Looking to organize and streamline my Garage shop

[Leemstradamus]

Ok, third time is a charm.

This is my first thread that I have started, be kind lol. I have a nice-sized shop but really need to make it more streamlined. I'm starting to sell tools that I'm not using and better organize all of my stuff. I get pretty frustrated moving piles of stuff from one surface to another, which becomes pretty demoralizing and makes everything take so much longer. I'm looking to modify my assembly table that is pictured and also build an MFT-style table out of 80/20 early next week, depending on the shipping.

 

[six-point socket II]

Well, there is a lot of neatly stored & accessible tools and material already. Why not simply continue that path for now?

For example, I just zoomed into a single picture. The clear plastic container sitting on a table by the garage door is holding what seems to be PPE. Why is there a Lego manual/ building instructions in it? That's exactly what I would start with, everything that does clearly not belong into your shop/garage needs to either find a permanent new place or it gets tossed. (Clearly I'm cherry picking here, ... )

Believe me, and I have consolidated 3 "shops" into one over the years, it all starts with throwing everything out that does not belong there, followed by everything you don't need. Everything else simply needs organizing and a place where it truly belongs/ that makes sense.

One rule I have for scraps: Small pieces get thrown out/trashed immediately, larger pieces are organized, if not touched for 12 months, they have to go.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Leemstradamus]

Well, there is a lot of neatly stored & accessible tools and material already. Why not simply continue that path for now?

For example, I just zoomed into a single picture. The clear plastic container sitting on a table by the garage door is holding what seems to be PPE. Why is there a Lego manual/ building instructions in it? That's exactly what I would start with, everything that does clearly not belong into your shop/garage needs to either find a permanent new place or it gets tossed. (Clearly I'm cherry picking here, ... )

Believe me, and I have consolidated 3 "shops" into one over the years, it all starts with throwing everything out that does not belong there, followed by everything you don't need. Everything else simply needs organizing and a place where it truly belongs/ that makes sense.

One rule I have for scraps: Small pieces get thrown out/trashed immediately, larger pieces are organized, if not touched for 12 months, they have to go.

Kind regards,
Oliver

Great point, I'm thinking it will be more like what you said. I have a lot of trouble with scraps and putting them somewhere. That giant foam board is going to get cut into thirds and maybe tossed. I have a lot of stuff co-mingled which is a huge frustration. Also In all of those drawers are lots of tools that I have a hard time parting with but don't use  :-[. I'll keep posting some more pics today. My new packs of Sys-AZ drawers showed up today. The new MFT table will have around 8-10 drawers in it and I'm going to look to use more systainers to house fasteners and hand tools.

I'm really proud of my workbench, I just have to get stuff off of the top of it so I can work  [big grin]

 

[gunnyr]

Good luck!  Your post is a great start!  It will serve as a place to document your journey.  I find keeping my workbench cleared off consistently is a challenge, always seems to be two or three things going on!

 

[jeffinsgf]

I have a long way to go in my personal organization journey. Unfortunately, I have an enormous space to work with (most of 3,000 sq ft), which makes getting organized less critical than trying to work in a small space. Without claiming to be an authority, I want to share a couple things that stick out to me in the photos.

I have few obsessions, but one that drives me nuts is hoses and cords laying on the floor. I have so often seen it as the first step in things degenerating into chaos. As I get older and less agile tripping hazards drive me nuts. That's the worst one. Learn to coil your cords and hoses correctly (or buy reels) and put them up when you're through with them. Even if you think you're going to need them later. It might be later than you think.

Unmarked drawers and boxes are where tools go to die. You've done an admirable job of building pull-out trays and single box shelves, but they're not marked. Marking doesn't mean you have to get a label maker and spend hours making sure each one is precisely aligned (not that there's anything wrong with that). It doesn't need to be anything more than a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie. I had a bunch of unmarked Systainers. Every time I wanted something that I "thought" I had put in a Systainer, I had to go through every single one to find what I was looking for. Every time I did that I always found something that had been "lost". I spent a Saturday afternoon with my laptop, a pack of label paper and a inkjet printer and have saved myself countless hours of hunting.

I have my own struggles with offcuts, but learn to draw a line. Is there a reason to keep 1/2" thick off-rips? Maybe if they're really nice hardwood, but probably not. Find a friend who has a woodburning fireplace and load him up with kindling. I have a woodburning fireplace in my shop, and it's almost season to start emptying a couple barrels full of off-cuts.

Celebrate the victories. Cut yourself a break on the backslides. Keep trying.

 

[Cheese]

1. I have an enormous space to work with (most of 3,000 sq ft), which makes getting organized less critical than trying to work in a small space.

2. I have few obsessions, but one that drives me nuts is hoses and cords laying on the floor. I have so often seen it as the first step in things degenerating into chaos. As I get older and less agile tripping hazards drive me nuts. That's the worst one. Learn to coil your cords and hoses correctly (or buy reels) and put them up when you're through with them. Even if you think you're going to need them later. It might be later than you think.

