Garage Clutter...who's got it...everyone!

Your neighbor has it, you have it, and I have it. Even the neat freak and organizational fanatic has it. Garage clutter is in every garage. Some have it all the time and some have it occassionally. Nothing will help more with garage clutter, even if it's just to hide it, than cabinets. Base cabinets, wall cabinets, and wardrobe cabinets are available from a number of manufacturers. You can get steel, aluminum, or wood-based cabinets in an array of finishes and colors. Want a powder coated steel cabinet? You can get it. Or maybe a bare aluminum finish? It's pricey so open up your checkbook and get your pen. Alright, you prefer wood and you want it to look like metal so you get black melamine cabinets with a silver color powder coated MDF door. The availability of materials and finishes can satisy any taste and budget. So forget the recycled kitchen cabinets. They won't look as good and they aren't strong enough to hold tools and car parts. Besides, do you want your garage to look like a kitchen? Are you baking cupcakes or doing brake jobs?

When you plan to hide, I mean organize, the clutter are you adding a workbench? You can certainly build one yourself, but if you can't, check out the Gen

eva Garage Gear workbench. Butcher block top and steel legs tell you this workbench is built for work. It's stable thanks to bracing and adjustable feet. Add a couple of their roll-a-round base cabinets and youre ready to work on your latest home or car project.

Garage Inspiration...Books and Magazines

There's great cars and great stories in the pages of "Garage Style" magazine. The stories of the inspiration behind the car collections and the garages where they are kept are written by true enthusiasts. The garages may belong to individuals, businesses, and clubs throughout the country. The magazine is based in Orange County in Southern California and usually has a garage or two from that area. You might read a 3-part story about Jay Leno's collection and a story of an individual holding on to a dusty, covered-up Duesenberg purchased by a distant relative following World War II. There could be stories about collectors of engine parts, model cars, or automobilia all kept in a garage, basement, or building built specifically to house the collection. I urge you to get a copy, find a quiet corner where you won't be found, and devour this magazine from front to back.

After you've been inspired by "Garage Style" magazine, you'll want to check out "How To Build Your Dream Garage" by Motorbooks. This book will help you organize your thoughts and put a plan on paper. You'll begin to understand the inner workings of a garage and the systems needed to make it suitable for your activities. Construction, electricity, and plumbing are all covered in detail to help you build the garage of your dreams. Options for flooring, cabinets, and storage organization are addressed. By the time you're through researching with the help of this book, you will have planned the most well equipped, envy inspiring garage in the neighborhood.