Organize Gardening Supplies

The daffodils are lining our yards and there is no snow on the ground. It must be springtime-time to spruce up the outside of the house (if you can find the tools to do it). The shovel may be handy from clearing the walkway from the snow we had until about a month ago. But what about the rest of the tools you need?

Make it easy on your self and organize the lawn and garden equipment. There are a host of products for organizing the smallest hand tools to the largest energy powered models. There are also many hooks and holders not designed specifically for garden tools that work well for both stationary and portable storage.

For stationary storage, mount a section of pegboard and select the hooks that fit your tool collection. Alligator Board has a section of metal pegboard on wheels that would serve very well as a garden tool storage center. Hooks designed to hold mops and brooms work well for light tools. For heavier tools like shovels take a look at the host of storage solutions at www.gemplers.com. They range from straight bar storage to specialty storage systems for weed trimmers and leaf blowers. There is also a hanging tool organizer at www.gardeningwithkids.org that measures five feet by five feet and has pockets for both long-handled and short-handled tools. This site, sponsored by the National gardening Association, also has a nice variety of accessories for potting and displaying plants.

Portable storage for smaller items that you tote out to the garden should either be light enough for you to carry without strain or be on wheels. A simple solution is a five-gallon bucket with a bucket cover to hold the tools. You can find these at the local hardware store. You can even make the cover yourself with a pattern available at www.bucketsgonewild.com. You can find a garden seat on wheels with storage for supplies underneath it at www.solutions.com. John Deere makes a portable garden cart on wheels that is available at most garden centers and a variety of garden tool totes are available at hardware and department stores.

When you have selected a storage system for your gardening tools, organize them by frequency of use. Place the ones you use everyday at the easiest place to reach, or store in a portable organizer for the duration of the gardening season.

For inspiration on more storage solutions check out the following websites:
www.gardeners.com
www.target.com
www.cedarcreek.com
www.carolwrightgifts.com
www.shopgetorganized.com
www.gemplers.com
www.gardeningwithkids.com
www.solutions.com

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing the Man Cave

Three guys showed me their man caves this week. One was in a finished room over the garage, one was in the garage and one was in the corner of an airplane hanger. These were three really different spaces that served very different purposes and each reflected the personality of its owner.

Two of the guys actually wanted some advice on how to better utilize the space and make room for their favorite past times. Even a man cave needs a sense of order and the tools to support having fun however the man cave dweller defines it.

One of my friends shared with me his belief that every man cave should start with used furniture and state of the art equipment. He does not want to be worried about putting his feet up on the coffee table or getting stains on the furniture. He does want cold drinks and snacks nearby as he watches sports with his friends on a wide screen television. His wife likes the idea that his friends are not cluttering up the family living space but she deplores the shabby and slovenly appearance of the room. Here is how we solved their differences and came up with a space that both of them love.

First, we took a good hard look at the dimensions of the room measuring twelve feet by fourteen feet with a garage door opening. Next we wrote down the activities the dweller planned for the room. Then we divided the space into zones that included media center, workbench and tools, cards and games, food and drink preparation and miscellaneous storage.

As we placed the contents of the room into these areas, we created storage space on the walls with the use of hangers and shelves. They bought inexpensive storage boxes and ottomans that double as extra seating and covered the mismatched furniture with stain-resistant coordinating slipcovers in masculine colors. Trashcans were placed in the food preparation area, the media area and the game area, and the workbench area. A plastic tub was included in the food prep area to place used dishes that need to be hauled to the kitchen. They even put a patio rug on the floor. The cave dweller promised to take it outside and hose it down occasionally.

The room looked so good the cave dweller warned his mate not to try to hold her book club in his space.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Taking Care of Little Things

Even after we organize our desk, our sewing box, our craft area, our toolbox, it is the little things that cause problems with maintaining our neat space. Paper clips, straight pins, little beads and tiny nails find their way to the bottom of our stuff.

Here are a few low-cost suggestions for corralling those pesky items and keeping things in order.

Ÿ Items with blunt edges do well in small zip-lock plastic bags. Beads can be separated by colors and then placed together in a larger container.

Ÿ Egg cartons provide a handy way to sort items like nuts and bolts. Glue a small magnet in each section to keep them in place. Be sure to store on top of heavy tools or the container will get crushed.

Ÿ Slip a plastic ice cube tray in your desk drawer to hold various size paper clips, staples and other small items.

Ÿ Baby food jars and spice jars can be re-purposed to hold small items. Spice jars in a discarded spice rack can keep sewing items like snaps and pins handy for the seamstress.

