Seven weeks ago my garage door looked like this.
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A little over $1000 later and it looks like that.
It is a much prettier door but it wasn’t something we had planned to change out.The other door was original to the house – a nice heavy wooden garage door. About 7 weeks ago I came home and couldn’t open the darn thing. I went to look at it and the springs were broken. We had the springs replaced about 5 years ago and I knew they were still under warranty. So I found my receipt, called the number, the company that had replaced the springs was now out of business some other business bought their customer list! These days businesses are closing left and right – apparently you can’t count on your warranty being any good. I wonder what’s happening with the extended warranties purchased at CompUsa and Circuit City? Anyway, when the repair person came he said that not only were the springs broken but the whole rod was ready to snap! It would cost almost as much to replace the rod & springs as it would to replace the door. Therefore, the new garage door.
Of course all of this was happening while we were having the coldest temperatures ever in Atlanta. I earned a new appreciation for having a garage when I had to go out to scrape ice off my windows and warm up the car every morning!
I’ve said from the beginning, everyone needs an emergency fund! If you don’t have an emergency fund you wind up using a credit card and you pay more in the end. Not only did we have this unexpected expense but my husband also had a dental emergency that cost us $900 after insurance. If we didn’t have an emergency fund I’d probably have no hair left right now becaue I’d have been pulling it out with worry! Start an emergency fund if you don’t have one. Even if all you can put aside $5 a month – at least it’s a start and I’m sure you’ll find ways to add to it as time goes on.
I had to get my garage organized because they needed half of it cleared out to bring in the garage door pieces and the new rails. Some of you thought I was building a studio – that would be nice! The new garage doors are insulated and make the garage much warmer so I am thinking of doing something besides storing stuff in there. I showed you my messy gargage before. I had stuff laying everywhere – I never could find anything! I bought one new shelving unit the rest we already had. I started by taking everything off the existing units and when I put things back, I tried to put things in containers which I clearly marked. Like…
And Easter (which I’ll be pulling out in a couple of weeks to use)
One whole shelving unit is paint! Spray paint, sample pots, gallons, quarts, sealers, brushes, rollers, sand paper & sander, scrappers, stir sticks, trays and drop cloths. Everything having to do with the painting process.
The other two are all decorating things minus Christmas which is in our storage shed. I tried to gather all the faux flowers, vases, architechural elements etc. together. So that if it’s not in a bin it’s on a shelf with other like items. I have two see through bins where I put some odds and ends.
This long bin is the only one that doesn’t fit on the shelf because it has my extra pillows in.
I hung my wreaths out of the way on what was part of a bike rack
Gargare sale items! Yes, even though I hate having garage sales I’m having one soon. We have to go through our storage shed and closets too. I am getting rid of stuff!
Isn’t that lamp on the right cute! I bought it at Goodwill a year ago and I’ve never been able to find a lampshade that looks good on it – so it’s gotta go. The chair, remember I got two at Goodwill? Well I only need one in my living room so the other one is going. Handpainted French Country chandelier shades – going.
I usually just donate my stuff to Goodwill because I really don’t like having garage sales but I need to replenish my emergency fund! By the way, the guy who installed my garage doors used to be the Field Manager for the company. They’ve had to let so many employees go (even though this was through Home Depot) that management is now back out doing installations. Work on that emergency fund – you never know what’s going to happen these days!
Hi Manuela. We are going through the same pain with our garage doors now. After painting them and repairing them ourselves many times, they have finally reached the end. I also usually donate my stuff too, but as soon as the weather seems more like spring, we will be having a garage sale as well. It’s amazing how many boxes I’ve packed up already to go into the sale. Best of luck on your end.
I so want to be at your garage sale!
The new door looks great even thought it was an unexpected purchase.
I’m with you on garage sales. That’s just not how I choose to spend a weekend. One day though, my husband will wear me down when we accumulate enough stuff we don’t need.
Hi Manuela…when you decide to have your sale please let me know…You have such beautiful things I would love to get lots of goodies from you…With us building a house this year I need a lot of goodies to my new home and from the pics would love to get some of your goodies. I live in Ga and not far from you so I can come…woohoo!
