911

[alexandria.r.moo]

Hey there. I'm in immediate need of assistance! My boyfriends bday is coming up, although I've attempted to organize the garage/ man cave, and even picked up on a few handiness attributes myself, I am still extremely lost on how to organize best suited for him especially not knowing what half of the tools I'm picking up are. If any one could help me with categories and/ or suggestions.... I would love to redo his pride and joy with absolute perfection! I'm all ears! Thank you!

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[Nick Danger]

I wouldn't dare reorganize the art supplies in Mrs Danger's studio. It's mysterious to me, and so I keep my hands off of it. I have bought her used shelving, and let her arrange things how she likes them.

If I did move things around, there is a risk that she might have a moment of inspiration, and couldn't find the 1/8" camelhair brush that she needed before the idea got away.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Find a Snap On truck and buy him the biggest toolbox you can afford. He will know you are a keeper for sure.

 

[jd_1138]

Does he need any certain tools like hand tools, power tools?

 

[owenst7]

This reeks of spam.

 

[jwh]

Let me tell you a story. Father in law and sons went off to Boy Scout camp. Mother in law decided she would clean up father in law's basement workshop.

Father in Law returned, took one look at his workshop, came back upstairs, looked my mother in law in the eye and said "WHY??".

Father in law did not speak to mother in law for 2 weeks.

Buy him tools, a gift card, warm socks, anything but don't straighten out his workshop!

John

 

[HOTFR8]

This reeks of spam.

IP address is located in California so at this point in time I have no concerns.

 

[Blazinzuk]

If you don't know what the tools are. It will be very very difficult to organize them.

My wife once tried to organize my shop. I appreciated the cleaning and how nice it looked.

Took me about 3 days to get my tools straight and put where I needed em.

So assuming it's not spam.

More details. Automotive? Woodwork? Other?

How many tools?

Is this just a put stuff away or an actual if it doesn't have a place we are gonna buy stuff so it does

 

[3baygarage]

Hey there. I'm in immediate need of assistance! My boyfriends bday is coming up, although I've attempted to organize the garage/ man cave, and even picked up on a few handiness attributes myself. I am still extremely lost on how to organize best suited for him especially not meowing what have of the tolls I'm picking up are. If any one could help me with categories and/ or suggestions.... I would love to redo his pride and joy with absolute perfection! I'm all ears! Thank you!

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

 

[AZpilot]

Her phone spell check is as bad as my wifes phone. Holy meow batman.

 

[laser3kw]

especially not meowing what have of the tolls I'm picking up are

translate: especially not knowing what half of the tools I'm picking up are.
took me a couple of minutes to figure that out. I thought possible spam also. I think it's sincere.

 

[58Yeoman]

If I had spell check on my phone, I'd shut it off. My wife is going to help me organize my shop when we get the time; of course, we'll do it together, so I can educate her what things are, and I'll know where they are.

 

[Jon_E]

It would be in your best interest, especially if you still want to have the same boyfriend, to avoid organizing the garage/man cave. The only exception would be if it's your junk that's getting organized and you use the space just as much as he does.

My wife knows better.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

After being an HVAC instructor, I had no problems figuring out that phrase. You should see some of the atrocious spelling and grammer those sudents had. It's even worse these days since public schools don't make much of an effort with it due to everythig being electronically corrected.

Tommy

 

[ddawg16]

I have to give the OP credit for 'embracing' the man cave.....how many guys have the opposite issue?

Alex....this is a tough thing for a non-guy to accomplish....the fact you even want to do it is worth a ton in any guys book.

I would suggest a give certificate of x $$ and offer to do it with him. Do it as a team and you will find he wants you in the garage with him a lot more....

My wife and I have had a lot of fun in our garage in more than one way.......

I would also suggest browsing the Garage Gallery for ideas.

 

[bwringer]

Spam or not it's an interesting topic...

In ballpark, round numbers, what sort of budget are we talking about? $5, $50, $500, $5,000, or what? There are some very thoughtful things you can do at each level, but we can't make any recommendations until we have some idea of what you can spend.

