Garage Organization - Part 2

After organizing all the gardening supplies in the garage last week, I wanted more of this:

And less of this:

Why is there a mattress here when no one sleeps there?  Good question.  I wasn't planning on sleeping there!  We moved this mattress upstairs to replace another.  Since the garage shelving for the holiday decorations worked so well, we went to Costco to get another:

Each shelf holds 1,500 pounds.  Wow.  That can hold several of me on each shelf.  What went on this shelf?  All the stuff that couldn't fit on my pantry shelves.

It was great that all the food items were organized on the shelves, but it defeated the purpose if I couldn't get to them.

This is what the garage shelf looked like afterwards:

There are 5 shelves.  From top to bottom, left to right:

1. (not visible) sports equipment
2. cleaning & food storage supplies
3. beverages & emergency supplies
4. vaccum attachments (in basket), Roomba vaccum, & extra bags
5. dog food buckets, dog supplies, & car wash bucket

We were able to place the vaccum and carpet cleaner next to the shelf - they previously resided in the last room they were used (nice policy, right?), and we later added a donation box by the door to easily corral items we no longer need.  When the donation box is full, we drop the donations off.

Now this is what the pantry (or the pantry floor) looks like:

The downside is that it's much easier to snack now!

In the past two weeks, I have spent $70 on garage shelving and $20 in baskets to organize the garage and pantry.  It's been worth it!

Garage Organization

Today, I rediscovered the garage floor!  This is what happened:

 

This is what the garage looked like yesterday morning:

Sometimes you wish you could rewind back in time.  This wasn't one of those times.  Those wires remind me of how electricity is wired above ground in S.F.  There's also a life vest hanging on the far wall.  (Good thing it's not the fire extinguisher.)  I was tired of tripping over items in the garage (they're not the most gentle on your toes) and it was a big pain getting the bikes out.  The garage needed some organizational love.

Since most of the tools leaning against the wall were gardening tools, I figured we should just move all the gardening-related items there.  I added five baskets to the shelf to sort the plant food, gardening supplies, weed control products, and insect repellents.  I also moved my gardening carryall from the ground to the shelf.  Jeff drilled two gardening organizers to the wall so we could hang all the gardening tools.

I also tackled other items that were already organized in the garage, like the dog supplies:

 and made it better:

Usually, we take the dog shampoo and gloves outside to wash the dog and take our time putting the supplies back, but it just made more sense to add handles to easily carry everything.  Besides, who wants to run back into the house to grab the dog's toothbrush when you're soakin'  wet?

So, that's what happened to the garage in two hours.  I can now get from one side of the garage to the other without having to open the garage door first. 

Loft Pillows

Pillow fever continues!  Sunday was a great time to nest the loft with two new additions to the couch.


I love big, floral patterns.  Especially against a solid background.



Isn't this fabric cute?

Cutting pillow squares from the folded selvage.

Marking out the squares (in faint blue tailor's chalk).

Pinning matching piping to the right side of the fabric.

Both sides sewn together, with an opening for the pillow form.

A happier couch.