Entries from February 2009 ↓

First of all! I’d like to thank Richard for giving me the chance to write a web article about shelves. During my senior year, I was editor of the HVHS paper, and I’ve always loved writing. So, this feels like a great chance to get back into the world of journalism – thanks big bro!

Everything I know about shelving, I learned from Richard. Without Richard, I wouldn’t have known that shelves are the most important aspect of a home. Did you know that shelves make great wedding presents, as well as baby shower presents? I can verify it as 100% true! Take a look at the shelves that Richard has given me over the years.

This is a perfect replica of the locker organizer shelf system that Richard gave me for my 16th birthday! Isn’t this just the coolest? Man, I felt like the most popular girl in school with this one. I had plenty of space for my school books, my bonne bell lip gloss, and my Lisa Frank notebooks. I think this locker organizer made me a better student!

Oooh! This is the Wall Sconce Set that Richard got my hubby and I for our wedding! Aren’t these just the cutest? It’s funny, even though we didn’t register for any shelves, Richard caught that oversight, and got us this set of shadowbox shelves. That’s my brother – always thinking (about shelves!)(just kidding)(but I’m not!)

Here’s the Puzzle Bookshelf that Richard got for my kids last Christmas! Isn’t this just the greatest? It’s like something Tom Hanks would have invented in Big! Plus, these shelves can be separate shelves, or you can fit them together to have a 2 or 3 tier shelf. Richard got this for the kids, because he said it’d be a fun game for the kids to take the shelf apart, and then rebuild it.
Well, that concludes my article about shelves! Thanks for reading, everyone in the blogosphere!

As I’m writing this article on a computer, writing this article for a BLOG, it’s a little hypocritical of me to say that print is here to stay. Alright, you got me. Print IS dead. But while we wait for the older generation of humans to die — the generation that refuses to go online, refuses become tech-savvy, and refuses to set the VCR clock — we can continue to print magazines and newspapers. We can be merciful. (As an aside, isn’t it great that some of these old-timers never bothered to learn how to set a VCR clock? Now they don’t have to! The VCR is gone! Although trying to explain to them that BluRay is the perfect format to view Barney Miller is no consolation.) In offices, school guidance centers, retirement homes, corner markets, and maybe even your home, there is still a lingering need for a magazine shelf. I wondered if I would even FIND magazine shelves for sale in this day and age. Maybe on eBay I thought. In the antique section. But no! It turns out that a website still offers them, and terrific ones to boot! The website? Stacks and Stacks!

Look at this amazing Solid Wood Literature Rack. Available in your choice of Medium Oak, Light Oak, or Dark Mahogany finish, it’s a Magazine Rack that can be purchased to complement your decor! That’s a nice convenience to the seeker of Literature Racks. Solid Oak, the rack is constructed of Solid Oak, and why not. If you’re going to read and discard periodicals made from the pulp of deforested trees, why not place them on a rack made of Solid Oak? The Rack is almost a defacto advertisement for magazines and newspapers, just by existing! It’s wide, durable, and deep enough to hold more than a few pieces of your favorite literature. Stop by Stacks and Stacks and order up this wonderful addition to the office, or home, or wherever you need it.

The Solid Wood Literature Rack.

Oftentimes people will come up to me, desperate people, they’ll come up to me on the street and beg to know the secret of keeping a clean laundry room. It happens so often that I’m seriously thinking about printing up little cards with the answer, to hand out instead of taking time away from my delicious meals, grocery shopping, bird watching. The answer couldn’t be more simple: get everything up off the floor. You would think that common sense would kick in for the average joe trying to clean a laundry room, but if the average joe had common sense, then there wouldn’t be a need for Shelves Blog Dot Com. Get everything up off the floor, and organize the items according to what you use the most versus what you use the least. Meaning the soap and laundry items you use frequently, put those items where you can reach them in a hurry. Items like Cat Urine Remover, items that you might use less often, put higher up. Simple. Easy. Organized.

To really get to the bottom of your Laundry Room’s optimal organization state, you should really look into purchasing this delightful Laundry Shelf System from the website called Stacks and Stacks. It comes complete. That’s actually is an understatement. IT COMES COMPLETELY COMPLETE. How complete? Prepare yourself. The Laundry Shelf System includes: 3 White Plastic Panels (each 21″H x 24″W), 2 Large Two-Tiered Shelves, 1 Paper Towel Holder/Shelf, 1 Basket with Clips, 1 Large Parts Bin, 2 Large Hooks, and 4 Small Hooks. That’s as “one-stop shopping” as you’re going to find. The average joe may want his laundry detergent to be included in the “complete” package as well, but that’s crazy. As crazy as asking me about the secrets to laundry room organization while I’m eating.

