Blog

With installations suspended for the time being, we thought it might be nice to look back on those we have completed over the past few weeks.

Surrey Garage – Get Ready to say WOW!

This lovely garage was completed in early March for a lovely couple in Surrey.  To see more, visit the full case study.

Hampshire Garageflex Essentials Installation

With freestanding open shelving, FlexiTrack on the wall to hold plenty of hooks and a tiled floor, this Hamphire garage is a prime example of our new Essentials range and how it can help you to organise your garage.

To see the full case study, click here or on the image below.

Floor Tile Installation

Having seen a neighbours garage, the owners of this double garage in the West Midlands wanted to upgrade their current floor.  It took one day for our fitters to lay this lovely dark and light grey floor using our fantastic range of floor tiles.  They were so delighted with the finished floor that they gave us this glowing testimonial and we couldn’t be happier!

To find out more about our range of floor tiles, click here.

Resin Floor Installation

Finished this week, just before lockdown, this Resin Floor reallyl makes a difference in this brand new garage.  Find out more about our Resin Floors here.

We have two more case studies shortly to go live and we’ll blog about those next week to keep sharing ideas and inspiration!

With all of the Government guidance on social distancing and only going out for essentials such as food and medicine, we are trialling doing our Design Consultations by either FaceTime or Skype.

MD Alastair Broom has now completed two FaceTime Consultations and both were very successful. The customers were able to show Alastair around their garages and discuss their problems. Alastair was then able to provide advice, guidance and answer questions straight away.

In addition, the customers measured up their garages and gave those to Alastair during the call. A full design presentation was sent back within a few hours.

24th March 2020

The return of the sunshine may bring thoughts of Spring cleaning and decluttering.  This can help re-invigorate your life by cleaning out and getting rid of winter bugs, pollen and dust.  But how can you apply this clean-up to the garage?  We are glad you asked, we have just the answer…

A typical garage has plenty of storage space if you put the walls and ceiling to good use. Making it a clean and organised space rather then a dumping ground is certainly something to strive for.  The hardest part is probably taking the first step.  But if you don’t have the time or inclination to do it yourself, then there are specialists who will come in and declutter for you.  Here are some tips to help ‘spring’ you into action this weekend.

1. Be Realistic

Whether you have a spare half hour or a longer period, be realistic about what you can achieve in the time period.  De-cluttering can feel a bit overwhelming so give yourself manageable tasks.

2. Clear one area at a time

Start with one particular area, whether it be the entrance to your garage or the area that will take the least amount of effort. Psychologically this may help you deal with the rest of the area at a later date.  Next, sort the items into three piles: one pile to keep, one pile to get rid of and a third pile for which you are not quite sure. Ask yourself, will I ever use this again? If you think not then perhaps its time to get rid of it.

3. What can I do with the things I no longer need?

You can consider things like Freecycle, your local charity shop, a car boot sale, ebay or if the item is in bad condition then perhaps a skip or local tip.  Its always a good idea to recycle where possible and after all one person’s rubbish is another’s treasure!

4. What about the other two piles?

With the ‘not sure’ pile its best to go through it again another day and see if you have any further thoughts on whether you will use the item again.  If you are still unsure then its best to box it up with the date and contents written on the outside and make a note on your calendar to look at it again in six months time.  If by this time you still haven’t used it, then it may become a recyclable item!

5. Give your garage a good clean

Once you’ve got everything out or at least know what you are going to keep, it is time to give the garage a scrub.  Try hoovering up all the cobwebs on the floor, walls and ceiling, it is amazing what a difference this can make.  Clean the floor with water, a cleaning fluid and broom to get rid of the dust and grime.

6. Organise your items properly

Finally it is time to put everything back.  For those items that you are going to keep, the task is now about proper storage so you can easily find it when you need it.  We think creating zones in your garage such as DIY, Gardening, Kids, Crafts, Home etc. are a good place to start and also invest in some good quality storage solutions. Cabinets that fit on the wall or floor are a good option to tidy things away and keep them out of sight.  Or a selection of baskets or shelves may be all you need.  Take a look at our range of storage solutions which might give you some inspiration on what to choose for your garage.

