Mickey O
Well-known member
Got some progress here today, got all my stuff to get rid of and exchange on the cart, that puts me at about 2% done.
Ever been "paralyzed" when trying to organize?
- Thread starter ckucia
- Start date
toolmiser
Well-known member
First of all my garage isn't very tidy! My suggestions when straightening up is to put like things together and then put away the group, say like a bunch of wheels or pipe wrenches. I read somewhere once that if you put say 10 items away every time you go in your shop you will clean it up on it's own. I also get the deer in the headlights thing.
Vernmotor
Well-known member
Sberry I got bad news for you friend ..your a pack rat...hard thing to over come..there might be class's out there ..But you need help..first step is to admitting it...LOL
sberry
Banned
Actually I am not, I throw a lot of junk and have a dumpster. We use a ton of stuff from the basement. I wouldnt keep it if I didnt have an out of the way place for it. I did come up with a use for the box fans. I used about half a dozen of them recently.
Some of the wire could go for sure.
Some of the wire could go for sure.
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Az Scooter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2009
- Messages
- 1,500
I went through that in January. I could not be more pleased.
The first thing I did was get my wife a tuff shed. We went through the garage and all her treasure went in there. Then I went through the garage again, and put the rest of her treasures in there.
After that, I started loading a trailer with the garbage from both the side yard, and the garage. It was a 14 foot trailer, and I filled it, twice. I loaded all of the things that I knew I was going to have to store in the part of the garage that I got, into the part of the garage I was not going to get, because of my wife's excursion. It is a garage queen 10 months of the year, because we only take it on vacation.
Then I went and bought some shelving. I chose commercial racking, that was measured to handle the totes I bought. I started sorting and stowing things into the totes, then labeled the totes with what was inside with a label maker. Then I started on the tool box. It all started because I got a 40" tool box for Christmas. I sorted all of the tools I had into the tool box, which I am going to have to resort. While I was doing that, my wife was sorting all the little bolt bins, into Lister containers, and used my old tool box to store them in.
When I bought the shelving, I bought a workbench made from the same type of racking. It had a 3/4" piece of particle board. Since the bench was rated at something like 1250 lbs. I bought a piece of 10 gauge steel that was cut to fit, and put that on top of the bench. I mounted the vise in the corner, bought the steel work cabinet at Sam's Club, for spray paint and chemicals, and considered it done.
With all that, I had 16x20 that was set aside for my work area. Of that 320 sq.ft, I probably have about half of it set aside as open work area. It works great, and is very enjoyable to work in.
The first thing I did was get my wife a tuff shed. We went through the garage and all her treasure went in there. Then I went through the garage again, and put the rest of her treasures in there.
After that, I started loading a trailer with the garbage from both the side yard, and the garage. It was a 14 foot trailer, and I filled it, twice. I loaded all of the things that I knew I was going to have to store in the part of the garage that I got, into the part of the garage I was not going to get, because of my wife's excursion. It is a garage queen 10 months of the year, because we only take it on vacation.
Then I went and bought some shelving. I chose commercial racking, that was measured to handle the totes I bought. I started sorting and stowing things into the totes, then labeled the totes with what was inside with a label maker. Then I started on the tool box. It all started because I got a 40" tool box for Christmas. I sorted all of the tools I had into the tool box, which I am going to have to resort. While I was doing that, my wife was sorting all the little bolt bins, into Lister containers, and used my old tool box to store them in.
When I bought the shelving, I bought a workbench made from the same type of racking. It had a 3/4" piece of particle board. Since the bench was rated at something like 1250 lbs. I bought a piece of 10 gauge steel that was cut to fit, and put that on top of the bench. I mounted the vise in the corner, bought the steel work cabinet at Sam's Club, for spray paint and chemicals, and considered it done.
With all that, I had 16x20 that was set aside for my work area. Of that 320 sq.ft, I probably have about half of it set aside as open work area. It works great, and is very enjoyable to work in.
Racecarl
Well-known member
I clean best right after a big project. I start off putting like items in piles--wrenches in one pile, sockets in another, electrical stuff in another. I wipe off the tools, parts, ect. and put them away, trying to group like items together. I do the best when I work on weeknights--sort things one night-clean individual parts the next--put things away the next--clean the bench and counters--sweep the floor and get all the trash out the next.
