The Garage Plan Shop Blog

The holidays have passed for another year. Now it is time to pack up your holiday décor and store it in your garage until next year. One task is to store all those holiday lights from front yard light displays, the Christmas tree and other areas of the home. Below are a few ideas to help you pack up your Christmas lights so you don’t find a tangled mess of light strands in box next year.

• Plastic bags – Wrap each strand of lights in a ball and place each ball in an individual plastic bag (any type will do.) Then store all the bags together in a box in the designated space in your garage.
• Empty Wrapping Paper Tube – Begin by cutting a slit in both ends of a wrapping paper tube. Secure one end of the strand of lights by threading it through the slit. Then, wrap the lights along the tube. Thread the other end of the lights through the slit at the opposite end of the tube.
• Cardboard Square – Cut a square or rectangle out of heavy duty cardboard. Cut a slit in one side of the square. Then, secure the end of a light strand by threading it through the slit. Wrap the strand of lights around the cardboard and thread the other end of the strand back through the slit. Store all cardboard square together in a clearly labeled box.

For more holiday ideas, check out The Garage Plan Shop’s entire collection of holiday blogs.

Tags: Christmas lights, holiday decorating, holiday storage, holiday storage tips, light displays, Organization, storage, tips

It happens all the time. People who live in a house or on their own home get to a point where there just isn’t enough storage space for all their stuff. When the closets and garage are filled to capacity and the basement and attic are overflowing, it is time to take action. “What kind of action?” you ask. Build a backyard storage shed. There is a wide variety of shed plans available featuring various sizes, styles and rooflines. They work great for a multitude of storage needs, fit well in backyards and on small pieces of property, and keep your things dry, safe and secure. With a good set of shed plans, materials and the right tools like a CNC plasma cutter and crosby swivel, a storage shed can usually be built in just a couple of weekends. Furthermore, many of them feature an economical design that won’t break the bank.

So what can a backyard storage shed do for you?

·         Add value, efficiency and practicality to your home

·         Provide a storage space for lawn mowers and other lawn and garden tools and supplies

·         Offer a secure place to store power tools and other items that may be harmful to children

·         Serve as seasonal storage for holiday décor

·         Provide room to store furniture for outdoor living areas throughout the winter months

·         Deliver storage space for pool toys, chemicals and supplies during the cold season

·         Work well as a craft or hobby room. With an hvac installation, it can also be converted into an additional living space.

·         Offer a great place for a workshop for crafters, tinkers and the family handyman

·         Provide storage space for mechanic’s tools and auto parts

·         Serve as storage for the kids’ bikes, skate boards and other outdoor toys and sporting equipment

·         Work well as a gardening or potting shed

·         Help free up space in the garage so you can actually park the car inside

These are just a few of the things you can do with storage shed plans. The Garage Plan Shop recommends building a shed plan in your backyard to add functionality to your home and property right away, not to mention storage space.

Tags: backyard shed plans, shed plan, Shed plans, sheds, storage, storage sheds, storage space

If you enjoy decorating your home, garage and yard for the holidays, The Garage Plan Shop has a few tips for decorating and storage of your light displays and other holiday décor.

1. Begin by going through all of last year’s décor. Get rid of strands of lights that don’t work (some hardware stores and home improvement centers collect non-working strands of lights and give a discount if you purchase new LED lights), throw away broken or weathered decorations. Remember to recycle anything you can. Replace any items that you discarded with new items you’ll need for your outdoor holiday display this year.
2. If you like the way you decorated your yard, porch, garage, etc., take photos of this year’s display. You don’t need to print the pictures. Just save them on your computer and reference them next year. This way you won’t have to figure out just how you made your display looks so good last year.
3. When the holidays are over and it is time to pack your lights and decorations, group them by the area in which they were used and place them is separate boxes or storage containers. Label the containers, i.e. “roof,” “porch,” “garage,” “yard,” etc. When it is time to decorate outside next year, you’ll already know which decorations are for what part of your home or yard. If you decide to print the photos mentioned in Tip # 1, include the photos in the corresponding boxes of decorations so you’ll have them for a reference.

With these holiday organization and storage tips, decorating the exterior of your house and your yard will be a snap next year!

Tags: Christmas, holiday decorating, holiday tips, Organization, outdoor decorating, storage

If you are considering building a 3-car garage, take a look at this handsome design with storage loft. A stylish exterior lends curb appeal and dresses up any backyard or piece of property. Three overhead garage doors open to 960 square feet of unfinished parking space giving you plenty of room to store the family vehicles. With its 32’x30’ footprint the design is also deep enough to nicely accommodate oversized vehicles, a boat or a trailer. Above, the 620 square foot loft is ideal for storing seasonal items such as holiday decorations. Or perhaps you want to add finished living space to your home. The loft works well for a hobby or exercise room. A side-entry service door and interior stairs add convenience. Designed with 2×6 wall framing and a slab foundation, this three-car garage plan with boat storage offers flexible space making it a valuable addition to any home.

Tags: 3-Car Garage Plans, Garage Loft Plans, storage

Designed for the storage of three cars, detached 3-car garage plans provide a stylish and practical addition to any home while delivering flexibility. They offer a broad range of exterior looks featuring façades that complement a variety of architectural house plan styles from Craftsman and country to Cape Cod and traditional. Some 3-car garage designs are simple sporting few details while others boast a more polished or exquisite look complete with a covered porch, dormer windows, stone accents and fanciful garage doors. Various rooflines such as hip, gable and reverse gable, along with a variety of garage door combinations enhance the selection of triple-car garages. There is still more variety with these floor plans when special features are considered. The floor plan might offer one or more service doors, a full or half bath, an office or overhead storage loft. In some cases, 3-car garage plans feature one extra deep stall with a taller overhead door accommodating the length and height of an RV which can be still fit a wheel aligner.

Your car will typically require a 4-wheel alignment if it’s an all-wheel-drive model with independent suspensions. Service includes a front toe and caster adjustment, while the rear wheels receive a toe and camber adjustment. Many ask themselves, How much does an alignment cost? A front-end alignment usually costs between $65 and $100 (some brands, of course, are more). At that price, it should be a regular part of your car care regime. To make an alignment even more economical, some car care facilities offer lifetime alignment packages for around $200.

This oversized bay also works well for boat and/or trailer storage. Though designed for automobile storage, these floor plans are great for storing other items as well like the kids’ bikes, toys and sporting equipment, an ATV, golf cart and more. Ranging in size, they provide a multitude of variations to suit many needs. Sometimes 3-car garage plans offer additional features like a workshop, storage loft or living quarters above. Take some time to browse The Garage Plan Shop’s collection of triple-car garage designs.

Tags: 3-Car Garage Plans, Detached Garage Plans, storage, three-car garages