Get your garage organized, and you may even be able to park there!

With privilege comes responsibility, and that's true for garages as much as anything else. Most garages are full of all sorts of things besides our cars. Some are so crowded you aren't sure exactly what is stored in them. Here are some great ideas that can help you store lots of things in a more organized way.

Storage shelves are a super way to do it. If you buy the type that are free-standing, then you don't even have to do much work, except assembly in most cases. Just make sure to use shelving that is strong enough to hold the weight. If they are going to be extra high, secure them to the wall for added insurance.

Storage cabinets also are available that are made just for garages. They are tougher than standard cabinets, moisture resistant and lockable, in most cases. If you get creative, you might find surplus or used cabinets that you can turn into great shop storage.

One of the most clever storage systems that has come out in the past few years is in overhead storage. Several manufacturers have created easy-to-install overhead storage racks that attach to the ceiling of your garage. That could double your storage space if you covered the ceiling with racks (but don't do that).

As far as wall storage goes, there are a lot of choices. Pegboard has been a standard choice for many years, but there are other similar systems available these days that may work just as well. With these types of storage systems, you can store lots of smaller items right on your wall. Shelves are available for these systems, but most are small. The hooks and hangers are the best parts of these systems. You can install hangers for tools, sports and rec equipment and gardening supplies.

Great storage solutions keep supplies safe and easy to find so they can save you money and time in the long run.

Handy tool caddy

Gutters are great, but only if they don't have leaks. If you need to clean them or make repairs, you'll love this handy gadget. You start with a lightweight bucket - plastic or metal, like a gallon paint bucket. If it already has a handle, you can cut the handle in half and straighten out the two pieces, still attached to the bucket, and form a hook on the end of each wire. If your bucket doesn't have a handle, use some wire, and drill holes near the top of the bucket to secure the wires, one on each side, creating the hooks on these as well. The hooks are made to hang on your gutter so the bucket can hold your tools as you work. You can keep your cleaning and repairing tools in the bucket. Talk about handy!

Dowel rod storage system

One of the quickest and easiest storage systems for a garage is a series of dowel rods installed right on the garage wall. It doesn't get much easier than that. Use short sections of leftover dowel rods, or buy a couple of long rods and cut them into smaller sections. Drill a hole that's the same diameter as the dowel rod right into your garage wall studs. If you angle the hole down a little bit, then your new "hook" will hold on to your items better. Use a little wood glue in the hole for extra insurance if you like. These hangers are perfect for heavy hoses, extension cords and a lot of other things, and will free up some floor space in your garage.

Super hints

• Table saws can make fast work of cutting, but if you want to make things work even smoother, try rubbing talcum powder over the surface of the table to lubricate it.

• Removing old wallpaper could be easy but usually isn't. A combination of steamers, strippers and other tools are needed in most cases. One very simple way to soften the glue under the wallpaper is to brush or roll some warm water mixed with a little fabric softener onto the wallpaper. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, and then try to pull more off. Try not to make a big mess, and you could cut your stripping time in half.

• To fill the gaps around stones, use mortar. If you want to do this with less mess, try using a mortar bag. It's similar to the type used to ice a cake. It's easy and much neater. In fact, it's a piece of cake!

Q. The last time I cleaned out the gutters, I started seeing a couple of places where the gutter spikes are coming out of the roof of the house. Should I add more, or try to relocate these?

A. There are other hangers you can use that will work just as well and won't be so hard to maintain. Remove the ones that are damaged and fill the holes in the wood with filler, followed by paint to keep them from getting worse. Keep gutters clear to prevent moisture from building up in these areas, too.

Q. I found a new faucet for my bathroom and have decided to keep the old sink. The new faucet is a single-handle model, but the old sink has three holes cut for the old faucet. What do you do to cover the existing holes?

A. In most cases, the new faucet will have a base plate large enough to cover the three existing holes. This is pretty standard, so you shouldn't have much trouble fitting the new faucet in place. If it covers only two, add a soap dispenser.

Q. We have to install a new floor in our downstairs powder room. Can we install new vinyl flooring right over the old?

A. Yes, if the current flooring is fully intact and smooth. Check with your new flooring dealer to make sure no additional prep work is needed for the adhesive used to install the new flooring.

Q. Our front porch is concrete, and we have some dark stains that need to be removed. One very large stain is from our old door mat, which was in place for a long time. How do we clean this up now?

A. Try using trisodium phosphate. It's a great cleaner, sold in most paint stores. Just read and follow the label directions. If you need to follow with some laundry bleach and water to remove mildew and mold, do that afterward. It's a good idea to apply a water seal to the surface to prevent more stains in the future.

Reader tips

• I tacked a wooden yardstick to the front of my workbench to use for measuring. It sure comes in handy often. I can hold material right up to it, mark it and then cut. I love it being right there when I need it. I don't need an extra hand to hold it. I think it was free, too, so it's even more valuable!

• I am a stickler about cleaning my paintbrushes after each use, even when I quit for just one day. I have a little trick that I finish with each time that works great. I use a little waterless hand cleaner to clean off the solvent residue after the brush is free of paint. This step cleans and protects the bristles, and I follow that with soap and water. I always make sure to hang the brushes up to dry so the bristles will be smooth and straight.

• I had a new tool belt that broke, and so I am using my old tool belt again. The new one had a magnet on the front to hold a metal tape. My old one doesn't have this. I just glued a magnet to the front of the old one, and it does the same job. It's very handy, and I like not having to dig the tape out of a pocket.

• I have a golf caddie with wheels that I use very rarely. My country club has carts, and I would rather use them. I have found that I can use the caddie, though, for transporting things around my yard when carrying them is too much for my back. I can strap things onto the golf caddie and just wheel them around. I even have an old golf bag that I can put on the caddie to carry my garden tools. I would rather be golfing, but need to keep the yard up, too.

• Here's a neat idea for a way to fix up your kitchen without spending a lot of money. I was going to paint my cabinets, and took them down, removed the hardware and set them out on a dropcloth. I had the inside of the cabinets facing up so I could do them first. The inside of the doors looked completely different, and I held them up to the cabinets to take a look. They looked so great; I painted them and put them back up inside out. I even used the old hardware, so the paint was the only cost I had. New kitchen, same old cabinets.

Shoptalk

• Caulking is one of the very best ways to cut energy costs in your home. If you do the caulking yourself - and it's easy enough to do - then it probably will pay for itself in less than one month in energy savings. But you want the job to look good, and the DAP Pro Caulk Tool Kit will help. The tool kit has three different tools that give you 12 different size/shape edges so that no matter how messy the caulk goes on, you will get a perfect, clean edge in seconds. It takes away all of the slop-over. It even does corners with precision. One tool is especially good at getting into tight spaces. The kit also includes a nifty caulk-removal tool, which is great for removing the old, cracked caulk. It can be used indoors and out, and you get your choice of a small tube of indoor or outdoor caulk to get started with. You can find it at lots of places, but if you want to know more, go to dap.com.

• The SimpleMat Tile Setting Mat is such a great idea. It's a double-sided sticky mat that has replaced messy thin-set tile-setting adhesive. Thin-set is good for tile but messy for the novice. The SimpleMat is applied to the subsurface, and the tile is set right on the super-sticky mat, followed immediately by grouting. It's especially wonderful for vertical surfaces, and will allow you to finish in one day! It's available at Home Depot and lots of other places. Check it out online at thesimplemat.com and watch the video. You'll be amazed at how "simple" it is to use.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or visit the Carrells' Web site at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2010, Cowles Syndicate Inc.