Is your garage a useful addition to your home or a hodgepodge of left-over supplies with just enough room for a couple of cars? For some people, the garage is too full to even fit a car inside. It might be time to make your garage cool, even if you don’t have a garage band practicing in it regularly.

Clearing out a garage is much like cleaning out a closet only bigger. Think of it as a four-step process. Don’t plan to finish it all at once. If you can get it done over several weekends you’re in good shape. This is also a time to solicit help from friends and family to make the process easier and faster.

To start, do you have a corner of your garage that looks like thIs photo? We’re not talking about just clutter here – storing paint, solvents and gasoline can be dangerous. Contact your municipality’s local waste disposal department to discover your options for disposing of hazardous waste. Then get this out of your garage as soon as you can.

Next, working with one wall after another, clear out the garage and give or throw away anything that you won’t be using again. Look for ways to store what’s left on walls or even hanging from the ceiling. Think in terms of organizing for easy retrieval and minimal material on the floor.

Take a look at this simple approach to storing tools. With just some pegboard and hooks, you can find everything immediately. To make the process even easier, use a sharpy to define each tool’s position on the wall, so you can see when something is missing and where it belongs when it’s time to put it back.

Larger wall hooks can hold bicycles and bins for sporting equipment. The more you can take off the floor, the better your garage will look.

Finally, once you’ve straightened everything out, consider either painting or resin-coating your garage floor. This will reduce cement dust on your home’s floors as people walk in from the garage. It also makes oil and other spills easy to wipe up. When you’re done, you ‘ll have a garage to make you proud.

Does your bedroom closet resemble this one? Do you waste time every day looking for a specific blouse or pair or shoes? Take the time to redesign your closet to make the most of its space and allow it to work well for your needs.

To start, determine what needs to be part of your wardrobe and what should be given away, tossed or stored elsewhere. If your closet space is limited, look for another location for out-of-season or rarely-worn clothes. Let your bedroom closet hold only current wardrobe items and accessories.

Next, look for wasted space. This closet photo shows clothes that are a bit crowded, while there is a wealth of unused space underneath. This space could be used for a second clothes pole or low drawers or even shoe storage. Think vertical as well as horizontal when you’re arranging your closet.

While it would be nice to hire a closet design company to redo your space, you can also purchase additional storage elements and shelves from home improvement and discount stores. Just be careful not to make the mistakes shown in closet number one. All the storage solutions in the world won’t fix a closet that isn’t managed well.

Finally, organize your clothes in your space. Sort by purpose: for example, work clothes and casual clothes. You can also sort by color or organize outfits for a quick selection when you’re getting ready for work. Once you have your closet in shape, you may find yourself as happy as the man in the last photo, with a closet that relaxes rather than stresses him.

You’ve spilled red wine on your carpet. It happens to all of us, during parties, girl’s night, Monday night football or just when relaxing at home. What can you do now to get the stain out?

The first thing to remember is to act as quickly as you can. Time is not your friend, as delaying tending to the spill may cause it to become a permanent stain. Blot the area with a clean white cloth; paper towels work well in a pinch.

For red wine first try a detergent solution to clean the spill out of your carpet. Don’t use a stronger concentration than this. Mix ¼ teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with one cup of lukewarm water. It’s a good idea to test this solution on an area of carpet that is hidden to make sure it is not going to cause discoloring. Work this solution into the spill – gently – do not rub. Work from the outside edges of the spill to the center. Let the solution sit on the spill for a few minutes. Blot. Have patience. Continue to blot and use the cleaning solution until there is no more transfer of the spill onto your white cloth. If you cannot remove all of the stain with the detergent solution try this one – 1 cup white vinegar mixed with two cups of lukewarm water. Be sure to pretest!

When there is no more transfer of the wine to your white cloth rinse the area with cold water. Continue to blot until all the moisture is removed. You must be certain that all of the cleaning solution is out of the carpet, otherwise it will attract dirt.

If all else fails, call a professional carpet cleaner as soon as possible as they have powerful tools to help get even the most stubborn stains out. 

Come the weekend, or on Monday night, does your living room or family room become a center for the sports enthusiasts in your family?

Whether your team wins or loses, you can be a winner after the party if you plan ahead to keep your floors clean under the onslaught of snacks and beverages that are part of watching a game.

If you’re ready to replace your flooring or planning for a new home, take the potential for parties in your home into account. When you plan the position of a large flat screen, think about choosing flooring that can handle the challenges of the gathering of family and friends for sports events, movies, or other events.

Tile and laminates provide the most low-maintenance flooring solution. With a quick wipe down, crumbs and spills disappear. If you prefer carpeting, look for the stain-resistant varieties that allow spills to be handled with no leftover damage. You can also pre-prepare by gathering the requirements for carpet cleaning – the right cleaner and plenty of small white work towels so that you can clean up any spills immediately. It’s important not to make a fuss, just clean up the situation and move on.

Think about snacks that minimize mess such as pretzels and cheese. Set up a snack buffet in your kitchen, where people can fill their plates to bring into the big-screen area of your home.

The final solution is rather dramatic but it works. Pick up a few beach towels or bath sheets in colors similar to your flooring. Then simply scatter them within the snack zone. Dropped chips and spilled crumbs stop being a worry. Once everyone leaves, gather the towels, shake them outside and throw them in the wash. In the meantime, your floor is ready for the next exciting incursion by the untidy crowd.

Happy day after the 4th of July!  We hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend with your family and friends!  We also hope you were able to get in some qualilty grilling time!  Just in case you or someone close to you accidentally dropped some barbeque sauce on the floor, we thought we’d share some advice on how to properly remove it from your carpet!  We hope you don’t have to use this information; however, if you do, we hope you find it useful! 

Solvent – A non-flammable spot removal solution, or dry cleaning type solvent, is preferred. Exercise caution when using a solvent. Never pour it directly onto the carpet or allow it to reach the backing, because it can damage the latex that holds the primary and secondary backings together. Acceptable solvents include Carbona®, Energine®, K2R®, Goof-Off®, etc.

Detergent Solution – Mix one fourth (1/4) teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent per one (1) cup of lukewarm water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! Thorough rinsing is necessary to remove detergent residues that may cause rapid soiling. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. (See Residue Precautions.) Care should be used in selecting a detergent. Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (fluorescent dyes) that dye the fiber. Do not select an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers.

Vinegar Solution – Mix one (1) cup of white vinegar per two (2) cups of water. White vinegar is a 5% acetic acid solution. It is used most often to lower the alkalinity caused by detergent solutions or alkaline spills.

Warm Water – Lukewarm tap water should be used in most cases to rinse the cleaning solutions from the fiber. Failure to completely rinse the solutions from the fiber may cause accelerated soiling.

Ammonia Solution – Mix one (1) tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water. Please note: Be aware that ammonia, if used improperly, can cause a color change. Be sure to test a hidden area.

Call a Professional – Professional cleaners have the ability and the equipment to use more aggressive cleaning solutions to remove stubborn spills. Always consider consulting a professional cleaner regarding any spot removal question. CRI – 1-800-882-8846.