I try to clean as I go but I don't always have the disicpline to do so. I can get engrossed in a project and look at the time only to realize it is midnight and I have to get up at 5:30 the next morning, so tools just get dropped and the mess begins.
I drive a truck now so I have time to think how to organize things--sometimes a mental picture helps the actual picture come into reality.
I try to clean as I go but I don't always have the disicpline to do so. I can get engrossed in a project and look at the time only to realize it is midnight and I have to get up at 5:30 the next morning, so tools just get dropped and the mess begins.
I drive a truck now so I have time to think how to organize things--sometimes a mental picture helps the actual picture come into reality.
crewchief888
Well-known member
i'm going through the same thing here.
i moved out of a rented 35x45 bulding back into a 10x22 garage. i forgot how much stuff i had at the shop. i sold off what i could, trashed some stuff, and had 1300 lbs of scrap i hauled away.
i started new years weekend loading my pickup and utility trailer. i unloaded everything in the driveway, moved the wifes car out and started putting up some shelves, basically trying to get everything off the floor. it took 3 weekends to get the shop cleared out, moved, tools moved from 4 sets of boxes into 2 sets, everything i stuffed into the boxes put "someplace".
the 4th weeknd was probably the worst, moving my s-10 no steering, or brakes, 10" of snow on the ground. finnaly got everything moved out of the way so her car will fit in the garage.
i moved everything that didnt have to be in there out, i hope she dont look behind the garage
i'll have to wait till spring to really get working on the s-10, i work outside all day, last thing i wanna do is lay on that coldassed floor when i get home.
i moved out of a rented 35x45 bulding back into a 10x22 garage. i forgot how much stuff i had at the shop. i sold off what i could, trashed some stuff, and had 1300 lbs of scrap i hauled away.
i started new years weekend loading my pickup and utility trailer. i unloaded everything in the driveway, moved the wifes car out and started putting up some shelves, basically trying to get everything off the floor. it took 3 weekends to get the shop cleared out, moved, tools moved from 4 sets of boxes into 2 sets, everything i stuffed into the boxes put "someplace".
the 4th weeknd was probably the worst, moving my s-10 no steering, or brakes, 10" of snow on the ground. finnaly got everything moved out of the way so her car will fit in the garage.
i moved everything that didnt have to be in there out, i hope she dont look behind the garage
i'll have to wait till spring to really get working on the s-10, i work outside all day, last thing i wanna do is lay on that coldassed floor when i get home.
tatra
Well-known member
i don't organize... i rotatate stock...............
I've got the same problem... too much stuff, not enough organization. My garage isn't the problem, it's my 32x40 shop... I can't walk in it, and because of that, I can't finish it. I've been chipping away at it, including building a 10x10 office with a storage loft above it. The loft is only about 4-feet tall (plus the open area above the truss frames), and has a cut-down pallet rack up there for storage. A good bit of stuff has gone up there... though the truth is, a lot of it should probably have just gone.
Some things that help: Throw stuff away! I'm talking litter, garbage and empty cardboard boxes. If your shop is like mine, you always end up with a sizable amount of plain old trash cluttering up the place.
One of the best things I ever did was bought a bunch of storage totes, with the clam-shell lids. I used them all up for a lot of different things (holiday decorations, swap meet set-up equipment, car parts, etc.) and I just found some more.
Shelves, shelves and more shelves. Lots of businesses are going out of business, so check to see who is having a huge sale, and buy some of their HD store room shelves.
Got a ton of spray paint cans? Buy a plastic milk crate, tip the crate on its side, and lay the cans in there on their sides. Then put the crate on a shelf.
Round up all your tools and put them in your tool box. This will help a lot. Just go on a scavenger hunt for tools, and don't worry about anything else. I did that at a friend's place a couple weeks ago... his tool box was literally empty. He didn't know he had that many tools!
You probably have lots of misc. nuts and bolts. If you don't have a bin, throw them in a coffee can, a couple boxes, or throw them out.