The Laundry Shelf System. Highly Recommended.

Often I’ll find myself looking at blank wall, staring actually, for hours on end, wondering how I can improve on it. To improve on it without overdoing it, mind you, without killing what makes a bare wall attractive in the first place. As I was staring at my living room wall this afternoon, it struck me that the wall needs support, in the form of a glass shelf. Then it struck me that as a matter of fact, the GLASS SHELF would need support in the form of metal hangers, to remain a hanging shelf. Then it struck me that I need support in the form of psychiatric counseling. But first things first, I need to find a glass shelf to fit this wall.

Perfect. After looking at shelves designed for garages, some for laundry rooms, some for kitchens, and some for the closet, I found the perfect wall shelf at Stacks and Stacks. It’s called the Glass Shelf with Metal Support, and it’s going to really add some dynamic flair to the blank wall. And functionality. This Glass Shelf is available with a Brushed Nickel or Oil Rubbed Bronze Finish, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I neglected to point you in the direction of the Brushed Nickel version; Oil Rubbed Bronze is not well-suited for wall hangings. The Glass Shelf may slip. So be careful, home improvers, and enjoy this Glass Shelf, and your new non-bare wall.

The Glass Shelf with Metal Support. Recommended.

It’s tough at Shelves Blog to answer all the mail I receive on a daily basis. What’s more amazing is that these letters arrived via the Post Office, not e-mail. More amazing still, as I’ve never listed my address publicly. But alas, they are questions pertaining to Shelves and Shelving, and I would be shirking my duties to ignore them.

Carla Tate writes: “Dear Shelves Blog Dot Com, I need a little extra help in the Kithen (sic), I need a little help adding some smaller shelves or something, ‘cuz I need more room, and I can’t add a whole shelf! Help! Thanks!”

This is an easy fix, Carla. Take a look at this Wire Pantry Large Space Shelf from our friends at Stacks and Stacks. It maximizes storage space potential, is made of high quality steel with white vinyl coating, and it’ll do the trick anywhere you need it, from the garage, to the kitchen, to the closet.

Fletcher Reede asks: “Richard, as a fan of the site, you’ve helped me through many shelving dilemmas. But nowhere on your blog have I found a way to SEPARATE my towels, KEEP THEM COMPLETELY SEPARATE, as they are stacked in my closet. SEPARATE! Please respond as fast as possible.”

No problem, Fletcher. Click over to Stacks and Stacks and buy yourself a Closet Shelf Organizer. They come in chrome or white, but best of all, for your troubles, they are offered in standard and large size. The large size means there’s even less of a chance your towels will touch. Good luck. Calm down.

Finally, Stacy Sheridan wants to know: “Shelves Blog, I have a birthday party coming up. I have to go, and I have to get something in the way of a gift. I thought a shelf might really do the trick, but I wanted to know what kind of shelf to give as a gift? I don’t really know the person I’m giving this present to, but I know he’s 46 and likes baseball. Thanks in advance!”

Piece of cake, Stacy (and I bet you’ll be having cake at the party!) — first you click over to Stacks and Stacks. You obviously can’t give a bookcase or some such as a gift, but you CAN give a terrific Baseball Mitt Shelf. It’s eye catching and dynamic. Stylish too. Subtle and charming. He’ll love it. You may have to get one for yourself as well. I did!

Well, that’s all I have time for today. I’ll try to answer mail once a week, so if you’ve sent a letter, don’t worry, I’ll get to it.

If you’re like me, you have a heavy-duty kitchen, ready for all recipes, dishes and situations, with plenty of room for prep and lots of pots and pans. It’s a busy environment with plenty of need for some tough, REALLY tough shelves. Well, I’ll give you some sage advice: invest in the toughest shelves you can afford. The tougher the better. Because your kitchen is going to become a whirlwind tornado of activity and bowls and splattering of food and cans and boxes of raw material (if you cook at home). And equipment, lord knows you’re going to need shelves for your kitchen equipment. Well, that equipment is heavy, so you’re going to need the best, and the toughest. How about a wire shelving unit that can handle 4000 pounds? That’s right, 4000. Four THOUSAND.