 

[jkwilson]

translate: especially not knowing what half of the tools I'm picking up are.
took me a couple of minutes to figure that out. I thought possible spam also. I think it's sincere.

Spam all the way.

 

[Mrs. Danger]

NOOOOOooo, no no no no.

If you are not a tool person, do not touch the tools.

 

[Nick Danger]

Find a Snap On truck and buy him the biggest toolbox you can afford. He will know you are a keeper for sure.

When I was 21, a friend gave me one of those gray Craftsman toolboxes for my birthday. It was a great gift. I still use it.

Guys on this forum have thousands of tools, and they forget that most people don't. If she has four hundred dollars, and if he has the room for it, she could get him a Harbor Freight 44" rolling toolbox. It's a great box for the money. He'll love the box forever.

http://www.harborfreight.com/44-in-13-drawer-glossy-red-industrial-roller-cabinet-68784.html

If his tool collection is like mine when I was 21 years old, something a lot smaller would be perfect.

 

[David Paul]

I know what you all are thinking........

 

[bczygan]

Hey there. I'm in immediate need of assistance! My boyfriends bday is coming up, although I've attempted to organize the garage/ man cave, and even picked up on a few handiness attributes myself. I am still extremely lost on how to organize best suited for him especially not meowing what have of the tolls I'm picking up are. If any one could help me with categories and/ or suggestions.... I would love to redo his pride and joy with absolute perfection! I'm all ears! Thank you!

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

You do NOT "Redo" a man or his garage/man cave.

Give him a gift card to his favorite tool place and the hottest evening and night under the stars, and under the sheets, that you can conjure up.

As the country song says, he will die a happy man.

Bill

 

[engineer2]

A relative decided surprise her husband by cleaning out the garage while he was away on a fishing trip. Among the "junk" she threw out was a paint can with $3000 in cash he had saved from tips from his customers.

 

[RECox286]

Most of the replies here, to your 911, will be on the

negative side. Little boys with toys grow up to be

little boys with toys. Egos burst into flames at the

drop of a thought that you a "well meaning" soul may

disturb the landscape of "his space." Marriages have

dissolved from less...casual acquaintances from even

less ! How to approach the subject ? One, do not

even try to attempt keeping the idea secret. Share

your innermost thoughts: Sweety pie, I was thinking

about your upcoming B'day, and would like to know

what kind of wiz-a-ma-jig you would like to add to the

shop so you can take pictures of it and tell all your

friends on GJ how great your GF is both in and out of

bed; a real keeper ! Harsh ? Perhaps. Reality ?

May I be struck dead talking on the phone while taking a

tubbies during a thunderstorm as the radio falls...

Take the advise as intended, dead seriously.

Uncle Bob

 

[PelicanPines]

Label everything.

 

[Rewind97]

DON'T do it FOR him, DO IT WITH HIM. My shop was in great need of organization so I took my wife (she's good at organizing) out there with me and let her help. The end result was fantastic. She learned about some tools and I learned how to keep things neater in the shop.

 

[rlitman]

Her phone spell check is as bad as my wifes phone. Holy meow batman.

My wife uses Siri to send texts all the time. They're like reading something from mad libs. Always a good laugh. This isn't unusual to me at all.

I keep reminding her that Siri and I have reached a detente. I don't speak to her, and she doesn't speak to me.

A relative decided surprise her husband by cleaning out the garage while he was away on a fishing trip. Among the "junk" she threw out was a paint can with $3000 in cash he had saved from tips from his customers.

Ouch. Yeah, I'd agree that trying to clean up some else's shop (or desk for that matter) is a VERY delicate matter and generally not something to be taken on as a "surprise".

 

[rburke65]

Write him a big check.....put "GIFT" in the note space on the bottom left of the check. Done. Everyone's happy.

 

[alexandria.r.moo]

If you don't know what the tools are. It will be very very difficult to organize them.

My wife once tried to organize my shop. I appreciated the cleaning and how nice it looked.

Took me about 3 days to get my tools straight and put where I needed em.

So assuming it's not spam.

More details. Automotive? Woodwork? Other?