I've also found that having several garbage cans around the shop helps--one by the front doors, one in the back, and one by the work bench. This keeps you from setting litter down "for just a quick second while I..."
Another thing is to go through and look at all the stuff you've got that's "Too good to throw away, but not good enough to keep." We're all guilty of this. I tend to purge it somewhat regularly after coming up with that philosophy. I'll ask around, maybe put the stuff up for sale in a classified ad on a couple of sites, and if it doesn't get any takers in a week, off to the garbage can or scrap pile it goes.
And finally, I hear, though I have no actual experience with this, that actually bolting parts back on the project cars will do remarkable things as far as cleaning up the shop goes. Again, I don't know this from first-hand experience, but a lot of my friends assure me this is the case. I do know that two extra doors, the stock seats, two front fenders, a grill support and two inner fenders for a '62 Suburban take up a lot of room. Those are the extras. The Nailhead engine, two transmissions, bellhousing, radiator and fan shroud for a '54 Buick take up a good bit of room as well.
I can also see where getting the rear end, with it's still-attached leaf springs, back under the '57 Chevy race car would also clear out a significant area...
I could go on...
-Brad
Some things that help: Throw stuff away! I'm talking litter, garbage and empty cardboard boxes. If your shop is like mine, you always end up with a sizable amount of plain old trash cluttering up the place.
One of the best things I ever did was bought a bunch of storage totes, with the clam-shell lids. I used them all up for a lot of different things (holiday decorations, swap meet set-up equipment, car parts, etc.) and I just found some more.
Shelves, shelves and more shelves. Lots of businesses are going out of business, so check to see who is having a huge sale, and buy some of their HD store room shelves.
Got a ton of spray paint cans? Buy a plastic milk crate, tip the crate on its side, and lay the cans in there on their sides. Then put the crate on a shelf.
Round up all your tools and put them in your tool box. This will help a lot. Just go on a scavenger hunt for tools, and don't worry about anything else. I did that at a friend's place a couple weeks ago... his tool box was literally empty. He didn't know he had that many tools!
You probably have lots of misc. nuts and bolts. If you don't have a bin, throw them in a coffee can, a couple boxes, or throw them out.
I've also found that having several garbage cans around the shop helps--one by the front doors, one in the back, and one by the work bench. This keeps you from setting litter down "for just a quick second while I..."
Another thing is to go through and look at all the stuff you've got that's "Too good to throw away, but not good enough to keep." We're all guilty of this. I tend to purge it somewhat regularly after coming up with that philosophy. I'll ask around, maybe put the stuff up for sale in a classified ad on a couple of sites, and if it doesn't get any takers in a week, off to the garbage can or scrap pile it goes.
And finally, I hear, though I have no actual experience with this, that actually bolting parts back on the project cars will do remarkable things as far as cleaning up the shop goes. Again, I don't know this from first-hand experience, but a lot of my friends assure me this is the case. I do know that two extra doors, the stock seats, two front fenders, a grill support and two inner fenders for a '62 Suburban take up a lot of room. Those are the extras. The Nailhead engine, two transmissions, bellhousing, radiator and fan shroud for a '54 Buick take up a good bit of room as well.
I can also see where getting the rear end, with it's still-attached leaf springs, back under the '57 Chevy race car would also clear out a significant area...
I could go on...
-Brad
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Hey man, your pics allow me to bring up a point:
When building your shelves, think about what you'll be setting on them. Look at the pics of your shelves--look at all the dead, unused space between what is sitting on each shelf, and then the distance to the shelf above it.
In other words, if you have a bunch of valve covers and intake manifolds, you know those are only going to occupy about an 8-inch tall space. So build one short shelf for short things.
If you can find plastic tote boxes, build the shelves to just fit the height of the tote boxes.
Say you have an 7-foot tall shelf, and you've spaced your shelves 18 inches apart. That gives you five shelves (counting the one on top). If you are able to shorten the space between shelves by just 2 inches per shelf, you've picked up enough space to add an additional shelf. I have one unit that is exactly 2 storage boxes high from the ground to the first shelf, and then each shelf is exactly one storage box high.
Just some food for thought.
-Brad
These are all EXCELLENT suggestions......my contribution is one I had to go through myself recently and think it applies to your situation.....