This Heavy Gauge Shelving Kit - 4000 lb. Capacity is a triumph. I found it over at StacksAndStacks.com while looking for new and innovated shelves. Mission accomplished. It holds 800 lbs (evenly distributed) per shelf! This Shelf Unit is tougher than anything I’ve found in a Garage Shelf, or a Closet Shelf, or a Wall Shelf, or even a Bookshelf. It’s one tough customer. But wait, now that I think about it, it COULD work for them as well! The metal shelves would be great for the garage for tools and paint cans, pitch-perfect in the pantry, and lovely in the living room for your tv and dvds! Each kit comes with five 18″D wire shelves, which are fully height adjustable, and four 72″ poles. 4000 pounds. Man alive, that’s a tough shelving system.

The Heavy Gauge Shelving Kit - 4000 lb. Capacity. Highest Possible Recommendation.

How many broken New Year’s Promises are floating out there right now? Broken, forgotten, failed. How many pertaining to the generic but absolutely essential act of “house cleaning? How many poor souls tried to achieve basic organization, even a rudimentary cleaning and dusting routine, and came up with zero? So many, I’m afraid. So very many. It’s heartbreaking, sad, and ultimately needless. I can show you, in 3 simple steps, how to not only keep your home clean, but possibly bring much needed discipline and order to your life on a whole.

1. Finish the Job, No Matter What. Cleaning the home, especially the closet, takes a commitment to excellence, and the will to succeed. It isn’t going to be easy, but through mental toughness, raw determination, and brute force, you can tackle any mound of dirty laundry; any mountain of 12 year old bills; clutter. You must lock in. You must not give up. You must continue until every last unclean corner is dealt with. This is war.

2. Never Be Weak. Your mind is going to play all kinds of tricks on you. Don’t listen to it. It’s going to make you think you’re tired; that there are more pressing matters somewhere on the internet; that a new episode of Bones starts in five. Nonsense. Your house is filthy, and it must be cleaned. There is only you. All that matters is you and the mess. The mess you made. Are you weak? Don’t be. The mess isn’t weak, I assure you.

3. Have fun with cleaning! People always forget to let a little sunshine into their lives… SMILE! While you mop the floor, you can sing a song; while you organize boxes, you can dance (carefully, depending on box weight). Have fun! Always remember that cleaning is a great way to burn extra calories and have a great time moving around the house. And the best part? When you finish, there will always be the promise of more cleaning to come!

A great way to implement your new skills and respect for a clean home is to make a wise investment in a superior closet shelving system (you could go after Kitchen Shelves, or Laundry Shelves, even Garage Shelves, but I’d say right out of the gate, the Closet is most important.) One such system is available as we speak from Stacks and Stacks. This Wooden Closet System has everything you need to not only organize, but stack the odds in your favor for a clean, mess-free future. Look at the luxury! 100% wood, available in maple and mahogany finish! It’s a closet organization system that’s elegant and refined — and believe me, after you get your home in shape, you’re really going to appreciate this type of grace and charm. The shelves measure 12″ deep; excellent for storing and organizing. What else? Get ready: Three 12″ x 24″ shelves, Three 12″ x 72″ shelves, Five Wardrobe Bars, 9 Bar Spacers, 4 Angle Brackets, and All Hardware Included. You really can’t go wrong. And you shouldn’t. Time is of the essence…

Start cleaning today!

The Wooden Closet System. Highly Recommended.

I’m starving. Probably because I’m exhausted from organizing the garage, but it could be because I haven’t eaten all day. I’m the kind of man who will not stop what he’s doing and take a break: I’m in it to win it. If I’m going to clean the garage, it’s going to get clean — without stops, breaks, or food. But now that the mission is complete, it’s time to eat. In the kitchen, I prepped my meal, my favorite noon lunch. It’s a sandwich I invented called the “Ireland”. It consists of two pieces of delicious white bread; crisp, fresh iceberg lettuce; and carefully sliced tomato. Finally, I take Ketchup and draw a “K” over the lettuce, and with Mustard, I draw an “I” over the tomato. I really love this sandwich.