PS…your not selling the ottoman…didn’t you cover that just recently?
Your garage looks great! And yes, we have an emergency fund too. Makes me feel better knowing that we have money set aside for emergencies.
Nice job of organizing! And yes, an emergency fund is a must! I have no idea how people survive without them.
I wish I could shop at YOUR garage sale!
and you are so right about that emergency fund, I’m sorry you had to dip into it but really glad you had one to use.
Manuela, your garage looks good.
Yes, we have an emergency fund. Thank God…it keeps me sane.
Barb
I wish my garage looked like that!!
Maybe you should offer your things for sale on your blog before you have your garage sale! I see some things I’d like to come live at my house!
Your garage door is beautiful!
Ours took a hit, literally, from Mikey on his dirt bike a few weeks ago. I am sorely tempted to replace it but since the function isn’t impacted, guess we will wait a bit longer. I would rather do the kitchen project this spring.
You are so right about the emergency fund. I have been telling clients that for thirteen years now.
If you have a CraigsList in your area you should try it out. craiglist.org is a great way to sell all types of things without having a garage sale. You are great with pics so I think it would work out well for you.
Maybe you could list a few of your items for us to view….:)
I would love to go to your garage sale, but it is just as well I can’t. We need to have one, too. How did I accumulate so much, and on a frugal budget, too??? Sally
I love your new garage doors. They look great! Wish I lived closer I’d buy your chair.
i want to come to your garage sale too! i know you’ll have some treasures to give!
I love your new garage doors! Thank you for encouraging us to save and start our emergency fund!
I wish I lived closer so i could go to your garage sale!
you need to go check out my blog and the dresser I just painted! Oh, AND my new thrift finds! You have inspired me! Thank you!!
xoxo, Emily
Love the new doors! I would love to go to one of your garage sales. You have some prime stuff. good luck on the sale.
Debbie
Hi Manuela,
You are so right about the emergency fund! Just this week I received a notice that my credit card interest is going up – and that’s with a low debt, paying on time, paying extra each month and no late payments anywhere. It’s just this terrible economy, but I told my dh that we have to pinch even more.
We always try to pay cash for things when we can (even though we live on a smaller income), as I don’t want to have to rely on credit cards for anything if possible.
By the way, I am very glad to hear that you still have all of your hair! :):):)
Your new garage door is beautiful!
Wish I could come to your garage sale.
That what I have been doing this morning trying to get things in order in the garage……. so worth it when it is done……. you are so right about the emergency fund…… thanks for all the tips and encouragement…
HUgs
Linda
Its true what you say about emergency funds. I used to live paycheck to paycheck and I don’t know how I wasn’t scared to death back then. I have dipped into the emergency fund many times.
Despite the fact that it was unplanned, your new door is gorgeous! I’m so jealous that you have a garage. Garages are not common where I live and I only have a carport. Storage is a major challenge.
And you have great stuff! I want to go to your garage sale!
Very good advice to start an emergency fund. This is my goal this month. Thanks for the reminder. I am with you on having garage sales…I would rather have painful dental work.
As for the chicken, my hubby was not thrilled with the idea either, but he came home one day and they were there. He has not regreted since. Especially this morning when he made scrambled eggs. Have a great day!
Wow,
Can I hire you out? You are so organized!!! Your garage door looks so pretty! I agree with you about the reserve fund because you never know what will happen next.
Good luck with your gargae sale. You do have some beautiful items to be sold.
Try to stay warm. We are getting more snow tonight and this weekend. Yet it was 69 Yesterday! Go figure. I just want Spring time here.
♥♥♥
Manuela,
I’m redoing my girls’ room and getting ready for a new baby, and so much of your stuff is so cute. Would you be interested in selling some stuff to me? (I live in Atlanta.) Maybe you could avoid the hassle of a garage sale. 🙂
Melissa
AT JOB organizing that garage! I hear you about keeping up with stuff too. We are selling our house and when I opened the garage doors to pack it all, it was overwhelming! The NEXT house will NOT be like that! I will organize from the begining!
