Storage Solution #6: I'm Tired!

Sorry for the pun.

Anyway, I needed storage for an extra set of tires for the Hoodlum car, and floor space is at a premium in my shop/office.

So I used part of my rainy holiday on Monday building and mounting this adjustable tire rack on an unused bit of wall.

I had the wood and the pipe, so the only bits I had to buy were the lag bolts to attach it to the wall studs, heavy hooks to support it from the ceiling joists, and steel straps that connect the arms to the hooks.

There are no plans for wall-mounted adjustable tire racks in The Portable Dad, but the chapter on hardware stores does come into play when trying to make something like this. I had the frame built yesterday and knew the arms needed strong support, but I didn't know what that was going to look like - cable, chain or something else - until I wandered around the hardware store looking for the perfect solution. Saw the steel straps and knew that was the ticket.

I'll paint it white to match the walls and nearby shelves, and move on to the next thing!

Plugging the Power of Paint

As anyone who has read The Portable Dad knows, I'm a big fan of paint. The ability of $50 worth of paint to absolutely transform a room is still amazes me.

I was reminded of that again this weekend when, unexpectedly, it suddenly became time to paint the spare bedroom. Here's the funny thing - painted it almost exactly the same color and it still makes a huge difference.

Just patching all the little nail holes, covering up the marks and scuffs that accumulate over time and giving everything an even, smooth sheen makes a room look newer, cleaner, nicer and brighter. So even if your apartment is white and you just repaint it white, it'll still make a big difference.

The painting chapter in the book covers the how-to steps pretty thoroughly. (If you don't yet have a copy of the book, click here to order your very own.) Even if you've never painted before, it's worth trying. Start with a small room without a lot of obstacles, be sure to use drop cloths, and see what happens.

I'm betting that when you're finished, you'll be a big fan of paint, too.