And as I was eating, I started thinking about the Shelves Blog. About Garage Shelves. Closet Shelves. Laundry Shelves. Wall Shelves. And Bookcases that are full of Shelves. I had one of those moments. Those crazy, deja vu kind of moments when I realize: I AM SURROUNDED BY SHELVES. They’re everywhere. In fact, here, right in front of me, sits a real doozy:

Take a look at the INTERMETRO Chrome and Stainless Folding Work Table, and you’ll see some really terrific, professional restaurant-type shelf power. It’s a cart, it features a 304 Stainless Steel tabletop workspace, and it has a shelf. It’s pretty bunch the perfect kitchen island — an island that can move; an island with heavy duty casters. I of course use it here in the kitchen, but you could certainly use it in shipping and warehousing areas, church or school fairs, hotel laundry operations — ENDLESS possibilities. And there it is, right towards the bottom. A ventilated chrome storage shelf with chrome posts. Beautiful. A simply beautiful shelf. The INTERMETRO Chrome and Stainless Folding Work Table. Almost as good as my “Ireland” sandwich, but not quite.

Recommended.

Now that my board games are secured, I was taking a good long look at my garage on a whole. I live my life at an exceptionally high level of organization and cleanliness, but, to be fair, this garage is a disgusting mess. A disaster. Way too many boxes (albeit color-coded and stacked according to contents), power tools and automotive canisters organized by weight, National Geographic Magazines, and an array of paint cans containing the entire spectrum of Dutch Boy colors (just in case I need them). With all of that going on, I’m going to need some powerful shelving to beat back the clutter. And I found a winner over at StacksAndStacks.com.

In the past I’ve covered the best in shelving categories for the home, from the Garage to the Closet, the Bookcase to the Kitchen, the Laundry Room to the Wall. But what I’ve found here is Industrial. The Industrial Duty 5 Shelf Storage Unit. It’s a powerhouse, a sturdy dynamo, and it’s ready-made to meet the needs my overstocked garage demands. For me, the garage; for you, perhaps the office or home, because the Industrial Duty 5 Shelf Storage Unit will do it’s duty anyplace you need it to serve. Like all good modern shelving units, this tough customer features sturdy steel posts and beams with smooth, rust-resistant baked-on enamel finish. And they the treat particle board shelves. They do. And you’ll want that in a shelving system. Untreated shelves are the bane of shelving professionals, and critics like me: they should be outlawed. It holds up to 2400 lbs, and it assembles easily with rubber mallet in 30 minutes. (Ever wonder how many things you could DIS-assemble with a rubber mallet, in half that time? Me neither.) And that’s all it took to get my garage back to manageable. The Industrial Duty 5 Shelf Storage Unit. Highly Recommended.

(I also found this terrific Free Standing 4-Bike Rack, but that’s another story.)

I spend an inordinate amount of time playing board games. I believe that playing games is certainly not a recreation that should be remanded to the sealed vault of a distant childhood, rather game-playing is a healthy activity that strengthens the mind, sharpens reaction time, and improves eye-to-mind concentration. I prefer the classic games of my youth; colorful and witty games played on delightful cardboard mats; most of them created by Parker Bros. (no relation or I’d have a bigger house). These games are just as valid as, say, a New York Times Crossword as far as improving and exercising the intellect goes. I tend to sharpen my talent for mental winning even further by playing these board games with only one player. But the crux of my dilemma is space: I have far too many board games. What to do?

I definitely found the solution. Most of my days are spent thinking about Shelves, but somehow it didn’t occur to me that I should find a perfect shelving system specifically for my board games. Should I trust them to a Laundry Shelf? Perhaps a safe corner of a Kitchen Shelf? There are always plenty of ideas regarding Closet Shelves. Even a Bookshelf might work wonders. But finally, I settled on a Garage Shelf to store my games. Over at the website StacksAndStacks.com, I found and installed a terrific Garage Shelf that really fits the bill. Called the Overhead Garage Storage Shelf, this shelf is is adjustable from 16″ to 28″ high, with a surface area of 3′x 3′! That’s a great way to keep a whole lot of games all in one place.

The Overhead Garage Shelf keeps things up and out of the way, really helps to optimize my garage, and with it’s powder coated white steel, it easily attaches to the roof truss in the ceiling of garages or large walk in closets. Luckily I still have a VCR, because the shelf includes an instructional video, and it also carries a lifetime warranty, which is great piece of mind. Mouse Trap, Operation, Clue, Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders… I can pack as many games up there as I need to, because the Overhead Garage Shelf holds up to 250 lbs of evenly-distributed weight! I feel almost petty discussing my favorite benefit, but blogs are a place to share, so I’ll share: the shelf height is such that kids can’t reach the games. They can’t. Which is great, because I like to keep my vintage games MINT.

The Overhead Garage Storage Shelf. Highly recommended.

Additional Resources:
Garage Organization Tips