3. I have my own struggles with offcuts, but learn to draw a line. Is there a reason to keep 1/2" thick off-rips? Maybe if they're really nice hardwood, but probably not. Find a friend who has a woodburning fireplace and load him up with kindling. I have a woodburning fireplace in my shop, and it's almost season to start emptying a couple barrels full of off-cuts.

1. Now that's denialism Jeff..."less critical"...I'd redefine that as you're just "better equipped to save the stuff most folks are forced to throw away".  [poke]

2. Hoses and cords have been my nemesis for over 30 years. Always tripping over them, always looking for a place to put them, always trying to recoil them so that they don't unwind when you walk away. That's the main reason I've focused on going cordless. It's just so much easier.

3. Offcuts and their like...just how much of this stuff do you save? I admit I have a tender spot for aluminum, stainless and copper, but I'm starting to have a love-hate relationship with wood products unless there is something "special" about the piece. I think the suggestion of using off cuts for heat generation is a great idea.

I'm building a new garage and in the process of moving "valuable wood products" from one storage area to another, I realized that after the wood was moved and I had time to think about it, I asked myself "what will I use all of this stuff for". And once the new garage is built, I'll again be moving these "valuable wood products" into the new garage and for what reason?

If you're starting off with a new garage, it's nice to start with a clean slate so that you can start to collect "new" items.  [big grin]

 

[Sparktrician]

Unmarked drawers and boxes are where tools go to die. You've done an admirable job of building pull-out trays and single box shelves, but they're not marked. Marking doesn't mean you have to get a label maker and spend hours making sure each one is precisely aligned (not that there's anything wrong with that). It doesn't need to be anything more than a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie. I had a bunch of unmarked Systainers. Every time I wanted something that I "thought" I had put in a Systainer, I had to go through every single one to find what I was looking for. Every time I did that I always found something that had been "lost". I spent a Saturday afternoon with my laptop, a pack of label paper and a inkjet printer and have saved myself countless hours of hunting.

I'm going to suggest that you invest in a Brady M210 label maker and get a stock of 1/2" black on white nylon cloth label tape to feed it.  You'll need/use a bunch initially, then the usage will taper off.  If you need wider tape, get the 3/4" stock.  [smile]

 

[Leemstradamus]

Thanks for the great suggestions! I think I'll have to make some trips to our storage unit to just make some room this weekend. I did get shipping confirmation for the new MFT cart parts I ordered. The rest of the 80/20 will be here early next week! Sys-az shelfs showed up yesterday and the rest of the casters are here.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I have few obsessions, but one that drives me nuts is hoses and cords laying on the floor. I have so often seen it as the first step in things degenerating into chaos.

Unmarked drawers and boxes are where tools go to die. You've done an admirable job of building pull-out trays and single box shelves, but they're not marked. Marking doesn't mean you have to get a label maker and spend hours making sure each one is precisely aligned (not that there's anything wrong with that). It doesn't need to be anything more than a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie. I had a bunch of unmarked Systainers. Every time I wanted something that I "thought" I had put in a Systainer, I had to go through every single one to find what I was looking for.

Me too, on the cords/hoses. I have both coming down from the ceiling in the big shop at work. My home shop is under construction and will probably do the same, though I intend to run power under the floor and come up under the bench, with outlets in the legs or aprons.

I don't mark or label anything but the little bins I keep screws in, on the back wall of my bench, and that's mostly so my helper doesn't screw things up. [big grin]
My Systainers have the original labels, but I don't need them or bother to look. I just know where everything is, because I set it up that way.

 

[Leemstradamus]

I'm going to go all in on the sustainers for sure. Watched the festool live today and was thinking about getting a few of those sort ones. I love having all of my abrasives and Domino's in their own systainers.

As far as the cords, not a lot I can do just yet. The biggest pain currently, is the dust collection with the one house. I hate going from tool to tool plugging it in.

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk

 

[sancho57]

lots of good responses already. But IMO, you have to get rid of the excess. You have a lot of wood and ply lying about with nothing to do. I buy as I go with very little left , storing for future projects. Next  get the trash out of the shop, get rid of all the stuff you got lying about lots of things, bottles containers , boxes etc .

You got a lot of bind on the walls/shelves that are half empty. Organize, categorize them fill them up and label them. That will clear a lot of shelf space.

Go through the duplicates looks to me like you got a lot of things that do the same thing.

Tools for example that are versatile that can do many things a wide variety of applications helps.

Horizontal surfaces seem to attack stuff, grabbing, buying stuff then set them on a horizontal surface like your table saw is easy to do and a hard habit to break. Utilize over head storage. Build/ buy a overhead storage rack to put some of those bins full of stuff you only use once in a while.

Also during the spring summer and fall when the weather is tolerable Id do a lot of work outside the shop on my drive way. Yeah its a pain rolling things in and out but its a lot of space you could utilize.