The MAIN reason you may find yourself in this pickle is your "pattern of behavior"....
I realized that I am so busy most of the time that I just throw it somewhere and say I'll get to it later and then before I know it.....DAMN!! What a mess....
Since I've gotten organized I've gotten better at putting things away...I have a place or at least an area for stuff now and it's easier to clean up when there's a place for stuff....
I think I also have a problem with time management...I think the "cleaning" shouldn't take so long and I get pissed that it is 'cause I've already so much to do....
Truth is....I'd have more time if I cleaned and organised more...
Once again....my "pattern of behavior" needs altering...Hope this helps....
-T
The MAIN reason you may find yourself in this pickle is your "pattern of behavior"....
I realized that I am so busy most of the time that I just throw it somewhere and say I'll get to it later and then before I know it.....DAMN!! What a mess....
Since I've gotten organized I've gotten better at putting things away...I have a place or at least an area for stuff now and it's easier to clean up when there's a place for stuff....
I think I also have a problem with time management...I think the "cleaning" shouldn't take so long and I get pissed that it is 'cause I've already so much to do....
Truth is....I'd have more time if I cleaned and organised more...
Once again....my "pattern of behavior" needs altering...Hope this helps....
-T
diogenes
Well-known member
In no way am I going to claim that I have mastered the following. But, I present it as something to think about and aspire to.
All the preceding advice everyone has given assumes that you already have a "place" for your stuff. That is the first thing you need to figure out: Where does stuff go. Shelves, basement, storage shed, etc... Once you figure out where home is for the things you know you need and are going to keep, it is easier to put it there.
I have learned over the years that habits can be learned and unlearned. If you force yourself to follow a rule, you will eventually do it without thinking about it, it becomes habit.
I have learned to put my tools and equipment back where they belong when I'm done, or just done for the day. I've learned to plan my projects so I can leave them incomplete until I can work on them again and get them done to the best of my ability not to the time I have available at the moment.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that your work habits drive your storage and clutter problems. Force yourself to develop sound work habits, put things away when you finish the job, or have to leave it until another day, and much of the clutter issues are already addressed. You will spend less time putting things away, and getting them back out, than you already spend hunting for the tools or supplies you didn't put away when you were working on another project.
Schedule the work you want to get done and complete them one by one. It's fine to have several projects going, but if you prioritize them and complete the ones that you can quickest, there goes the clutter and mess for that project. Too much to do is the problem you are describing. Identify your mission essential tasks list (METL) and knock them out, then work on the supporting tasks in order of priority.
Right now I have several light fixtures taking up floor space in my barn. If I get off my dead *** and get them installed, I get that space back and better lighting conditions for my other projects. That moves that project up my METL. I have wood stacked up for shelves, that project will wait until I have the light and floor space to do it. I need to pull the front of SWMBO's engine apart, that has to wait for lighting and shelves... Make a plan and take it in order.
There is an old saying that is very popular in the Army: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Make a plan and knock it out by the numbers.
All the preceding advice everyone has given assumes that you already have a "place" for your stuff. That is the first thing you need to figure out: Where does stuff go. Shelves, basement, storage shed, etc... Once you figure out where home is for the things you know you need and are going to keep, it is easier to put it there.
I have learned over the years that habits can be learned and unlearned. If you force yourself to follow a rule, you will eventually do it without thinking about it, it becomes habit.
I have learned to put my tools and equipment back where they belong when I'm done, or just done for the day. I've learned to plan my projects so I can leave them incomplete until I can work on them again and get them done to the best of my ability not to the time I have available at the moment.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that your work habits drive your storage and clutter problems. Force yourself to develop sound work habits, put things away when you finish the job, or have to leave it until another day, and much of the clutter issues are already addressed. You will spend less time putting things away, and getting them back out, than you already spend hunting for the tools or supplies you didn't put away when you were working on another project.
Schedule the work you want to get done and complete them one by one. It's fine to have several projects going, but if you prioritize them and complete the ones that you can quickest, there goes the clutter and mess for that project. Too much to do is the problem you are describing. Identify your mission essential tasks list (METL) and knock them out, then work on the supporting tasks in order of priority.