Organizing doesn’t have to be fancy; it just has to work.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

DON’T FORGET THESE KITS WHEN YOU MOVE INTO THE DORM

Recent high school grads who are college bound will soon celebrate their second Independence Day this year. They will move into college dorms and wave good-by to parents with a mixture of tears, anticipation and relief. Those who have planned well will be able to enjoy that first night of freedom and relax in their new digs.

Good planning means you have the things you need to be comfortable in your room and store everything you need to go to class, study, and socialize with your new friends. That is a tall order given some of the small spaces that pass for college living quarters.

Most colleges send good lists that help students gather the essentials for dorm living and advice from friends and family usually fills in the gaps. Experience has taught us that, even with all this guidance, there are a couple of things people forget to bring to the dorms. They are tools for simple repairs and a first aid kit. The girl or boy who has one of each available on move-in day will be the first to meet many new classmates and their panicked parents. Having moved into four colleges between us, we have personal knowledge of this.

Assemble a tool kit that includes:
Retractable 25 foot measuring tape
Large scissors
Combination drill/screwdriver with multiple tips
Pair of pliers
Hammer
Pocket knife
Nails and screws
Picture hanging kit
Cord ties
Duct tape
Poster Putty
Small flashlight and batteries
Adjustable wrench

These items should allow you to put together assembly-required furnishings and make adjustments necessary for a livable space. Place all the tools in the smallest container that will hold them.

Then put together your first aid kit. Include:
Band-Aids in various sizes
Gauze
Antibacterial ointment
Alcohol swabs
Antihistamine tablets
Acetaminophen tablets
Diarrhea medicine
Cortisone cream
Artificial tears
Hot/cold pack

Now you are ready to take care of any bumps, bruises, stings or other sundry mishaps that might take place as you are getting the room in order. These are no substitute for medical attention when required, but will help you keep the blood off the furniture until you can see the doctor or school nurse.

Going to college is a great adventure. Even Indiana Jones needs a few tools to meet the challenge. Don’t forget yours.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

ORGANIZE YOUR GARDEN TOOLS

Gardening is a pleasure for many people. Whether you enjoy the beauty of a flower garden or the practicality of a vegetable garden, the right tools ease the effort of growing your crop. Organizing those tools so they are ready when you need them is well worthwhile. There are a host of products for organizing the smallest hand tools to the largest energy powered models. There are also many hooks and holders not designed specifically for garden tools that work well for both stationary and portable storage.

For stationary storage, mount a section of pegboard and select the hooks that fit your tool collection. Alligator Board has just come out with a section of metal pegboard on wheels that would serve very well as a garden tool storage center. Hooks designed to hold mops and brooms work well for light tools. For heavier tools like shovels take a look at the host of storage solutions at www.gemplers.com. They range from straight bar storage to specialty storage systems for weed trimmers and leaf blowers.

Portable storage for smaller items that you tote out to the garden should either be light enough for you to carry without strain or be on wheels. A simple solution is a five gallon bucket with a bucket cover to hold the tools. You can even make the cover yourself with a pattern available at www.bucketsgonewild.com. John Deere makes a portable garden cart on wheels that is available at most garden centers and a variety of garden tool totes are available at hardware and department stores.

When you have selected a storage system for your gardening tools, organize them by frequency of use. Place the ones you use everyday at the easiest place to reach, or store in a portable organizer for the duration of the gardening season.

For inspiration on more storage solutions check out the following websites:
www.gardeners.com
www.target.com
www.cedarcreek.com
www.carolwrightgifts.com
www.shopgetorganized.com
www.gemplers.com


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

ORGANIZE YOUR YARD SALE DISPLAY

We visited a few yard sales this week and we just could not turn off the organizer within us. We kept noticing that some folks did not make the best use of their space. Maybe they just wanted a little fresh air and sunshine and selling the unwanted items didn’t matter much. That is the impression they projected with the jumble of items that littered their lawns.

We are serious about yard sales we organize for ourselves and for our clients. We want to make money, maintain safety, use our time well and have fun, so we have a few guiding principles that we abide by when it comes to space utilization and display.

Provide prices for everything. It is not necessary to put a price on every item if you are willing to accept a single price for a category. Examples are:
Men’s T-shirts $2.00
Paperback books $0.25
For items priced by category, keep a list next to the cashier space.
If time is running short or you have a bunch of miscellany that defies description, allow customers to fill a bag you provide for a set price that is posted on the bin of items

Be clear about what is included in the price. Keep multi-piece sets together with pins, rubber bands or plastic zip bags. Make special note on price tag about features or pieces missing.