How many tools?

Is this just a put stuff away or an actual if it doesn't have a place we are gonna buy stuff so it does

Many! Multiples of evrrything! So yes if he can't find we, buy another one!

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[alexandria.r.moo]

Does he need any certain tools like hand tools, power tools?

He uses both constantly. He's a general contractor.

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[alexandria.r.moo]

IP address is located in California so at this point in time I have no concerns.

Not spam! I promise

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

 

[alexandria.r.moo]

If you don't know what the tools are. It will be very very difficult to organize them.

My wife once tried to organize my shop. I appreciated the cleaning and how nice it looked.

Took me about 3 days to get my tools straight and put where I needed em.

So assuming it's not spam.

More details. Automotive? Woodwork? Other?

How many tools?

Is this just a put stuff away or an actual if it doesn't have a place we are gonna buy stuff so it does

He definitely needs my organization to help. He's asked for it. But there's so many tools. Both hand and electric, general contracting is what he does....

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[rlitman]

Here's a thought more focused on a GC. Instead of "tool" organization, I would think about "material" organization. Maybe a way of organizing pneumatic nails, or screws, tubes of adhesive, etc. That's often the bulk of stuff that accumulates in the worst way. As a GC, he needs this stuff to be portable, and easy to find.

Perhaps some travel cases that hold these things, and some work with a label maker?

I hear that he's asked for help organizing tools, but I'd still say don't surprise him with that. Time spent with him understanding how they're used will be well worth it when the time comes to organize. Imagine someone who put the dishwasher in the furthest location in a kitchen from the utensil drawer.

 

[HOTFR8]

Not spam! I promise

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Again I have no doubts.

 

[UpNorther]

I don't think it's a good idea for you to rearrange his tools.
Maybe get him a bunch of shelving, I know I'm always buying more to organize better.

Or get him a beer fridge if he doesn't already have one.

 

[jimgood]

Suggest you read through some of the threads in this forum to get ideas: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=7

It's really hard to help someone when you don't know what the variables are. You're really not providing a lot of info.

This thread contains links to some of the favorite garage threads: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=271645

If he's a general contractor, he should probably have things very mobile. Here's like the cream of the crop as far as mobile organization goes:

 

[Lassen Forge]

DON'T do it FOR him, DO IT WITH HIM. My shop was in great need of organization so I took my wife (she's good at organizing) out there with me and let her help. The end result was fantastic. She learned about some tools and I learned how to keep things neater in the shop.

^^^THIS!!!

Get one of those cool labelmakers and a few extras of the label tape. Set aside a weekend when you both can attack this thing, and then tell him that if he wants it organized not to plan anything, but that you won't do anything without him there... if you have a HUGE clear space on the shop floor so much the better. Decide what is going where, and then throw a label on it so you both know what is where.

Don't go in there, tho, and do it without him, because (1) he will be totally lost, and spend gobs of time looking for something he knows should be "right there", which (2) will build resentment. If he really wants your help, then it's gotta be ne of those "family" projects. (And that way you don't accidentally throw away the money he had stashed to buy you that Porsche for your birthday...).

That way, too - if he forgets where you BOTH put something he knows he can ask you.

 

[Bronson]

er, the term "Man Cave"........:supergay:

 

[saceone]

best advice :

don't touch your bf's mancave

 

[NUTTSGT]

If he is a general contractor, don't organize his stuff without him. You see what happens now, he buys another or he spends time looking for it. Help him with organizing stuff, labelling and some decent storage.

If he's loaning tools out and can't remember who has them, get him a whiteboard to write down who has what tool and when they borrowed it. Alot of guys don't loan tools out for the reason of them never finding their way back home.


Another tidbit of advice for you is to never loan his tools out. PERIOD.

 

[Rookie2]

I would say just watching you organize would be awesome. Buy steel (wire) shelving, wall hangers/hooks , peg board and screw in hooks.

At least one six pack, and drag a comfy recliner/bean bag chair in for him to sit in while he directs you in a first try at controlled chaos

Buy him a lazer pointer

NO I don't have spell check !