Condo Blues: garage
Showing posts with label garage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garage. Show all posts

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Small Space Garage Workshop Organizer Ideas for Short People

It is amazing how the size of an empty garage shrinks once you park the car. Or at least it felt that way after we bought our condo.  I have to get really creative when it comes to carving out but storage space AND workspace in a small garage. Add to the mix that I’m short gal and most organizers are made for people much taller than me and really creative turns into super duper really creative.

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Starting the right of my workshop is my shop vac  (This is the exact wall mounted remote controlled wet dry vacuum I bought ) that is always right where I need it for dust collection when I’m working with power tools on the workbench. I thought I’d miss having the giant size shop vac like everyone says you are supposed to have but I really like the smaller size because it is much easier to empty (compost bins LOOOOVE sawdust!) and heft around the house. Not to mention, it won’t get buried under stuff hanging on the wall.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

How to Install a Solar Security Light

This post is written in partnership with Deelat. All thoughts and opinions are my own 

My backyard is dark. The dinky porch light doesn't do the job, not to mention I always forget to turn it on before I take Lacey out for her nightly post potty Perimeter Sweep.

My next door neighbor solves the problem by leaving her porch light on 24/7 but I’d rather not waste electricity during the daylight hours. I am a big fan of solar powered outdoor lights by Deelat Industrial.So you’d think I’d already have some sort of solar security light in my backyard right?

Well, no. So far my only experience with solar lighting are small garden lights in my front yard. My solar garden lights don’t throw as much light now that the tree in our front yard decided to grow large enough to prevent the panels on the lights from charging.

Fortunately, my backyard faces South and gets full sun. I was a little leery of a solar security light being bright enough based on my tiny solar garden light experience but Deelat assured me that their solar security light produces 1000 Lumens of brightness using 44 LEDs and is bright enough to be used to for businesses as well as homes.

Sounds good, then. Let’s give it a shot!


How to install a quick and easy motion activated solar security light
 Solar lights are simple to install, renter friendly, and the solar panel naturally works as a dawn to dusk timer while using green and free solar energy to charge and power the light. What’s not to love?
 

How to Install a Motion Activated Solar Security Light in 30 Minutes or Less

Sunday, November 6, 2016

How to Make Pallet Storage Shelves with Side Rails

I have a DIY power tool battery station hanging on the wall on my workbench and little else. All of my tools, hardware, and empty tool cases are stored low to the ground – like me! –  in my DIY kitchen cabinet workbench where I can easily put everything away after I finish a project in my shop.

Short girl problems, yo.

But man, those empty molded plastic power tool cases are taking up some variable storage real estate in the workbench. I don’t want to keep shuffling them around the workbench to get to things I needs but I don’t want to get rid of them either. The cases are nice for those occasions I Handy Ma'am it at someone else’s house.

A dead space the wall over my workbench is the perfect place to store my power tool cases. I put my recycled pallet wood stash to good use and built a storage shelf with built in bookends (for lack of a better term) so my tool cases won’t fall off the end of the shelf.

How to make power tool case storage
Pin this idea for later!

How to Build a Simple Shelf with Built in Bookends

 

Sunday, August 14, 2016

How to Make Wine Cork and Bungee Cord Ties

Messy extension cords are taking over my workshop, power tool cords in particular. I think I wrap them well when I put my tools away only to find the cords are a tangled mess the next time I need to use them. Ugh!

To go along with my upcycled workshop scheme and more importantly I always have a stash of wine corks I use to clean sandpaper (read the tutorial on Condo Blues here) in my workbench I stopped what I was doing and whipped up a set of homemade power cord organizers.


Pin this organization tutorial for later!

This idea isn’t a new one but there are a few tips and hacks I haven’t seen written down and want to share.

Tips for Making Wine Cork and Bungee Cord Organizers: Everything You Need to Know!

Sunday, May 22, 2016

How to Make a Small Space Sandpaper Organizer


It's amazing what you find when you decide it is time to clean and organize a workbench or workshop.

In my case it is sandpaper.

Lots of sandpaper.

Like embarrassing amounts of specific grits I bought because I though I didn't have it, when not only did I have it, I have epic loads of it because I kept losing it in my messy and disorganized garage and workshop.

I'm sure all of you organized crafters and DIYers cannot relate at all to this. (Although I'd feel less like a slob if you do.)

Dollar store sandpaper organizer!
That's what happens when I get tired of storing a mount of objects on my workbench top after creating a motivational gallery wall above the workbench in the garage.

So I started poking around Pinterest (follow me @condoblues pretty please?) looking for workshop sandpaper storage and organizers and coming up empty because I work in a small space.  I'm too short to reach all of the organizers I saw hanging on the wall over a workbench.

Funny thing, I found the inspiration solution on the Craftsman website when I was on there dreaming about lawnmowers. Sorry about the weird stream of conscious thing but our lawn service has given us so many excuses about not cutting our grass (that I'm allergic to) that  is almost as tall as Lacey. Grrr!

But that is a different story for a different day.