I used to work out of 1950s garage 20' x 20' and managed quite well. Its not that hard, just braking habits.

 

[Leemstradamus]

Thanks, Jobsworth!

All the suggestions are being taken to heart. it's been pretty cold in the shop lately so I haven't been moving as fast but working on one big project that hopefully will help some. I sold a router I didn't plan to use long-term. Going to have to gather some stuff and do a bundle sale soon.

 

[Mini Me]

I have a 10 x 7.5 metre workshop and when I was the Australian distributor for Clearvue it was full of stock and I couldn't do any work in it. When I sold the business I backed a trailer into it three times and threw out all the crap I had stored in the workshop for years and I have never regretted missed any of it. We had consolidated two extra houses of stuff over the years when parents had passed on and it eventually had to go as no one wanted to buy used furniture etc. Be ruthless, do the first cleanout of obvious stuff then when it becomes more manageable a second one will be easier to do.

I am not a systainer fan as I think they are inefficient space wise and I use deep drawers to store that sort of stuff in but then I don't have a lot of those type of tools. Drills and impact drivers are in a dedicated storage charging station hanging off a wall and if they were in systainers that would be 8 boxes I would have to find room for, they look impressive but for me they don't work. One thing I have become a fan of is the French cleat system, it is simple and very versatile.

 

[rmwarren]

2. Hoses and cords have been my nemesis for over 30 years. Always tripping over them, always looking for a place to put them, always trying to recoil them so that they don't unwind when you walk away. That's the main reason I've focused on going cordless. It's just so much easier.

3. Offcuts and their like...just how much of this stuff do you save? I admit I have a tender spot for aluminum, stainless and copper, but I'm starting to have a love-hate relationship with wood products unless there is something "special" about the piece. I think the suggestion of using off cuts for heat generation is a great idea.

+1 on cords/hoses - I went so far as to replace a corded TS55 with a TSC so I could switch to a non-PlugIt extractor hose. Bluetooth operates the extractor with the saw (90% of my use) but I leave a coiled up cord plugged into the extractor of other tools.

RE: Small Pieces of Material That Have Not Yet Declared Their Destiny I'm limited by space to a couple small containers for both metal and wood. When they start to overflow I take the plunge and cull the herd. It's more of a discipline than an approach to storage. Similar is the "if I haven't used it since I was last forced to move it" ethos for what makes the cut. Tough love.

Enjoy the process.

RMW

 

[Leemstradamus]

I've seen your shop on here and I'm amazed!

Still haven't done much tossing stuff out yet since I've been working on a couple projects. Today I got to use my still work in progress 80/20 MFT Cart, to cut my brothers folding doors down to fit in the door way. The thing that was the most apparent, even with my mistakes and design decisions that may not work out, was how disappointed I am with myself. I should have made building one the number one property in my woodworking journey! I was able to clamp down his doors and cross and rip cut with ease. I've honestly never had this full experience before! My number one advice to any new worker, would be to buy a mft table! I'll keep everyone posted on my progress! Thanks for the latest suggestions everyone!

 

[derekcohen]

I have a double garage, and it looks rather glamorous (to my eye, which is important as I need to enjoy being there) ....

It was not always like this. 20 years ago it was home for other hobbies which competed for attention ... windsurfing, biking and restoring a car ...

And today it continues to be home to one car. This means that the workshop must have dedicated storage space for all tools, power and hand. At the end of the day storage must be simple, otherwise it will not happen. This is also partly a mindset ...

You love your bench. I love my bench. I love hand work. Keep your bench clear by using walls for tools and add an underbench cabinet with drawers for the special tools ...

Get rid of duplicates and get rid of waste wood below a useful size. You need dedicated storage for wood, otherwise buy as you need.

Think of your work flow and position the stationary machines accordingly. I have very little room to spare, but this works for me ...

When the car is out, there is space to move the MFT to cut up long, heavy boards (even these are too heavy and cumbersome for the Hammer K3 slider). 3m of 250 x 50mm Hard Maple, being cut up for chair seats (yesterday) ...

Note the "awkward" areas are used for wood storage. Also note the hoses are hung coiled together (using velcro rapped hooks).

Hope this helps.

Best wishes to all for the festive season.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Leemstradamus]

Thanks for the advice and your shop is amazing! Honestly, that's goals for me! Our holiday wasn't the best but not the worst. We have some house issues happening and our living room is torn up. Sorry for the delayed reply. I've made a little dent in the garage and my lovely wife bought me a 3d printer for Christmas and I'm enjoying learning that and putting it to use in the shop!

 

[jronman]

My advice is just do it. I can spend long amounts of time thinking about cleaning and organizing the shop, but the shop will still be unorganized and unclean if all I am doing is thinking about it. That is one thing I have a hard time with. I spend more time thinking and less time doing. Finding the drive or motivation to go and clean my shop or whatever the task may be can be a challenge sometimes.