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WTF Fun Fact 12435 – Our Messy Garages

A 2015 survey from Gladiator® GarageWorks found that a significant number of Americans were using their garages for things other than storing their cars.

A press release announcing their results states:

“For approximately one out of four Americans, the garage is so unorganized it can’t even fit one car, according to an April 2015 homeowner survey from Gladiator® GarageWorks…And with an average cost of a new car just above $30,000, the inability to house and protect this investment in your own garage can be an issue.”

Even those of us with tidy homes are likely to have at least a mildly embarrassing situation going on in the garage. Gladiator®  goes on to state that “While 92 percent of homeowners surveyed described their home as somewhat or very organized, one-fourth of them admitted embarrassment with the garage and nearly one third said they keep their garage door shut so others won’t see the mess.”

The survey also found that 1 in 5 homeowners have argued with their spouse over the state of their garage. That’s not surprising, especially if you live in an area where there’s snow, and you have to clean your car off each morning due to clutter in the garage.

Here are some other “fun facts” the survey revealed:
– 27% of people use the garage for hobbies
– 23% use it to work on cars
– 19% of Americans use their garage to do projects such as woodworking or carpentry
– 13% use it as an area for exercise or sports

If you do work up the motivation to clean out your garage, keep in mind that it’s crucial to dispose of items properly – especially things like old paint and household chemicals. Check with your county about ways to dispose of these items. And if you don’t think you need to worry about that, consider that that survey also found that one-third of homeowners don’t even know what’s stored in their garage at the moment! – WTF fun facts 

Source: “Almost 1 in 4 Americans Say Their Garage is Too Cluttered to Fit Their Car” — PR Newswire

WTF Fun Fact 12434 – The Kitchen Toe Kick

It’s always interesting to find out there’s a reason behind something you’ve totally taken for granted. Unless you’re remodeled your kitchen or are a contractor, you may not have thought much about the design of kitchen cabinets (beyond daydreaming about new ones).

Even those of us who have imagined getting a whole new kitchen rarely look closely at that space between the cabinet and floor and wonder why it’s there. (It’s likely the case in your bathroom as well.)

Between the floor and the cabinet base is something called the toe kick, and it’s meant to do pretty much the opposite of what it sounds like. It keeps us from kicking the bottom of the cabinets with our toes.

The goal of the toe kick is mainly ergonomic – that is, it makes life more comfortable, enabling us to stand for longer without getting fatigued or developing a backache from leaning). And it’s a safety issue as well. Have you ever tried to lean over a surface while using a knife? It’s not so stable. (Trust me, I just tried it, so you don’t have to.)

We’ve always taken our toe kick for granted, and since most of us have a backache most of the time, maybe it doesn’t seem that important. But not having one would only make things worse.

There are no legal requirements or codes for building toe kicks, so you may see super-retro kitchens or hyper-modern ones without this feature. But it’s generally the case that experienced carpenters just know the ideal dimensions and build one into your kitchen.

The standard depth for a toe kick is 3 inches, while the height is 3.5 inches. Most cabinets conform to these measurements (certainly any you buy from the hardware store). However, if you’re having your kitchen remodeled and are very tall or have otherwise larger-than-normal feet, you can always ask your contractor to give you a little extra room down there.
– WTF fun facts 

Source: “Ideal Toe Kick Dimensions and Height for Cabinets” — ThoughtCo