FOURTH ANNUAL ‘NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR GARAGE DAY’ Giveaway

 

Is your garage a hazardous haven for dents, damage and danger? I am sure mine is.  My things, my husband's things, and the kid's things are totally out of order!!! Take a look and you might be surprised at what is considered hazardous. 

 A survey* of 1,000 U.S. adults revealed nearly four in 10 (39 percent) have tripped over an item in their garage, more than a quarter (27 percent) have hit an object when opening a vehicle door and 22 percent have accidentally hit something when parking. 

These findings and concerns over garage safety prompted The Lehigh Group, maker of Crawford^®-branded garage and home workshop organization products, to proclaim “National Clean Out Your Garage Day,” an observance dedicated to educating Americans about garage safety. This year, Ace Hardware and Quickie are joining the cause, making the 2012 program the largest campaign to date.

“We established ‘National Clean Out Your Garage Day’ to occur on the first weekend after Labor Day since this is a time much of the country transitions from summer to fall and begins putting items such as bikes, lawnmowers and garden tools away for the season,” said Deborah Hanson, director of external affairs for The Lehigh Group. “This is a great time to take stock of the safety of your garage, clean it out and organize as needed to make this space safer – and more functional.”

Although "National Clean Out Your Garage Day Was Sept. 8,you can still teach people how to perfect their parking zones by providing tips for organizing and preventing garage incidents.

“A great way to approach garage organization is to divide the area into sections,” advises Hanson. “Categorizing items and storing them in dedicated areas not only increases safety but makes it easier to locate items when you need them.”

The experts at The Lehigh Group and Ace Hardware offer these “sectioning” suggestions:

Section 1: Parking Zone

Too often, cluttered garages result in cramped quarters. Nearly half (46 percent) of Americans report having rubbed against a parked vehicle and soiled their clothes. Ideally, there should be enough space around parked cars for vehicle doors to fully open and for the driver and passengers to walk around vehicles without rubbing against them. Using a multipurpose push broom to sweep this area will help avoid tracking dirt and debris into the car or home, too.

Section 2: Yard and Gardening Equipment

When not properly stored, lawn and gardening equipment can pose serious tripping hazards.  Additionally, if not properly secured to a wall, this equipment can fall and hurt people, particularly children, and cause damage to automobiles. Having a special section designated for this equipment not only will keep it organized, but also will keep items safe and easy to access. Crawford offers specially designed wall hooks that will hold your leaf blower and its power cord in place, and secure other equipment, like wheelbarrows, rakes and shovels. Always remember to follow all manufacturer instructions regarding weight limits when using wall hooks, rails or shelving. The Crawford 5’ Adjustable Storage System and the Crawford 3’ Sliding Grip Clamp Organizer are built for strength and easily hold more than 25 pounds of equipment.

Section 3: Sporting Equipment

Tired of tripping over bats and balls? Then designate an area of the garage as a sports zone. Crawford offers several flexible sports solutions, from a grip clamp for bats to complete sports organization systems. As for bicycles, cost-effective screw-in hooks and flip-up bike hangers, along with pulleys, are ideal ways to keep bikes off the ground and out of the way while they’re not in use.

Section 4: Tools and Hardware

For many people, the garage doubles as a workshop. Avoid safety hazards by properly storing hobby supplies. Place saw blades and sharp objects on heavily secured storage hooks or systems. Secure tools and wrap extension cords using tool hangers. Use pegboards, tool bins and wire baskets to keep tools and equipment sorted and out of reach of small children. The system works equally well for storing cleaning tools like push brooms, squeegees and deck scrubs.

Section 5: Camping and Outdoor Equipment

When zoning your garage space, don’t forget the ceiling. This is a great place to store seasonal equipment like camping gear and other outdoor equipment too large to safely fit on most shelves. Crawford’s overhead storage hooks and hangers are perfect for storing tents, sleeping bags, badminton or volleyball sets, and other oversized items.

Section 6: Cleaning Supplies and Chemicals

Cleaning supplies and painting materials are notorious tripping hazards and can be detrimental if spilled. For maximum safety, place toxic materials such as paint, paint thinner, weed and bug killers, fertilizer and gasoline in high cabinets or lockable tool chests. Use well-supported shelves to store cleaning solutions and vehicle fluids. Crawford offers a 12” Jumbo Arm shelf bracket that will safely support 50 pounds while Crawford’s single clamp will keep your long-handle Quickie brooms and mops safely off the ground.

Crawford and Quickie offer a wide variety of other organization and cleaning products ranging from basic hooks and tool holders to specialty items designed to keep garage and workshop spaces clean, orderly and safe. Most Crawford and Quickie products retail for less than $20 and are easily found at Ace Hardware stores across the country. For more information about Crawford products, visit www.crawfordorganization.com. Information about Quickie is available at www.quickie.com.

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*The Lehigh Group Home Safety and Security Survey results are based on the responses of 1,000 adults in the United States who answered a telephone survey from Jan. 29 through Feb. 1, 2009. Results are accurate to +/-3 percent points with a 95 percent confidence level and can be generalized to the entire U.S. adult population.

About Ace Hardware

For more than 85 years, Ace Hardware has been known as the helpful hardware store in thousands of communities across America. Customers depend on Ace to help them take care of their homes quickly and easily so they can get on with their lives. In 2012, Ace ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores, Six Years in a Row,” according to J.D. Power and Associates. With over 4,600 hardware stores locally owned and operated across the globe, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the industry. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries currently operate 14 distribution centers in the U.S and they also have distribution capabilities in Shanghai, China; Panama City, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its retailers’ stores are located in all 50 states and approximately 60 countries. For more information on Ace, visit www.acehardware.com.

 

Crawford Organization, Ace Hardware and Quickie would like to offer one lucky reader a Garage Organizational Package.

Want to win? 

Here's how:

Tell me about something really messy and unogranized in your garage.

Extra entries for:
Like me on facebook and leave a comment saying that you do.
Follow me on twitter and leave me a comment saying that you do. 

Like Ace Hardware  on facebook and leave a comment saying that you do.

Please leave separate comments, and direct all other comments or questions to my email.

  Contest will end on Sunday September 23rd  at 8pm.

  

Thank you to Crawford Organization, Quickie, and Ace Hardware for my winner's prize package.  I received the same package.  I was not compensated in any other way.  My opinions are my own and honest.

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