And as for an emergency fund, if we had not had one we could not have survived my job loss (due to severe injury) and my husband getting laid off. In this economy, we have lasted 2 years and hope to turn the page soon and start again in another home.
LOVE your Blog!
Love your garage doors. You have some fun stuff in your garage.
Ally
I love your organized garage. That is going to be my summer project. I am using my points earned on my credit card (paid off each month!) to get Home Depot gift cards. I’m using those gift cards to buy nice shelving units for the garage. Then the fun begins.
I live south of Atlanta – I want to come to your garage sale! I really hate having them and rarely even go to any, but you have some good stuff.
Your garage doors are beautiful, too. And I am also a firm believer in an emergency fund. You just never know what might happen.
Your garage looks wonderful! I am so inspired and just waiting until the weather warms next week and we can start cleaning and organizing!
You are so right about that fund! It is a neccesity! We have had to use ours many times and always replenish it as soon as possible. It is a comfort knowing it is there.
Your new door looks so pretty! It compliments the house beautifully.
Love,
sue
Manuela, I’m with you. . . I have always donated my items to the Salvation Army or Goodwill, but not this year. I am having a garage sale myself. I have to replenish our “emergency” car repair fund myself.
Blessings,
Sher
Emergency funds are great, if one can be disciplined enough to start one. Your new garage doors look fantastic. And, yes, a warranty is only as good as the company behind it.
The new doors look very nice on the house. And, it is good that they are insulated. I feel your pain about scraping ice and snow off your car…not much fun.
Hi Manuela! You’re right! Everyone needs an emergency fund and I’m starting one today! I love the new garage door it fits your home perfectly! I like the way you’ve organized too! Deb
We have an emergency fund and I try to add to it every month. I deduct that at the top of the list, my husbands petty cash, savings, bills, etc. I like the way your garage door looks. Looks heavy duty. I’m waiting for hair to fall. It’s headed out this way soon. Have a great evening.Have fun with your garage sale. I don’t like having them either, but I will this Spring.
I wish I lived near you cause I could use those shades really bad! You should have an online garage sale! :)Lisa
Very good advice Manuela! You never know what is going to happen!
Your garage door is beautiful! And you have done so much work getting everything organized. It looks great!
XOXOXO
Jen
The garage looks great. You will have to let us know when you have the garage sale. I live in Atlanta too and have been meaning to make it up to some of the goodwill stores up there. Sounds like the makings of a great day.
Thank you for reminding us to save some money for unexpected things. And thank you for your comment on my blog. I love your blog. Your garage and organizing is well done.
Thanks.
My husband tells me that everyday!
I would love to be at your garage sale! I saw some tings that I like! See why my husband tells me this everyday?
So, tell me…when is this garage sale??!
I find sometimes so much differences in the US way of living, as in your credit cards payement for example. Here in Italy (and all Europe as well) if you have a bank account you can spend through the credit card, the bank guarantees for you. So no more debts than the amount of money you have in the account. And we all have some money saved in some interests-giving funds, more or less, depending on how much time you’ve been working or if you’re paying a mortgage, or whatever. It’s in our roots to have some money saved somewhere.
I need to swing by and purchase that French caned chair – love it – and as I’m painting my six dining rooms chairs….still, could easily do one more before putting the paint cans in storage!!
Door looks great – money well spent. Our emergency fund is growing – going to need a lot of HVAC work this year, ugh! Really need to replace our concrete drive which is badly cracked and lifting from invading tree roots! Always something when one has a house – but how fortunate we are for this these days!
Hugs – Mary.
Yes, an emergency fund is a must–just don’t have it invested in the stock market right now! 🙂 Gads, my stomach is just doing flip-flops as I see it (market) continuing to go down and taking our retirement investments with it.
On to brighter things! Your new door looks great and I’ll bet it is an insulated one–better for the comfort level in your garage. Oh, I am envious of your organized items! I need to do that–I, too, have been thinking of having a sale this year. We unloaded lots of stuff when we moved nearly 4 years ago–but I am great about continuing to pick up “finds” then letting them pile up. Folks still love to shop g. sales–now more so than ever! Guess I’d better start a “garage sale” pile, too! 🙂
Love, love, love that soup tureen you picked up for 14.00! Oh, my, you got the deal of the day!