Maintain safety. Allow adequate space between display sites for two people to walk side-by-side. This allows for two-way traffic, parents with children, and handicap access.

Make sure that sharp objects do not protrude into walk space and that heavy objects are not precariously balanced on shelves. Also remove any broken pieces or loose small pieces from open access and put in plastic bags and tape to the item if they are part of the sale. Do not place green tarps on green grass. Some shoppers may have difficulty seeing where the boundary is and stumble over the items on the tarp. Make sure display tables and other devices are sturdy and able to support the weight of items displayed on them.

Put like things together. Some categories to consider are toys, children’s clothing, tools, small appliances, exercise equipment, jewelry, home decor. Books are a tricky item and some advice columns say they do not sell well. That has not been our experience. Think about putting some of your books with categories that are directed to customer segments: children’s books with toys, how-to books with tools, recipe books with kitchen items. It just might tempt your customers to peruse the book stacks for others that might interest them. Put things next to each other that appeal to market segments: toys next to children’s clothing, garden equipment next to tools, jewelry next to women’s clothing.

Capture passers-by with visible merchandise. Set tempting items close to the curb. If possible, include items that will draw in various population segments. A piece of furniture, a toy, a fertilizer spreader and a piece of exercise equipment will attract very different buyers and more buyers equal more sales.

Have fun. Yard sales are a way to rid yourself of unwanted items, meet new people and make a little cash. While doing that you get to enjoy fresh air and sunshine and your choice of refreshing beverage. We call that a good day!

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing Garden Tools

With summer here, we are spending more time outdoors. Not all of the time is spent playing or lolling in the sun. Home maintenance chores and hobbies, growing flowers, plants and vegetables require the use of tools that have seen little use during the winter months. Organizing tools and supplies is easier than ever with nifty products on the market.

If you have four hundred dollars to spend, Brookstone sells a prefabricated storage shed that stands 64” high. Deck storage boxes also proved convenient weather-proof storage. Some of them are configured as benches with a storage compartment under the seat.

Some storage boxes have matching containers for a garden hose. These boxes allow the hose to be fed to the outdoor spigot through a hole in the container.

There are many less expensive alternatives for storing garden tools and hoses. Hose storage alternatives range from a $7 hook that hangs over the spigot to decorative bronze and wrought iron holders that are works of art. Get Organized offers a sturdy wire garden tool organizer that has a hose hook attached. The same company also distributes a rolling garden tool cart with slots for large tools and six side pockets for smaller items. A sheet of pegboard can be used with hooks and clamps to organize equipment. Over door hanging baskets are good choices for gloves, seed packets and smaller items. Mulitbin organizers also provide a convenient way to store items within view.

Alternatives to storing garden tools can be found at the following websites:
http://www.brookstone.com/
http://www.countrydoor.com/
http://www.shopgetorganized.com/
http://www.grandinroad.com/
http://www.harrietcarter.com/
http://www.frontgate.com/

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize Your Tools and Fix Something

Everybody has to fix something sometime in his life. Repairs are a lot easier of tolls are organized and handy. Some folks have just the basic hammer and nails, screwdriver, pliers and mallet. Others have a collection of tools for every eventuality. No matter how many tolls you own, they should be stored so they are not damaged and so that you can retrieve what you need without hurting yourself. If there are youngsters in the house, tools should be kept in a locked container or in a place in inaccessible to children.

Saws and knives should have teeth and blades protected to keep the sharp and to protect human skin from nicks and scrapes. Nails and screws should be confined to compartments or containers with lids.

There are a number of options to store tools in an organized fashion. Small toolboxes made of heavy duty plastics or metal with removable trays and lockable lid are available for under ten dollars. There are also buckets with liners that hold tools and accessories. Husky makes various sized soft-sided carry-all satchels that are good choices for a limited number of tools. Metal tool chests with a variety of drawers and compartments come in all sizes and range from a portable chest costing thirty dollars to mega-chests on wheels costing over a thousand dollars.

For transporting everything you need for a job, Stanley makes a mobile job chest that has a fifty gallon capacity, a large tool tray and a retractable handle that allows the chest to be pulled on its heavy-duty rubber coated wheels.

These containers and others can be viewed at the following web-sites:
www.homedepot.com
www.lowes.com
www.sears.com

Select the container that suits your needs and organize you tools in it. The next time you need to hang a picture, repair a fixture or assemble a new purchase, you tools will be waiting for you.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.com