7. Put everything back in

The hard work is done, it is now time to put everything back and reap the benefits of a clean, tidy and organised garage space.  There are plenty of other things you can do as part of the National Spring Cleaning Week – to find out more visit their website.

The current weather is not conducive to a long run or bike ride so what can you do if you are in training for a triathlon, ironman or other big race?  The answer is to create your very own indoor training space so you can just pop next door to get that workout session in.   By far, the best space available in our homes is the garage as it can be turned into a dedicated space without upsetting other members of the house.

There will be up front costs to get your garage ready but there are so many benefits to transforming the space such as, saving money on a monthly gym membership and personalising the space to your requirements, that we think these definitely outweigh the initial spend.  No more driving to the gym, no more excuses not to go out for that ride or run, the time has come to focus on beating your personal bests and get the edge on race day.

So here are some ideas to help you transform your space:

Get your equipment sorted

There are plenty of articles out there about what you need depending on your training needs so we won’t go into this in detail.  It is safe to say that a bike trainer and treadmill are required along with perhaps weights, a mat for warm up and cool down and a television to take your mind off the pain!

Clear the clutter and free up your floor space

No-one can train properly if they are bumping their knees on the wall whilst they cycle so clearing the floor space for your equipment and having space around them is really important!  Decluttering can help, adding in storage options can also reduce how much is on the floor but to create the best space, try moving anything not associated with your training out of the garage.  Of course that may be difficult so perhaps creating a training zone in one area might be the answer.

The right floor

You might decide to settle for just a bike mat over your current floor but adding in a proper flooring can make a world of difference to the aesthetics of your garage and potentially your performance.  We recommend our PVC Floor Tiles over our Resin Floor as these are more suited to a training environment.  In fact we’ve installed lots of garages with these tiles whose owners want to use the space for a gym or training space.  Find out more about our tiles here.

Ventilation

Training is hot and sweaty work, make sure you have adequate ventilation in your garage or invest in some good fans to keep you cool.

Latest Technology

Adding in a TV or sound system may help take your mind off of the pain so ensure you install something to keep your mind distracted.  Depending on how serious you are about your sport, you might also want to hook up a laptop with specialist technology to monitor your performance.

Personalise your space

By this we don’t just mean colour and adding posters to the walls, make sure the space has everything you need whilst you are training.  Do you have a basket to keep your accessories in, can everything be accessed easily and do you have somewhere close by to keep your towel?  Installing useful hooks, racks, baskets and shelves can keep everything close to hand AND help keep it clutter free.

We also have bike storage racks to keep those not in use out of the way, take a look here…

We have a whole range of items to keep it all clean and tidy and would love to discuss how we can help you transform your space!

Perhaps you might now to look at our Garage Gym page for more inspiration, click here to visit.

We completed this lovely garage makeover back in 2019 and earlier this month, MD Alastair Broom visited the customer to see how the garage was shaping up for him.

As you will see from the video, the garage looks great.  It has room for his Ferrari on one side and the other is for his Home Gym area where he can exercise.  Dual purpose!  He also wanted to have the walls clean so not too many storage accessories are added but he can always choose to add more later if he wishes.

To see the full case study and what it looked like before we arrived, click here.

This beautiful garage was designed and installed by Garageflex, and completed in February 2020.  Full case study to come but we couldn’t resist sharing this great video taken by Seve, one of our fitters.

We love how the Gentian Blue metal cabinets really stand out against the white walls and seamless grey resin floor. This now has so much storage space, a place for bikes and a workbench too.

We would love to help you create your ideal garage space so get in touch on 01491 579975 or info@garageflex.co.uk

The next installment in our Meet the Garageflex Team is to introduce you to our lovely Customer Services lady, Vero.

Born in South Africa, she is so friendly and really understands what customers need. Want to find out more? Watch this video!