Right now I have several light fixtures taking up floor space in my barn. If I get off my dead *** and get them installed, I get that space back and better lighting conditions for my other projects. That moves that project up my METL. I have wood stacked up for shelves, that project will wait until I have the light and floor space to do it. I need to pull the front of SWMBO's engine apart, that has to wait for lighting and shelves... Make a plan and take it in order.
There is an old saying that is very popular in the Army: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Make a plan and knock it out by the numbers.
Thanks again for all the suggestions.
I would have commented along the way, but even though I set up this thread to notify me, I didn't get any emails so I assumed nobody commented after the last post I read.
I think one step I need to take is to buy/build some sort of tool cabinet. I have more tools than can fit in my rollaround chest. I think I'll dedicate the current chest to common mechanical tools (so I can roll it to the car if need be) and put everything else in whatever I find.
I did build some neat (albeit rough) wall-hanging cabinets with pegboard insides. I took another look at them, and I could do some rearranging, buy some more pegboard hooks, and utilize them a lot better.
That might get me enough space to at least pull a chair in and be able to sit down while I ponder further.
Turns out I bought one of those awnings you put up over a picnic table last summer. I figure that I can set that up in the driveway, then I can drag things out there and if it rains, they won't get soaked. Probably still have to wait for warmer weather, as snow tends not to be vertically limited, and I doubt the sun awning can take a snow load, but it's something to plan for in a few months. Heck, we might even get a heat wave before then when it goes above freezing for a few days.
I'm supposed to see my FIL Friday. They have a place in the country and I can haul burnables out there to the pile. That way, I don't have to cut them up into little pieces and bundle them up for the city trash collectors.
So, I've got some plans to get started, which is a bunch more than I had when I started the thread. I really appreciate the help.
I would have commented along the way, but even though I set up this thread to notify me, I didn't get any emails so I assumed nobody commented after the last post I read.
I think one step I need to take is to buy/build some sort of tool cabinet. I have more tools than can fit in my rollaround chest. I think I'll dedicate the current chest to common mechanical tools (so I can roll it to the car if need be) and put everything else in whatever I find.
I did build some neat (albeit rough) wall-hanging cabinets with pegboard insides. I took another look at them, and I could do some rearranging, buy some more pegboard hooks, and utilize them a lot better.
That might get me enough space to at least pull a chair in and be able to sit down while I ponder further.
Turns out I bought one of those awnings you put up over a picnic table last summer. I figure that I can set that up in the driveway, then I can drag things out there and if it rains, they won't get soaked. Probably still have to wait for warmer weather, as snow tends not to be vertically limited, and I doubt the sun awning can take a snow load, but it's something to plan for in a few months. Heck, we might even get a heat wave before then when it goes above freezing for a few days.
I'm supposed to see my FIL Friday. They have a place in the country and I can haul burnables out there to the pile. That way, I don't have to cut them up into little pieces and bundle them up for the city trash collectors.
So, I've got some plans to get started, which is a bunch more than I had when I started the thread. I really appreciate the help.
For four years, all I would do was to look at it, get frustrated, and walk away.
Lots of great advice, here.
For me, it didn't get done until I set aside a weekend and started out by pulling EVERYTHING out of the garage. That produced piles, which kept getting subdivided into different piles as I went through them.
But it's hard to do.
Lots of great advice, here.
For me, it didn't get done until I set aside a weekend and started out by pulling EVERYTHING out of the garage. That produced piles, which kept getting subdivided into different piles as I went through them.
But it's hard to do.
gahrajmahal
Well-known member
During winter months I shun the cold garage so I organize on paper. I try and carry a pad of paper with me so I can keep a list. A trick for multiple projects I use is to not buy anything for a project I am not currently working on. Example: paint the master bathroom. I know I must remove all the wall plates and wash the walls prior to painting. I don't buy the paint until the prep work is done, despite all the "paint sales". It will go on sale again.
I like several suggestions from this post:
measure your space
itemize your stuff and list where it should go
photograph your space
prioritize
The one I want to do myself is photograph, identify model # and cost and create an alphabetized list so I can find the stuff I already have. But I must wait to buy the organizational software until I get it all out and photograph it. Damn my rules!
