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Have Your Cake And Eat It Too



Yesterday my daughter turned three.   When the last of the birthday guest had left, we sat back, surveyed the damaged and reminisced.   We marveled at how quickly the years have passed, horrified that before we know it she’ll be 16 and it will no longer be Barbie and Play Doh but boys and cars.   CARS.   Where in the hell will we park another car?!

Teenagers present multiple problems for their parents, to say the least.   But the need for more space tends to be a major concern when factoring in a teenager’s stuff, their friends, and especially their car.   Some ‘space planners’ will suggest turning your beloved garage into the teenager’s lair, but according to this article it doesn’t have to come to that.   Bob Vila’s website also has some good ideas for making space in the garage for teens.


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chammyman

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Aug 16, 2008
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882
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Glasgow, Scotland
the picture doesn't work. 3 eh? My daughter is due in the next few weeks and I'm excited and anxious at the same time.

I have to say this post is really one for free parking...
 

03bluesilver

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Sep 10, 2007
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Location
Shippensburg PA
Wow. Actually pretty good timing as my daughter just turned 16 and I have to somehow make space for her.

What do you guys do? I have a three car garage, but it is filled with 2 hobby cars and a workshop. My wife and I park outside. I guess this means a third in the drive way.

Any suggestions?
 

04whitef150

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Feb 5, 2005
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West of DFW
Wow. Actually pretty good timing as my daughter just turned 16 and I have to somehow make space for her.

What do you guys do? I have a three car garage, but it is filled with 2 hobby cars and a workshop. My wife and I park outside. I guess this means a third in the drive way.

Any suggestions?

Do what I did and use it as an excuse to build. When my twin sons turned 16, we added a detached 2-car garage. In two or three years the boys go to college and I get the extra space.

That's what Bob Villa should have suggested too!
 

Alistair

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Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
20
Location
Herndon, VA
I actually did the cheaper alternative. I built a car port off the side of my house. Once the kids were gone, we did build it in to be more of a garage space though.

The bottom line is that you just have find more space.
 

Northstar9126

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Sep 17, 2006
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Northwest corner Wisconsin
wp-admin


Yesterday my daughter turned three.* When the last of the birthday guest had left, we sat back, surveyed the damaged and reminisced. We marveled at how quickly the years have passed, horrifi...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.

The only problem that I have with kids is that they are an everyday reminder of what an old fart you have become. I may not feel any different than I did when I was younger but when I look at my 20something year old daughter it just doesn't seem possible that so many years have gone by since she popped onto the scene.
 
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2LTim

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Nov 9, 2008
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143
Location
Central Iowa
As far as kids go, it really does seem like just yesterday that my lovely wife said, "don't you think we should have a little one?" Daaammmmnnn!!!! That "Little One" is now 26, 6' 9" and owns his own buisiness. Number two is 23 and has his own construction company and our last try for a little girl netted us just that 18 years ago and she was just crowned Homecoming Queen!! Enjoy them while they are young because one minute you are changing diapers, and before you know it you are picking a college! As for the parking delima, I always parked my work car/van in the workshop and let the wife and daughter have the attached garage.
 

Coach James

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Jun 24, 2005
Messages
8,932
Location
Sandhills of North Carolina
My parents raised my sister and I in a 1050 sq ft house and would have laughed if someone suggested they add on to the house to accomodate our stuff. We each had a closet and a dressser. If it wouldn't fit in there, we could keep it in the back yard or get rid of it.

My wife and I now are raising our two kids, 2 and 4, in a 1900 sq ft house. If it won't fit in their rooms, it can go to Goodwill.

We plan to build a free standing garage, but it will be to keep daddy's stuff in.:)

Coach
 

rickairmedic

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May 31, 2005
Messages
4,165
Location
louisville ,Ky
My other half has stated on several occaasions the kids rooms were not big enough . I have told her flat out their rooms are as big as ours and there is no way in heck they are going to get bigger rooms than the one we share . I will also say the garage is mine mine mine all mine :D.


Rick
 

SEHRAA

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
21
Location
Down Under
HAHA well, im 18 and and am yet to get my own car :( sad i know,
but theres no way i can fit it anywhere since we already have 4 cars that my dad wont let go of (we have a really big garage), so in a teenagers defense, its my dad whose taking up all the space and is always looking for more cars, HA :)
 

zjrog

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Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
555
Location
Tooele, Ut
I had room for only 3 vehicles when I lived in California. One thing I wanted when I bought here in Utah was lots of space. My current space allows for one car (OK, truck, F150 Supercrew...) in the garage (the rest is tools and assorted rollarounds). I park my Neon, Ranger, Grand Cherokee and Cherokee in the drive and the RV pad. And I still have room for my tent trailer and project vehicle beside the house...

My point is, my son (20 now) has either my Neon or his Ranger at college (depending on if the Ranger needs work), And i needed a vehicle for my daughter last year (the Cherokee). I was glad I had space for everything. And now both kids are in college, I have room for another project!!!
 
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e-tek

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Dec 19, 2007
Messages
10,690
Location
Saskatoon, SK
My house has 2 driveways, an attached 2 car garage with a pit and a 4 car shop with a lift. When my boys get their own cars they can park on the street. If they need to work on them.....yup - on the street - and not with my tools!

Of course I also said I did not want kids....:wtf:

Ya right...more than likely I'll buy them thier first cars, help fix them up, buy them some tools, watch them lose mine and move my cars out so they can use the lift...:headscrat
 
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