Garage Organization Categories

[Dberglind]

Moving into a new garage (and house) soon, and will have much more room to get organized.

I may have been accused of over analyzing things a time or two, but so be it. If I'm not home and the wife needs something, I like to be able to say "Go to the red shelf and find the toolbox labeled adhesives." or "Under the workbench there's a black crate for those..."

With that in mind, I have a spreadsheet of "Garage Categories" and locations for those items/categories.

Obviously some of these will be different for everyone with different hobbies, but many general categories should be the same. Did I miss anything?


CATEGORY & SUB-CATEGORIES

Automotive
Auto Detailing
Automotive Tire, Battery, & Electrical
Jack, Jack stands, creeper
Automotive Fluids & Maintainence
Towing & Cargo management

Hunt/Fish/Outdoors
Camping & RV
Fishing
Hunting
Outdoor Gear & Games

Household Repair & Maintenance
AV & Computer
Cleaning
Electrical
Household Electrical
Household Parts & Repair
Lighting
Paint & Staining
Plumbing
Storage & Organization / Shelf Hardware
Ceramic Tile

Lawn, Landscape, Garden, & Outdoor Cooking
Canning & Pickling
Garden & Landscape
Grill & Smoking
Dutch Oven Cooking

Woodworking / Workshop
Clamping
Large Tools
Lumber & Materials
Measurement & Marking
Metal Fabrication
Pocket Screws (Kreg Jig)
Sanding & Finishing
Sharpening
Tape & Adhesives
Woodworking

 

[crab]

My wife knows where to find the tools she likes in my toolbox. One day I was in the garage and she came out, opened the pliers draw, got a pair out and went back inside without ever saying a word. Guess the nosy little **** has been snooping around in my toolbox.

 

[Trey T]

Organization start with the number of cabinets (and types of cabinet) and their location. Minimize using variety of cabinets.

The way I look at organization is from the outside in: garage space>location(s) of cabinets>types of cabinets>number of cabinets>categorize your tools/supplies for storage

If you're look at categorizing all of your tools/supplies w/o looking at the big picture (assumption based on limited info you provided), I believe you'll have a hard time keeping it organized.

 

[crewchief888]

My wife knows where to find the tools she likes in my toolbox. One day I was in the garage and she came out, opened the pliers draw, got a pair out and went back inside without ever saying a word. Guess the nosy little **** has been snooping around in my toolbox.

The problem with is she needed a hammer.....

 

[ThomasP]

I put together a nice tool kit for the wife to keep in her utility room for her use. I'm not allowed to touch it now!!!!!

 

[OccupantRJ]

I use a system in my shop that I call "point of use". If I am at the vise for example, I can clamp metal, mark it, cut it, layout, centerpunch for holes, deburr it, all with very little body movement. For storage, I also group things on function.

 

[USAFpj]

One thing to consider- I have never been successful with deep shelving or doors on cabinets.

I know where everything is in my shop, only because I don't hide them. A closed cabinet is beautiful to look at, but how many of us have bought yet another can of PB Blaster, because it was hidden by a paint can or some other object? I learned to have clear bins for stuff, and to place things where their view is a constant reminder of what and where items are at.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I love doors on cabinets. If you've ever had a huge blob of slag fly up and nail the plastic head on a rattle can and proceed to blowtorch the shelf above, you'd like doors. Metal doors. I find that remembering where everything is has entertainment value. I am able to amaze friends and family when I ask for something and tell them what cabinet or box, and then what drawer or shelf and where in it. It's actually supposed to be good exercise for the brain. Now if someone moves my ****............ well, I help them out. Out the door.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Guess the nosy little **** has been snooping around in my toolbox.

If it was the neighbor's wife snooping around in your toolbox, I think all of would know what to do.

But what do you do to your own wife for that?

 

[kaymccampbell]

Make sure she knows EXACTLY where it returns to and that it needs to return immediately after use. NOT after the 10 year project is complete, but after she completes the task she took it for, no matter how inconvenient that is to her.

 

[Clik]

I just try to put like things with like things. 48X80' and still not enough room.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I to am always saying to myself "Self, you should have built a bigger shop" who needs that much space in the yard...