Have a great weekend. Dana
I love the new doors! Yes you are so right about the emergency fund. I too will be cleaning out and having a garage sale soon. I don’t like having them either. I would rather go to one. Good organization!!
Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog.
Chat soon,
Rosemary
Manuela, our words echo each other! I am with you on the garage sales – I hate to have them, although I love to go to them. We’ve been taking our excess to auctions and they sell them for us! No tagging individual items, wondering whether the weather will hold out, having to sit and watch over everything between customers, then – after it’s all over – pack up what’s left and haul it away.
Hugs,
Sher
Looks great. Wow wish i could go to your garage sale. lol. mishelle
The new garage door looks amazing first of all. And second, I would SO come to your garage sale!!! I hate doing garage sales too. I usually Craigslist an item or take it all to Goodwill myself.
Manuela, this is great. I love seeing decorating jobs and ideas and actual shelves with stuff on them. What a great job. It is fun seeing what you are doing! Have a blessed day…
Debbie
What a great post Manuela. You are so right, and thanks for the encouragement to 1. Establish an emergency fund and; 2. The joy and practicality of organizing (I totally related to the paint shelves…add hardware and tools & you're in my garage ;). Informative and so inspiring, as always. Thank you again for sharing your life lessons and creativity.
Love,
Traceyxox
Your new garage door is beautiful! I agree with you with having an emergency fund~ it’s very important and has saved us more than once! 🙂
Your garage sale items are wonderful~ I don’t think I have been to such a nice garage sale before! 🙂 I wish I could come to it! 🙂
Hi Manuela…the doors look great…we bought the same one’s at the HD and just had the main rail that lifts us the door give way…it was only installed with 1 bolt..Luckily it didn’t hit the new truck..Husband would not have been happy….Let me know when your garage sale will be….
Oh Manuela, it’s so funny when I come by to see you because it’s like seeing some of my “stuff” in your house. But of course yours is all nicely organized and mine surely is not.
The new garage door is beautiful! What great dressing for you home.
We’ve been looking at those for a couple of years, but nothing is really wrong with the one we’ve got.
Thanks for the new widget. I borrowed it because I liked it so much.
That new garage door looks great! Oh, I wish I could come to your garage sale! I saw some things I’d love to buy. laurie
Well its great you could replace the door!!!! I do love the new one with the house. Yes, with all your cleaning and organizing I think you have a great studio! Just add a table that folds, and every thing is in your reach! I wish you would email my children and give them a lesson on the emergency fund! lol No they have the Dave R. tapes and books. We have an ER fund, but I think it needs to grow. I need to stop buying dishes. I went out to eat with Hubbby last night, he took me to Marshalls and TJMax. I came home with 6 large large bags stuffed! Oh, me! We then went fishing after dark! I loved it! and I do not fish! lol Going out of town tomorrow to hubby’s Aunts to take her to Lunch, to another town, and to the garden center. I might need to stay at home, I have spent your door cost in dishes within the last month. No, just about 1/3 of it. Still,I can’t resist! I used to working! lol
I do like the new garage doors, but I understand how you feel. We had to use our emergency fund (and then some) to replace our entire central heat/air unit last July. It does get frustrating!
Your clean up looks good. You are very efficient! I might just have to make a trip to Archivers in Marietta (via your garage sale). It’ll make a good cushion to replenish your emergency fund! 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Jennifer
The new garage door is beautiful, Manuela! I am a firm believer in emergency funds, also!
I like that door! Know what you mean about having garage sales. I use to have pretty good luck with them, but the last couple sales – not so much.
Glenda
Wow- I wish I lived near you to come to that garage sale. I;d love to have that chair for my studio…I’d say you’ll replenish the fund a little – and clear out the excess too.
Thanks for inspiringme to get moving on my organizing!
Anita
You should have an on-line yard sale! I bet you would sell a ton.. I’d certainly think about that chair! jen
I so am looking for a chair like that for my bedroom. I live in the West GA area. Would you be interested in contacting me with info about it and how much you are asking for it? My email is attached. Thanks