I like several suggestions from this post:
measure your space
itemize your stuff and list where it should go
photograph your space
prioritize
The one I want to do myself is photograph, identify model # and cost and create an alphabetized list so I can find the stuff I already have. But I must wait to buy the organizational software until I get it all out and photograph it. Damn my rules!
Handyman163
Well-known member
GO VERTICAL!!! Use as much of your overhead and/or out-of-reach space for all of the non-essentials.
My three-car garage has about 10.5 foot ceilings, so I've got tons of space overhead. My bikes are hanging already, and the previous owner built a platform hanging from chains from the ceiling that is basically a 4' x 6' platform to store stuff above the wide garage door. I've got the space to build another 1-3 of those platforms above and on either side of the door-opener track. I live in show country, and don't have a shed - so the lawnmowers and snow-blower take up about half of the third bay, but it also is deeper than the rest of the garage, so that's my work area.
I've got some cabinets below and above my bench, and store stuff on top of the overhead cabinets. I still have the space to make 12" storage-height shelves around 3 sides of the garage if I need.
If you think about the stuff you don't get to a lot, you can put it up high. You may need a ladder, but get as much stuff off the floor as possible and that will really open it up. I've even been thinking about building some kind of "rack" that my riding lawnmower can fit under and the push-mower can sit on top of just to consolidate those 2. An outdoor shed is an option, but the battery-tender (HF model) on the riding lawnmower would be harder to get juice to if it were outside in a shed.
My three-car garage has about 10.5 foot ceilings, so I've got tons of space overhead. My bikes are hanging already, and the previous owner built a platform hanging from chains from the ceiling that is basically a 4' x 6' platform to store stuff above the wide garage door. I've got the space to build another 1-3 of those platforms above and on either side of the door-opener track. I live in show country, and don't have a shed - so the lawnmowers and snow-blower take up about half of the third bay, but it also is deeper than the rest of the garage, so that's my work area.
I've got some cabinets below and above my bench, and store stuff on top of the overhead cabinets. I still have the space to make 12" storage-height shelves around 3 sides of the garage if I need.
If you think about the stuff you don't get to a lot, you can put it up high. You may need a ladder, but get as much stuff off the floor as possible and that will really open it up. I've even been thinking about building some kind of "rack" that my riding lawnmower can fit under and the push-mower can sit on top of just to consolidate those 2. An outdoor shed is an option, but the battery-tender (HF model) on the riding lawnmower would be harder to get juice to if it were outside in a shed.
Buford T. Justice
Well-known member
Boy do I know how you feel. I am a huge "saver" by nature. I had exactly the same situation you describe only it was in my basement storage room. unfortunately starting last Thanksgiving and ever since I opened the door and pitched anything and everything in with a deal with it later mindset. That just came to a head two weeks ago. I spent an entire Saturday and took nearly everythhing out and threw or gave away 60% of the stuff I havent looked at in forever and finally organized the "keep" stuff into labled boxes, etc. Made a huge difference and now I actually enjoy being in that room. It's my downstairs "mancave".
royale5
Member
Lots of good stuff here. I have a good foundation to start as my garage was already equiped with some cabentry (old 80's style kitchen cabinets). The trouble is organizing the cabinets to fit everything in them. I have already moved the bikes, and lawn items to the shed. The next step is some slatwall or pegboard to get some of the misc. items up off the floor. Once this snow melts I am going to be moving full bore!
Same thing happened to me, and as some people have said first thing I did was look around and ask myself, what doesn't belong here? Bring lawn stuff into the shed, then house stuff into the house. Look around for garbage, and toss it. Consolidate stuff (I combined 6 bottles of windex into one) Check stuff 4 being old(found several old hard cans of paint and bondo) Then sell extra stuff, I used craigslist. sold an old tv for $20 in 20 minutes. Then go from there, starting one area at a time.
I will add that you should watch an episode or two of Hoarders. Man, I practically crawl the walls wanting to chuck all the trash watching that show!
