Oohs and Aahs

Garage enhancement is a growing trend, fueled by consumers looking for creative ways to add space to their home’s usable living areas, as well having an enviable garage for all the neighbors to see. How much more satisfying to hear “oohs and aahs” from passing neighbors when the garage door is up versus a muttered “tsk, tsk” at a cluttered, disorganized garage.

If you want a garage that will have the neighbors talking about you in a good way, start with a PremierOne Stratus garage floor coating that will give your garage the ultimate in high-end garage floor design. Created from a mix of two or more colors of marbleized epoxy floor coating swirled together to form an abstract pattern, the high-gloss artisan finish looks like molten metal, often referred to as a metallic finish. Since the unique pattern is created while the floor is being installed, it’s guaranteed that there will never be another floor exactly like it!

Natural Beauty

The natural beauty of granite has made it a popular choice for decorators and homeowners for many years. Granite is useful for all kinds of applications, including kitchen counter tops and islands, bath vanity tops, backsplashes, sinks or basins, fireplace mantles, decorative medallions (mosaics) and flooring. If you love the look of granite for a garage floor but can’t justify the expense of the real thing, a PremierOne Stone garage floor coating can give you the same look at much less cost. A sister product to PremierOne Decorative Texture, PremierOne Stone is created with 1/4” chips to produce the textured, natural stone appearance of granite in six trending colors for your garage floor. Color choices include Blackburn, Bona, Denali, Grey’s Peak, Hubbard, and Sanford, as well as the option of custom color blends.

You're in Control!

Our proven storage design process breaks the seemingly overwhelming task into small, manageable segments, putting you in control.

Step One:  Find the Tailored Living designer in your area to schedule a free, in-home consultation.
Starting with a preliminary discussion to determine your needs makes the in-home consultation to go smoothly and ensure that time spent is maximized.


Step Two: The free, in-home consultation
Your designer will spend time in your home discussing your space needs and multiple design options for custom, effective storage solutions that will help you meet your organizational goals.


Step Three: The final decision
Once you’ve finalized your design, you’ll receive a written estimate, detailing everything about your order.

Step Four: Behind the scenes
This is designer territory.


Step Five: Installation and celebration
Tailored Living professional installers arrive on time with everything they need to do full installation.

How to Design the Perfect Home Office

Home office designs take many forms, from one shelf in the kitchen for a computer, to a full room of corporate boardroom grandeur. Those disparities in design can often spark online debate about what is or is not “officially” a home office:

• Where are the file cabinets?
• Without a computer or printer is it really an office?
• Is the desk large enough to actually accomplish any work?
• Where is all the work paraphernalia—paper, pens, supplies?
• No self-respecting home office has a day bed!

And on it goes. It is true–what is one man’s (or woman’s) home office may only be another man’s cubby. It’s also true that home office ideas you see online are just that…ideas. Ideas to help jump-start your creative juices since nothing you see online could just plop right into your home and work perfectly. Learn more.

Decluttering Tricks for Kids' Rooms

1. Create a toy rotation bin

The simple truth behind organizing anything is that the more stuff you own, the more time you need to maintain that stuff. That's why limiting the number of toys and clothes your child owns will make a dramatic difference in how much time you spend asking them to "clean up." To ease into a more minimalist kids room, start with a toy rotation. Grab two or three plastic bins and start filling them with groups of toys that go together that your child is not "into" at the moment. Take the bins and store them up in a linen cupboard or in your family storage unit—the important thing is to keep them out of sight. You'll find that when you bring those toys back, it will be just as exciting as bringing in brand new toys since they haven't seen them in a while.

2. Make the closet kid-proof

You can make clean-ups easier on your kiddos and yourself by designing a closet that is difficult to undo. Keep folded clothes on shelves out of reach, so your littles can't pull all the clean laundry onto the floor while attempting to dress themselves. Or maybe add another curtain rod at kiddo height in the closet and put just a few outfits for them to choose from. Use plastic baskets or kitchen utensil drawer dividers to keep socks, underpants and T-shirts from getting jumbled up.

Home-grown Gift Ideas That Will Make the Holidays Sweeter

It’s that time of year when even people who don’t make lists are making lists–lists for holiday shopping so that no one is disappointed when the presents are handed out. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Santa Claus, giving gifts to loved ones and friends is a big part of the holidays, and we can all use a little help when it comes to finding just the right gift for everyone.