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[machyoung]

Wifey can always find what she needs in my shop. Tape measure, hammer (16d nails for hanging 5x7 pictures), pliers, screwdrivers, etc. Now getting my tools back is another story........

 

[priesttherunner]

Sorry guys for bumping an old thread (And hello all btw).

I am doing the same thing. Some similarities on my list but some differences as well.


Edit: I incorporated some ideas.

List:

AREA) Motorcycles
-SUB-AREA) Parking
-SUB-AREA) Gear Storage
-SUB-AREA) Helmet storage
-SUB-AREA) Tool Storage (moto specific)
-SUB-AREA) Tire Changing Station
AREA) Gaming
-SUB-AREA) TV
-SUB-AREA) TV and Gaming storage
-SUB-AREA) Couches
-SUB-AREA) Raised seating
-SUB-AREA) Music/Sound
--ITEM) Stereo
--ITEM) CD/DVD/game storage
AREA) Mechanical
-SUB-AREA) Car Parking/work space
-SUB-AREA) Tire changing
-SUB-AREA) Tool storage (See below)
-SUB-AREA) Rolling cabinet and table
-SUB-AREA) Part
AREA) Tool storage
-SUB-AREA) Cars
--ITEM) Wash Bin/Oil Bath
--ITEM) Mechanic Sled
--ITEM) Floor Jacks
--ITEM) Engine lift / jack crane
--ITEM) Battery Storage
--ITEM) Towing
--ITEM) Parts and maintainence
-SUB-AREA) Motorcycles
--ITEM) Jacks
--ITEM) Rear Stand
--ITEM) Front Stand
--ITEM) Oils/Lubricants
--ITEM) Spare Parts
--ITEM) Tires
-SUB-AREA) SAE and METRIC
--ITEM) Wrenches
--ITEM) Ratchets
--ITEM) Drill Bits
--ITEM) Drive Bits
--ITEM) Bolts
--ITEM) Screws
--ITEM) Tape measures / roll measures
-SUB-AREA) Pneumatics
--ITEM) Painting Tools
--ITEM) Paints
--ITEM) Cleaning Tools
--ITEM) Paint Mixing Tools
--ITEM) Air Ratchets and Wrenches
--ITEM) Air Sanders
-SUB-AREA) Power Tools
--ITEM) Saws
--ITEM) Drills
--ITEM) Battery Charging
--ITEM) Sanders
--ITEM) Compound miter saw
--ITEM) Table saw
-SUB-AREA) Lawn Maintenance
--ITEM) Leaf Blower
--ITEM) Gas/oil
--ITEM) Rakes
--ITEM) Trimmers
--ITEM) Parts/storage for mower
--ITEM) Machetes
--ITEM) Knife sharpening
-SUB-AREA) Cleaning
--ITEM) Soaps
--ITEM) Power Washing fuilds
--ITEM) Paints
--ITEM) Pesticides
-SUB-AREA) Household
--ITEM) Lighter tools
--ITEM) Handheld drivers
--ITEM) Small hammers
--ITEM) Light bulbs
--ITEM) Misc hardware
--ITEM) Plumbing storage
--ITEM) Lighting storage
--ITEM) Tiles/flooring storage
-SUB-AREA) Mission Work Tools
--ITEM) Random mix-match of tools that I don’t mind getting left in Mexico, Nicaragua or some other random area of the world.
-SUB-AREA) Woodworking
--ITEM) Clamps
--ITEM) Large tools
--ITEM) Measurements/marking
--ITEM) Sanding
--ITEM) Tape and glue
-SUB-AREA) Metalworking
--ITEM) Mill / lathe
--ITEM) Vice
--ITEM) Small press brake
--ITEM) Polish
--ITEM) Tap and dies
--ITEM) Cutting oils
-SUB-AREA) Electrical
--ITEM) Spare wire
--ITEM) Snips/cutters
--ITEM) Wire strippers
--ITEM) Soldering consumables
--ITEM) Soldering irons
--ITEM) Shrink tape
--ITEM) Heat guns
--ITEM) Specialty wires
AREA) Family
-SUB-AREA) Camping
-SUB-AREA) Family bikes
-SUB-AREA) Kids’ large toys