Practiced what I preach last night. Went into the basement and scrapped out the office copier that i've been meaning to junk for three years. Filled the trash bin with plastic and threw the metal carcass in the van to go to the scrap pile at work. Man, that felt good! I reaaranged some stuff and when the wife came downstairs, she said "Wow, look at all the open space!"
Practiced what I preach last night. Went into the basement and scrapped out the office copier that i've been meaning to junk for three years. Filled the trash bin with plastic and threw the metal carcass in the van to go to the scrap pile at work. Man, that felt good! I reaaranged some stuff and when the wife came downstairs, she said "Wow, look at all the open space!"
Andy Griffith
ALLIANCE MEMBER
- Accept that it is a dynamic and ongoing process of continual improvement. Look at it as a marathon not a sprint.
- Accept imperfection. If you try to noodle out the perfect end game organization scheme for every tool and piece of equipment you will be stuck in analysis paralysis forever.
- Make a decision, any decision, even if you have to re-do something the next day, just make a decision. Sometimes I will not let myself leave the shop and quit for the day until I've made a decision about a particular item that I'm struggling with.
- Start, just start somewhere. When I do the wholesale re-organization thing I start at one point on a wall and work my way around the shop in a counter clockwise direction. My rule is to 'touch everything' on this journey around the shop. Open every drawer, box, storage tote, cabinet, bag, everything. Touch every single tool, supply, materials etc. Challenge whether the item is really needed. If not put it in the pile for either the dump or goodwill or to be sold. If the item is really needed challenge if it is stored in the most logical place and in the most logical manner.
I am just now finishing one of these re-organization processes and I have 3 feet to go before I am back at the point that I started. In that three feet is one more storage cabinet and a giant nail/screw storage box that needs downsized into two smaller easier to handle boxes. It has taken me two months of weekends and some week nights to get to this point. I have taken four truck loads to the dump and two to goodwill. And I have 7 plastic totes of items to sell on ebay or craigslist.
- I have all of my storage cabinets and much of the equipment on casters so I can re-organize based on what particular project I'm doing.
- I try to pay particular attention to 'storage at point of use'. For awhile there I had the drill bits stored in a cabinet across the shop from the drill press, and the cutting fluid was in yet another cabinet on the other side of the shop. I finally got smart and moved a cabinet next to the drill press to store the bits, sharpener, and cutting fluid. I also drilled a hole in the top of the pulley cover on the drill press to store that stupid chuck key that I was always looking for.
- Finally, it's important to actually do some projects in the shop other than organizing. Organizing can be fun and satisfying but don't let it rule your shop life. Sometimes you just need to step away from the the label maker for awhile.
- Accept imperfection. If you try to noodle out the perfect end game organization scheme for every tool and piece of equipment you will be stuck in analysis paralysis forever.
- Make a decision, any decision, even if you have to re-do something the next day, just make a decision. Sometimes I will not let myself leave the shop and quit for the day until I've made a decision about a particular item that I'm struggling with.
- Start, just start somewhere. When I do the wholesale re-organization thing I start at one point on a wall and work my way around the shop in a counter clockwise direction. My rule is to 'touch everything' on this journey around the shop. Open every drawer, box, storage tote, cabinet, bag, everything. Touch every single tool, supply, materials etc. Challenge whether the item is really needed. If not put it in the pile for either the dump or goodwill or to be sold. If the item is really needed challenge if it is stored in the most logical place and in the most logical manner.
I am just now finishing one of these re-organization processes and I have 3 feet to go before I am back at the point that I started. In that three feet is one more storage cabinet and a giant nail/screw storage box that needs downsized into two smaller easier to handle boxes. It has taken me two months of weekends and some week nights to get to this point. I have taken four truck loads to the dump and two to goodwill. And I have 7 plastic totes of items to sell on ebay or craigslist.
- I have all of my storage cabinets and much of the equipment on casters so I can re-organize based on what particular project I'm doing.
- I try to pay particular attention to 'storage at point of use'. For awhile there I had the drill bits stored in a cabinet across the shop from the drill press, and the cutting fluid was in yet another cabinet on the other side of the shop. I finally got smart and moved a cabinet next to the drill press to store the bits, sharpener, and cutting fluid. I also drilled a hole in the top of the pulley cover on the drill press to store that stupid chuck key that I was always looking for.