But finding that perfect gift may be easier than you think! Tailored Living®can help with home organization and storage solutions that keep on giving all year long, making life easier and more enjoyable for the whole family. Consider custom closets for him and her, a built-in media center, a total garage makeover to free up room for a man cave or home gym, and customized pantry and laundry storage. You may be surprised at the gift potential right in your own home!

Your Checklist For Less Stressful Mornings

How do you keep from feeling dizzy and exhausted before breakfast? Start by making a checklist. Lists can’t solve all of life’s challenges (it pains me to admit this), but they certainly work for some. And I happen to have one that can transform your mornings:

The Night Before


Make lunch: I know, I know, you’ve finished dinner and washed the dishes and the last thing you want to do is prepare more food and clean up again. Do it anyway. You won’t feel like making lunches tomorrow morning either! But at least they’ll be packed, ready, and waiting in your lunch bag.

Think ahead: What’s on tomorrow’s schedule? Is there anything out of the ordinary that requires special attention or gear (such as soccer practice)? If so, load the trunk of your car now. Check in with your kids—they often forget to tell you about almost everything.

Top 5 Ways to Get Organized

You’ve gotten motivated to organize an area that’s driving you crazy, but you need a strategy to get started. That involves making decisions—something you avoid whenever possible. Well, help has arrived: Scroll through this list of organizing methods and select the one that best fits your situation. You’re halfway done!

Organizing Method: Alphabetical order.

Best For: Your spice rack.

How It’s Done: Sort the spice jars; toss the ones past their prime; make a list (yea!) of the ones you need to replace; and then alphabetize them.

Organize Your Child’s Room in 8 Steps

How many times have you spent hours decluttering your kid’s room, only to have the mess reappear two days later? It’s enough to drive any parent crazy!

Step 1: Take inventory of what stays and goes, Sitomer says. Your child has more mini Legos, dollhouse pieces, and arts and crafts supplies than she’ll ever use. Make three piles: Keep, donate, and recycle. Schedule a donation pick-up by phone or email, and recycle items the next available day (or they could find their way back in with the keepers!).

Step 2: Sort the “keep” pile by type. For example, place cars in one pile and dress-up clothes in another.

Step 3: Store each “keep” pile in separate bins and boxes with lids, so they’re easier to stack. Clear designs allow kids to see what’s inside (before dumping everything out). To make the contents crystal clear, complete Step 4.

Step 4: Label your containers. Doing so will come in handy during playtime, clean-up, and if you plan to move. Sitomer swears by using a label gun. These adorable, reusable, chalkboard labels are also fun.

Step 5: Purge the mounds of paper (because kids hoard papers!). Place awards, photos, reminders, and calendars on peg boards, Sitomer suggests. For an extra visual punch, choose one with a printed background.

Step 6: Stash away writing utensils. Store crayons, markers, pens, and pencils in easy-to-open containers.

Step 7: Dive into this Bermuda Triangle to see what actually fits. Your goal is to emerge with “keep” and “donate” piles.

Step 8: Choose versatile storage items, Sitomer says. For example, a hanging shelf creates vertical storage for seasonal items like flip-flops and swimsuits, or accessories such as belts and scarves. Foldable storage boxes and slim hangers with detachable clips maximize closet space even more.

One last step: Celebrate!

9 Ways You're Making Cleaning Harder Than It Needs to Be

Raise your hand if the thought of pulling out your vacuum gives you hives. We get it: It's daunting to think about all of the chores required to maintain a home. One way to make those tasks feel less intimidating? Make sure you're not making these mistakes that might make your cleaning process even more challenging:

1. You make your own cleaner.
2. You use a feather duster.
3. You wash windows when it's sunny.
4. You wear your shoes in the house.
5. You forget to clean your vacuum.
6. You don't let tile cleaner soak in.
7. You underestimate your bathroom fan.
8. You don't keep up with chores.
9. You spray surfaces with cleaner.

10 Things Pro Organizers Always Do Before They Go to Bed

There's something about the chores they force themselves to finish after a grueling day that makes us think they're some of the most important tasks on their to-do lists. Add these habits to your nighttime routine if you want your next day to be successful and clutter-free, too.

