This Christmas, my kids (ages 12 and 9) have asked for some musical equipment.
It seems the boys would like to try their hand at setting up their own garage band.
I wondered how I could help them pursue their interests without irritating the entire neighborhood with the sound of musicians in training.
After taking stock of the garage and doing a little research, it seemed as though insulation was the key to making the band project work.
Because we live in the Midwest and our garage isn't heated, it can get quite cold in there during the winter.
The first step was to tackle the issue of the kids' health; the second step was to keep the neighbors friendly.
We decided to start with some garage door insulation to protect the kids against drafts.
This great product has a reflective finish, making it perfect to reflect the heat from ceramic wall heaters we plan on adding back into the space.
Next we purchased some moving blankets.
The blankets are large and heavy with plenty of filler padding.
That makes them perfect for hanging over the windows.
This not only minimized the sound, but also gave the room a cool air of mystique that the kids loved.
We used more blankets hear the entryway, cordoning off a small foyer-like space.
That gave the kids the privacy they needed while still successfully minimizing the possible sound infiltration into the home.
One of the extra moving blankets serves as a furniture cover for our ugly friend, the futon left over from our college days.
I suspect there will be tennis shoes and soda pop all over the futon, and the blanket will keep it looking better, longer.
There you have it.
Next time your pre-teens go in search of their musical soul, don't sweat it.
Just pick up some garage door insulation and moving blankets and get ready to enjoy yourself!