastic wrap on the meats will allow oxygen to get to the meats and enable foods to become easily freezer burned.

20.  If you thaw meat, you should cook it before you refreeze it.

21.  To keep bacteria from growing, thaw foods in the refrigerator.

22.  Slice bread and half bagels before freezing so that you can easily remove the slices you need.  Slip the bagel halves in freezer bag back to back to prevent them from sticking together.

23.  Cool pancakes and waffles before freezing and put a sheet of wax paper inbetween each one.

24.  Another convenient way to freeze soups and broths is to use plastic ice cube trays.  Let the soup or broth cool and then fill the ice cube trays with the liquid.  After it is frozen, pop out the cubes and place in a freezer bag.  Later you can pull out as many as you need.

25.  If the power goes out, frozen food can remain frozen for a few days.  Keep the freezer closed and cover it with blankets, keeping the blankets away from the compressor.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy