Posted on November 7, 2018August 16, 2021 by spacelift

Clone Your Closet for More Closet Space

Everybody wants more closet space. Some want it more badly than others. “House Beautiful” says 1 in 2 people would give up sex to have more closet space – for six months no less, six months celibate that is; you get to keep the extra closet space for as long as you own the home. “USA Today” cites more closet space as the number 3 feature for which home buyers are willing to pay extra, ranking behind new appliances and central air. “Hollywood Reporter” reports, “$100k wardrobe rooms with multiple stories, putting greens and coffee machines.” SpaceLift Products offers this simple solution: clone your closet.

Most of us are probably not knocking out a wall or converting an extra bedroom to create more closet space. But as we like to say at SpaceLift Products, “Convenient home storage is looking up.” In most homes the answer is right above your head. With an attic, a SpaceLift™ attic lift, and a portable wardrobe, you can quickly and conveniently open up a lot more closet space.

Our secret, “more closet space hack” is rotating seasonal clothing from closet to attic. Even if you live in southern climates, we’ll bet you still have a collection of short sleeve shirts, tank tops, shorts, summer dresses and more – and a corresponding set of long sleeve shirts and blouses, light jackets, long pants, sweater dresses and such. Why keep all these in your closet all year long?

Secret to success is making the seasonal clothing transfer easy and convenient. Here’s how.

First, get a SpaceLift attic lift. This patented invention is like a dumbwaiter to move storage between the living space of your home and your attic or basement. It’s like having a mini freight elevator that fits between the floor joists in your home or garage. It can carry up to 200 pounds per trip with up to 24 cubic feet capacity with no height restriction. It is microprocessor controlled, easy to operate, with built-in safety features like obstacle detection. It can be installed in a day; many are installed as D-I-Y, do-it-yourself, projects.

Next clone your closet with one or more portable clothing racks. Portable wardrobes are available from places like Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Amazon, etc. You can get a plain rack, or fancier versions with wheels and zip-over covers. Purchase a size that fits on the SpaceLift attic lift’s low profile platform, either 18 or 24 inches wide by 41 inches long, depending on which model you purchase. With no vertical height restriction on the SpaceLift, you can wheel the whole wardrobe onto your lift for quick trips to and from the attic or basement.

Then each year as the seasons change move all your out-of-season clothes out of the closet and into the attic to open more closet space for the current season’s wear. End result is more closet space you can use for a larger seasonal clothing collection if you wish, or to add more year-round couture.

Once you have a system in place, you can purchase a portable wardrobe for each closet in the house, perhaps his and hers versions for your walk-in closet. Portable wardrobes start at under $20. SpaceLift attic lifts are $1,895 or $1,995 depending upon size, come with a 2-year warranty and are built to last a lifetime of closet rotations.

Of course, once you have your SpaceLift attic lift you can use it for lots of other storage solutions, including more closet space by moving other items. For example you can rotate storage containers of seasonal shoes from sandals, flip-flops and mules to boots, high tops and closed toes.

Most people give their beds seasonal makeovers as well. With your SpaceLift and some storage bins, you can easily rotate between quilts and summer blankets into and out of convenient attic storage.

shows portable wardrobe with winter clothing being carried in and out of the attic on a SpaceLift attic storage lift. — Portable wardrobe lets you “clone your closet” but using attic storage for seasonal clothes, blankets and more.

There’s also the concept of making more room in your garage by moving seasonal items in and out of storage there too. But this blog is about creating more closet space. Review the other blogs on our website for ideas relating to garage storage, storing holiday items, defeating clutter, claiming more living space and more.

Resources:

House Beautiful: 1 in 2 People Would Give Up Sex to Have More Closet Space

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/organizing-tips/a21240308/makespace-survey-people-choose-closet-space-over-sex/

USA Today: 11 home features buyers will pay extra for

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/04/28/24-7-home-features/2106203/

Hollywood Reporter: The Psychology of an Organized Closet

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/psychology-an-organized-closet-952267

Bed Bath & Beyond: Portable Easy View Wardrobe

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/portable-easy-view-wardrobe/1011192114

Posted on August 2, 2018August 24, 2021 by spacelift

Park Your Car Inside Your Garage and Enjoy These Benefits

If you’re like most people, you don’t park your car inside. Instead, your garage has become a glorified closet. One in four Americans say their garage is so disorganized they can’t fit even one car inside. This according to a homeowner survey by Gladiator GarageWorks. Yet, there are many and important benefits to park your car inside.

Average cost of a new car is pegged at $36,700, according to Kelly Blue Book. So, the inability to house and protect your automobile investment is detrimental. The value of a car or truck kept in a garage versus one parked outdoors is significant. Garage kept cars have higher resale value. Park your car inside (or your truck) to extend its life and maximize your investment.

Park Your Car Inside . . . Your Car Will Thank You!

Having your car outside exposes it to the elements. Acid rain, bird droppings, dust, dirt, pollen and debris attack your paint. Sun causes oxidation damage to your vehicle’s exterior. Ultraviolet rays and temperature extremes damage the interior. Ask your mechanic. We bet he or she can tell if a car lives in a garage or outdoors by looking at it. And a garage protects not only the exterior and interior finishes. Garaged car fluids stay closer to operating temperatures. They stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer. That reduces wear on your engine and moving parts. Oil and grease stay less viscous indoors. They do a much better job of lubricating your engine and moving parts at start up. You can prevent a lot of long-term wear that way.

Today’s cars are driven only five-percent of the time, according to Fortune magazine. Think about your own car or truck. How much time does it spend just sitting at home in your driveway? Worse yet, you park it on the curb because your garage is full.

Oh, but you commute? And at work you must park outside. Okay, still consider where your car spends every night, arguably half its life. Protected inside a garage it will look better longer.

Consider the convenience factor. Not having to scrape frost or clear snow in winter. Not climbing into a boiling-hot interior in summer. How about entering and exiting the car indoors. You’re protected from the elements. You’re safe and secure. Think of the last time you unloaded groceries in a rainstorm. Ever arrived to an empty, dark house late at night? You could push the automatic garage door opener and drive right in. But you cannot. Your garage is too full of storage stuff.

Park Your Car Inside . . . It’s Safer for You!

Park your car inside your garage to protect it from threats other than the elements. Garaged cars are far more secure from theft of the car and contents. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind, helps deter opportunity thefts. Bad actors go through neighborhoods trying car handles. Even the nicest areas are getting hit.

Unlocked cars and trucks parked outside can have their contents rifled or worse. An auto theft occurs every 33 seconds in the U.S., according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Download their free Vehicle Theft Prevention Brochure here. Some insurance companies offer discounted rates for autos kept in locked garages.

“People take great pride in their homes – organizing, decorating and showing off various rooms of their house, especially on social media,” said Karl Champley, master builder and home improvement TV/radio personality. “But the garage is the forgotten room of the home and those same people who are proud of their home are embarrassed by how the garage looks.”

Some so embarrassed they keep their garage doors shut so neighbors won’t see their mess. Keeping your car in the garage also maintains your home’s curb appeal. The GarageWorks survey also revealed marital discord. One of every five homeowners have argued with their spouse about the condition of the garage.

Here’s another benefit of parking your car inside your garage. Automatic garage door openers are very popular now. They make the garage the most-used entryway for many people. Why wend your way through clutter everyday?

Park Your Car Inside Using Your Attic

Banish all this mess and stress with the push of a button.

Fortunately, there are solutions to garage clutter. And there are many organizing coaches and clutter experts. Some pundits, would have you clear clutter by getting rid of your stuff. Please do consider donating unused items. Others belong in the dump. But it’s your stuff. For most of us it’s in the garage for one important reason: we want to keep it. How? Well, there is a whole industry offering racks, pegboards and garage organizing systems. But first, have you looked up?

In many garages the easiest clutter buster is right above your head. Often there is lots of storage space in the garage or home attic. Attic storage solutions open up a whole new space for your stuff often equal to or greater than the space below.

Keep rarely used but useful items in the attic instead of the garage. Cycling seasonal items out of your garage and into the attic increases floor space. For example holiday decorations. Do you use seasonal dishes or special occasion china? Cycle winter coats and summer clothes. Switch seasonal sports equipment, garden tools, toys, snow sleds and snow tires. The list goes on.

Storing items in the attic can be a hassle, even dangerous. Right? Who hasn’t tried lugging storage bins up and down attic ladders? Try carrying an artificial Christmas tree up and down the ladder. Even attic stairs are trouble for heavy items.

Easy Attic Access is Key

Create easy access to garage attic storage to park your car inside the garage where it belongs.

Installing a SpaceLift™ attic lift is the answer. It works like a mini freight elevator. It’s an electrically powered and computer controlled dumbwaiter. It carries up to 200 pounds and 24 cubic feet of storage items per trip. Our attic lift has no vertical limit. You can stack boxes, storage bins, containers and other garage storage items as high as you want. It takes a full size artificial Christmas tree in the box. Standing up. In one trip. Use your attic to its fullest capacity. Reduce clutter. Free up space in your garage and home. Enjoy the many benefits of parking your car inside your garage.

Need some motiviation? Take a before picture now. Install a SpaceLift attic lift. Then take a picture of your beautiful and organized garage. Show your car snug, safe and protected inside. Share that “after” picture on your social media for all your friends to see. Oh, and if you think of it, please also share it on our Facebook page: @SpaceLiftProducts. We love to hear from our satisfied customers!

Your dream garage starts in the attic, showing SpaceLift attic lift with beautiful garage. Park your car inside. A SpaceLift helps make space.

References:

Garage Space Survey

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/almost-1-in-4-americans-say-their-garage-is-too-cluttered-to-fit-their-car-300096246.html

Average New Car Price

https://mediaroom.kbb.com/2021-04-15-Average-New-Vehicle-Prices-Remain-Above-40-000-Threshold-Increase-More-Than-4-Year-Over-Year-According-to-Kelley-Blue-Book

Today’s Cars are Parked 95% of the Time

http://fortune.com/2016/03/13/cars-parked-95-percent-of-time/

Garage Car Insurance

https://www.carinsurancecomparison.com/garage-car-insurance/

Posted on March 21, 2018August 27, 2021 by spacelift

You may not think of it this way. But one of the best ways to do a thorough spring cleaning is to start in your attic. Spring cleaning includes refreshing your living space. Moving items into storage opens up more living space. It can remove clutter and help you better organize. For most homeowners that means trips to the attic or basement. And that’s why first addressing your storage space is the secret to successful spring cleaning for your living space.

A clean attic lets you to put your great attic storage ideas into action. The attic is the perfect space for seasonal storage of items like holiday decorations and summer sports equipment. It’s great for long-term storage for little used but important items like tax records, family memorabilia and future hand-me-downs like baby clothes. Convenient access is key to making storage work.

In addition to making room for more storage, clean attics equal healthy homes. Consider that attic allergens and irritants seep into your living area through ceiling hatches, doors, recessed lights, heating and cooling systems. Irritants such as dust, dander and mold can wreak havoc for allergy sufferers. They could irritate your family’s lungs. From the time of its invention, spring cleaning includes thorough dusting and sweeping.

1. Remove all items

Take all boxes, furniture and other items out of the attic before starting to clean. If some items are too difficult to move out of the attic, pile them in one corner. Cover them while you clean the remaining space. Spring cleaning is a once-a-year opportunity cleaning areas rarely reached by your vacuum. Same as in your living space.

Having an attic lift makes the physical labor of moving items in and out of the attic much easier. Our lift is one of the best, SpaceLift™ attic lift. An attic lift is like a mini freight elevator. It transports items so you don’t have to lug them up and down the attic stairs or ladder. It’s like a dumbwaiter for your storage items. Storage lifts are popular moving items between home living and storage spaces. They work for attics and basements.

2. Spring cleaning tips

The following spring cleaning tips apply equally well for attics, basements and living spaces. Before beginning the process of cleaning or moving items consider a dust mask. It’s especially important if you are allergic. Where possible open a window or vent to circulate air. Replacing that stuffy winter air with outdoors fresh air is always welcome. And it is a big reason spring cleaning waits for warmer days.

San Francisco Gate published an article “How to Clean an Attic Space”. You find it full of tips and ideas to keep in mind when tackling the task of cleaning your attic. The article suggests dusting with an electrostatically charged feather duster. Wipe wooden beams, walls, baseboards and window frames to collect dust and dirt. After dusting, sweep the floors, corners, cracks and crevices with a vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming rids your space of dead insects, dust mites, dander and potential allergens.

3. De-clutter your space

While you are moving items during cleaning. Now is a good time to assess what you put into storage over the last year or years. Do you still have use for it? Did you forget about it entirely? Would someone else be able to make better use of it? Evaluate whether to throw away, donate or keep items. Do this before reorganizing your storage space. You’ll have less to organize. Clutter is not limited to trash and useless items. Clutter can be anything.

Home Storage Solutions suggests a list of five guidelines to use in determining if items are clutter. Get ready to make difficult decisions you may have been putting off for a while. Not wanting to make the decision could be why you stashed these items away in your attic to begin with. At SpaceLift we are all in favor of you keeping the stuff you want. Even so, those “wants” are worth reevaluating from time to time. Spring cleaning makes the perfect excuse.

4. Categorize storage items

Once you’ve gotten rid of clutter, the next step is to clean items going back into storage. Dust all furnishings, containers and boxes. Clean the corner where they were temporarily placed. Finally, reorganize remaining items. Retrieving items in the future is far easier from an organized storage space. “Categorize all the items you wish to store in your attic and divide them into groups. For example, holiday decorations, family heirlooms, out of season clothes, old baby clothes, etc.,” said Jane Blanchard in an article on Modernize.com.

Place items you will not frequently need toward the back of the attic. Organize stuff you might need more often near the door for easy access. If you have miscellaneous loose items, use a clear storage bin to keep them together and create more room. As you categorize, keep in mind new items you may want to move into storage. Chances are you’ll uncover more storage needs during your downstairs spring cleaning.

You don’t think you’ll forget, but you will. Label boxes, storage bins and containers as part of your storage organization ritual. This is good for spring cleaning and any other time!

5. Storage Ideas

For larger attics, it’s a good idea to invest in such storage solutions as shelving and large clear plastic bins. This article explores what storage containers are best for attic storage. The website, Do It Yourself, offers three tips for storage solutions. Work with what’s already in your attic. Use exposed wood frames to support shelves made from wood. It’s your attic. So any wood will do, even cheap plywood. Freestanding shelves can be made out of any cheap, strong wood and L-brackets. Alternately, just purchase utility shelving. Stackable containers are perhaps the easiest way to add space. Clear bins allow you to view what’s inside without moving them to open. Before buying plastic storage containers, check out the list compiled by The Spruce of the six best to buy in 2021.

Start the process of claiming more living space in your home this spring by cleaning and reorganizing storage items. A SpaceLift™ attic lift makes this tedious task less labor intensive. It makes attic storage enjoyable for the whole family, and for years to come. SpaceLift lifts feature computerized smart controls with built-in safety features. It has no restriction on how high you can stack items. Its low profile base makes loading and unloading easy. The lift carries up to 200 pounds and 24 cubic feet of cargo per trip. Transferring items to the attic and back down takes the push of a button. Travel time is three inches per second. It installs between attic floor joists. Installation is easy requiring basic carpentry skills. Many SpaceLift attic lifts are installed as DIY, do-it-yourself, projects. We can also recommend local installers if you want to go that route. Just contact us!

https://cleancrawls.com/clean-declutter-attic-7-simple-steps/

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/3-storage-shelf-ideas-for-your-attic

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/clean-attic-space-25834.html

https://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/clutter-buster.html

https://modernize.com/homeowner-resources/other/attic-storage-101

https://www.thespruce.com/best-plastic-storage-bins-4154995

A Spring Cleaning Checklist to Increase Your Overall Productivity

Posted on January 16, 2018August 25, 2021 by spacelift

Bust clutter. Getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home. It can reduce asthma and allergy triggers, according to The American Cleaning Institute. “For many people the conundrum is: do they have too much stuff or not enough space?” said Dave Berliner, inventor of the SpaceLift attic lift. His invention solves the problem of using your attic for storage by creating easier and safer access. Even the famed clutter buster Marie Kondo says, “The aim of storage is to give every item a home – a designated spot for it to rest and recharge when not in use.”

“Many organization gurus tell you to purge, get rid of your stuff. I disagree. It’s your stuff. There’s likely a good reason you kept it in the first place. Busting clutter may simply be a matter of moving some of your stuff out of your living space and into a convenient storage space,” Berliner said, “This is especially true for seasonal items like decorations, patio furniture, tools and toys. These items ‘spark joy’ in their season. Meanwhile, you protect your investment by keeping them safely stored. Storing them in the attic, not your living space, makes more room for you. It helps you get, and stay, organized.”

Place for Stuff

WebMD suggests 8 common clutter “hot spots” you should address.

1 = There’s the entry hall dump. (Here in New England we have mud porches.)
2 = Next is the overstuffed pantry. Better organization helps. Install a back-of-the-door rack.
3 = Then there’s that mail pile. Usually in a public place. You plan to handle that paper. But don’t. And the paper pile seems to grow all on its own. A basket helps keep mail neat. Maybe try paperless bill pay?
4 = Refrigerator door clutter? Not sure we agree with this one WebMD. It’s is your personal choice. One person’s cluttered refrigerator door is another’s treasured collection.
5 = Certainly on the list is the bathroom counter. All those potions and lotions tend to spread. The Container Store has a variety of clever solutions. Organizers help you go from “sloppy to serene,” the article says.
6 = Garage clutter. Did you know one-in-four homeowners say they can’t fit their car in their own garage? If you have an attic, SpaceLift attic storage lifts offer an elegant solution. A beautiful garage starts with a good storage system.
7 = Junk drawer. Admittedly, some of us love our junk drawers. But it can take forever to find an AAA battery that you just know is in there! There are many excellent drawer organizers. The Spruce rates the 9 best ones.
8 = Kid clutter can be a challenge. Toy boxes help. But only if you use them. This is a great opportunity to teach your children clutter busting.

Bust Clutter with Storage

“Lack of space” was cited as the biggest challenge to improving organization by 32.9 percent of consumers surveyed by NPD Group for HomeWorld Forecast Consumer Survey. “Yet most homes have lots of available storage space in attics above the house and garage. Access is generally the limiting factor,” Berliner said. “Attic ladders or pull-down stairs can be tough to negotiate. They are downright dangerous when carrying storage bins, boxes or other items. There is a risk of falling, or hurting your back, or damaging your items,” he added, “Easy attic access is the key to attic storage solutions.” (Read our blog about Ladder Safety at Home.)

Control Clutter with a SpaceLift Attic Storage Lift

Berliner’s answer was to invent an attic lift. “It is like having your own mini freight elevator to carry storage into your attic in just minutes. It’s a dumbwaiter for your stuff,” he explained.

Designed to fit between attic floor joists, installation is easy requiring basic carpentry and electrical skills. Many are installed as do-it-yourself projects, Berliner said, or the company can help with local installers. It sells directly on its website, www.SpaceLiftProducts.com. A short video on the website shows how the lift works. Prices start at $1,895 with free shipping and a two-year factory warranty. SpaceLift™ Products are assembled in the USA, in Stratford, Conn., by Redco Home, a division of Redco Audio, a family-owned company.

Posted on December 17, 2017September 9, 2021 by spacelift

Get organized month makes sense for January. It’s a month of resolutions and renewal. There are lots of reasons why you should get better organized. Ever wonder how much time you lose trying to find misplaced possessions? Tired of navigating through canyons of storage bins? Is your car stuck outside because there’s just too much stuff in your garage? January is national “get organized month,” as declared by the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

The average American spends one year of their life looking for lost or misplaced items, according to U.S. News and World Report. A Newsweek article stated the average American wastes 55 minutes a day (roughly 12 days a year) looking for things they own but can’t find. This article estimates the cost to U.S. households is $2.7 billion annually.

Getting better organized is a New Year’s resolution many of us deem worthy. But like most changes in behavior, keeping the process simple is critical to year-long success. We all know resolutions stick easier when they’re easy to implement.

Finding more space is key.

Lack of space was cited as the biggest challenge to improving organization. So say 32.9 percent of consumers surveyed by NPD Group for HomeWorld Forecast Consumer Survey. That may be why the self-storage industry is booming. It is expected top $39.5 billion in revenue in 2021. That’s up from $36 billion in 2016, according to IBISworld. The U.S. Census Bureau records a spike in self-storage construction spending. See chart.

get organized month has multiple options for success, this chart shows growth of self-store units construction

But self-store units are a hassle. You have to load up your car or SUV and drive your stuff to a rental storage unit. Then when you want an item, you have to drive back over and load up the car again to bring it home. Plus you pay monthly storage fees. Check out our blog post, “Have You Done the Self-storage Math?“

Where to put all our stuff? Half of homeowners rate their garage as the most disorganized place in the house, according to NAPO. A U.S. Department of Energy poll found 25 percent of homeowners with two-car garages have so much stuff stored there they can’t fit even one car inside. Yet above most garages is a spacious attic. Read our blog “Benefits of Parking Your Car Inside.”

get organized month should include your garage shows car covered in deep snow parked outside garage — Don’t treat your car as a second-class citizen. Use your garage attic and a SpaceLIft attic storage lift to free up enough space. January is a tough month for cars. It is also get organized month.

Easy access is the secret to storage success.

Going up and down those pull-down attic stairs or ladders is pretty dicey. It is especially scary when carrying storage containers and boxes of stuff. It’s nearly impossible with bulky items. Imagine storing four snow tires in your attic. How about patio furniture? Attic storage is perfect for large, but infrequently needed tools.

There’s also the risk of falling or hurting your back carrying on the ladder. Ladders take a lot of time too. Even if items are small, you are very limited how much you can carry per trip. (Check out our blog on ladder safety.)

A SpaceLift™ attic lift offers easy and fast access to your own home and garage attic space for safe and convenient storage. It is a motorized platform lift system capable of transporting up to 200 pounds and 24 cubic feet of cargo per trip from your living space to your attic. It moves at three inches per second. All with the push of a button. It is like having your own mini freight elevator to carry storage into your attic in just minutes. It’s a dumbwaiter for your stuff.

Manufacturer Redco Home invested seven years of engineering development and more than $250,000. The result is our patent-protected lift. It offers superior capability. It incorporates critical safety features not found in other lifts.

SpaceLift attic storage safe and simple

One key benefit is no limitation on vertical stacking. The computer-controlled lift pulls evenly at each of the platform’s four corners. This leaves open all the space above. It also stops automatically for obstructions. It will not lift if cargo weight exceeds 200 pounds. Low profile design makes it easy to load and unload. Slide your best storage containers, boxes, heavy items and more off of the platform and onto attic flooring systems with ease. Protected by two U.S. Patents. Our storage lift launched in 2009. It is now installed in hundreds of homes and garages nationwide. (Plus, we shipped a few internationally.)

Designed to fit between attic floor joists, installation is easy requiring basic carpentry and electrical skills. Many are installed as do-it-yourself projects. Redco Home can also help with local installers. It sells directly on its website, www.SpaceLiftProducts.com and through a network of 30 nationwide vendors. A short video on the website shows how the lift works. Detailed installation instructions and videos are also on the website and available for download. Also available is a siting guide. We even offer CAD files.

There are two models, different in their width, selling for $1,895 and $1,995. This includes free shipping. A two-year factory warranty is standard. SpaceLift™ Products are assembled in the USA. They are manufactured in Monroe, CT, by Redco Home, a division of Redco Audio, a family-owned company. A lift is installed at the Redco facility and you are invited to stop by to see it.

Get Organized Month every month?

To be sure, January is fine. But every month should be get organized month. Why wait? Resolve to get organized, reduce clutter, claim more living space and get your cars back in the garage. A SpaceLift™ attic lift will help you claim more storage space in your own home.