1. They tidy up the living room.
2. They clear off frequently-used surfaces.
3. They wrap up existing chores.
4. They pack for the day ahead.
5. They put clean clothes away.
6. They lay out tomorrow's outfit.
7. They toss dirty garments in the hamper.
8. They make sure nothing's on the floor.
9. They make tomorrow's to-do list.
10. They distance themselves from technology.

The Hottest Home Innovations for 2017

The future's looking bright — for you and your home. Rachel Rothman, Chief Technologist at the Good Housekeeping Institute, talks what's in store for next year in home connectivity.

1. We'll enter the era of the 4K TV.

If you thought you could see newscaster's pores before, just wait until you get your hands on a 4K TV which has — you guessed it — has four times the resolution as a high-def TV. Thanks to hefty price tags, they haven't been popular, but this year, those prices are dropping (we've seen them on sale for $379). Plus, more content providers are making their shows and movies available in 4K. So, if you happen to be on the market for a new TV, Rothman says the 4K is the way to go.
2. Your food will cook itself.

New versions of slow cookers, tea kettles, and coffee machines tap into your home's Wi-Fi, allowing you to control them via an app on your phone. Think: turning on "brew" from bed so your coffee is waiting for you when you get up and programming an oven to perfectly cook your roast without your stabbing it with a meat thermometer.

3. Plus, your fridge will know what grub you have left.

Make garage organization work for you

With a Tailored Living® custom garage organization system, your garage can become a destination location to rival the neighborhood Fun Zone. It’s true! With proper design, your garage can host a game room, home gym, Man Cave, entertainment/media center or a hobby and crafts area. Turning your garage into functional living space and moving activities into the garage will make the whole house feel bigger!PHOTO CAPTION: Who knew all that space was there? Garage storage cabinets free up floor space so you can get creative

• Set up game tables in the garage so the shrieks of victory and groans of defeat won’t be heard
• Tables, chairs and craft supplies can keep kids busy for hours with their favorite hobbies
• Exercise equipment to burn off excess energy and strengthen bodies is a healthy alternative
• Wide screen TV and sofas or bean bag chairs create a great spot for movies and video games
• A refrigerator for snacks and drinks will keep kids and friends hydrated and happy
• Potting bench and garden center invites spending time to relax and be creative

Whatever your family likes to do can be done in grand style with a custom garage, including garage storage cabinets, countertops, shelves, specialty wall-hanging systems like Gridwall Racks or Slatwall panels and an industrial-strength custom garage floor to protect and beautify the space.

A Fresh New Feel

It's spring! Now is the perfect time to give your home and living space a fresh new feel!

An Organized Pantry

This year make some New Year’s resolutions for your custom pantry that will guarantee a happier, more organized New Year for you!

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Closets

A New Year is dawning and this invites us to look back and access the Old Year. Did you achieve all your goals and dreams? Have you moved forward in areas that are important to you?

And the big question, did you actually keep last year’s New Year’s resolutions? If you can’t say yes, never fear, you’re not alone.

In 2016, don’t waste time making New Year’s resolutions for yourself. This year make some New Year’s resolutions for your custom closets that will guarantee a happier, more organized New Year for you!

Entryway Organization

A basket in the entryway is a quick cure for misplaced or forgotten items.

Blending Indoor and Outdoor Living

Warm summer nights may be waning, but entertaining family and friends is always in season. As fall approaches, and get-togethers transition from the warmth of sunshiny days to the cooler hours of dusk and evening, you’ll want consistent comfort between your indoor and outdoor living spaces. Planning for those subtle temperature changes will ensure everyone’s enjoyment whether they are indoors or outdoors, so you can keep the party going!

Love Shoes?

We can help you create the perfect closet to showcase your shoes and allow you to quickly find them.

How to Design the Perfect Home Office

Home office designs take many forms, from one shelf in the kitchen for a computer, to a full room of corporate boardroom grandeur. Those disparities in design can often spark online debate about what is or is not “officially” a home office:

• Where are the file cabinets?
• Without a computer or printer is it really an office?
• Is the desk large enough to actually accomplish any work?
• Where is all the work paraphernalia—paper, pens, supplies?
• No self-respecting home office has a day bed!

And on it goes. It is true–what is one man’s (or woman’s) home office may only be another man’s cubby. It’s also true that home office ideas you see online are just that…ideas. Ideas to help jump-start your creative juices since nothing you see online could just plop right into your home and work perfectly. Learn more.