- Finally, it's important to actually do some projects in the shop other than organizing. Organizing can be fun and satisfying but don't let it rule your shop life. Sometimes you just need to step away from the the label maker for awhile.
burleymike
Well-known member
I have the same problem as some of you. We moved in to this house 4 years ago and I have been completely gutting and rebuilding one room at a time. Now I just have the basement, laundry room, and main bath to go. The one thing I want to do before those rooms is the garage. When we moved in it was just boxes everywhere almost to the ceiling. Now that we have most of the house done all the furniture is out of there.
Now it is just boxes of various holiday decorations, kids clothes, and other household **** like that. All that stuff keeps the very few shelves full. My stuff is all stacked in/on piles of boxes. It is a total mess that until I have the time to build shelves I can not do much about.
I took a few days last year to organize the dump. I realized I could not do much since I have no shelves for my stuff or any type of storage options. I did manage to organize my stuff into boxes by the type of tools.
I have had all the lumber to build a beam to support the sagging ceiling and all the sheetrock to do the walls for months. I have been real sick with sinus problems since August so I still cannot do much. After my surgery and the weather is better, everything is going to the barn. Then I will get the ceiling, wiring, and sheetrock done. Then I am going to build some usable shelves.
Maybe by this summer for the first time in my adult life I will have an organized usable garage. Someday I want to convert the barn into a shop. Then the garage will be for car parking and household storage only.
Now it is just boxes of various holiday decorations, kids clothes, and other household **** like that. All that stuff keeps the very few shelves full. My stuff is all stacked in/on piles of boxes. It is a total mess that until I have the time to build shelves I can not do much about.
I took a few days last year to organize the dump. I realized I could not do much since I have no shelves for my stuff or any type of storage options. I did manage to organize my stuff into boxes by the type of tools.
I have had all the lumber to build a beam to support the sagging ceiling and all the sheetrock to do the walls for months. I have been real sick with sinus problems since August so I still cannot do much. After my surgery and the weather is better, everything is going to the barn. Then I will get the ceiling, wiring, and sheetrock done. Then I am going to build some usable shelves.
Maybe by this summer for the first time in my adult life I will have an organized usable garage. Someday I want to convert the barn into a shop. Then the garage will be for car parking and household storage only.
For me the best solution was to build a second garage that is now officially "The Shop". The original attached garage is now "The Garage", and is used only for parking cars and motorcycles.
The Shop, (since it was new), was empty, with nothing in the way. It was pretty easy to take my time and move all of the shop stuff from The Garage a piece at a time and organize it properly with enough room left to work.
This was a fairly expensive solution, but now that it's done, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The best part, is I also have room for more tools!
Dale
The Shop, (since it was new), was empty, with nothing in the way. It was pretty easy to take my time and move all of the shop stuff from The Garage a piece at a time and organize it properly with enough room left to work.
This was a fairly expensive solution, but now that it's done, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The best part, is I also have room for more tools!
Dale
I stayed away from the garage on Monday, but last night I took another stab at it.
Earlier in the winter, I rigged up an old propane RV furnace that I had bought on CL for $50. I can get the garage up above 50, which is much better than the 20-30 degree weather we have this time of year. When I come home, I crank it up, go inside, have dinner, change clothes, watch the news. By 6-ish it's a little more bearable, and that helps a lot.
I had a project strewn across the work table. I took that off, just stacked the wood in the wood pile, and put all the tools away. Then I just started picking things off the floor and putting them on the table, sweeping up the sawdust and clutter as I went along.
That gave me enough space to pull stuff out from under the tables, sweep back there, and evaulate whether to put back, put elsewhere or toss.
After two hours, I had a bag of trash, about half the floorspace is clear, and I can actually move around.
Of course, now all my worktables are piled with stuff, but it's a lot easier to deal with I don't have to bend down for everything, or trip over it.
Feels good just to make some progress. One thing that surprised me - I changed a light bulb in an overhead fixture that's been burned out since June. (I had to clear the clutter to get a stepladder there first). Made a surprising difference in brightening that area of the garage - I hadn't noticed how gloomy it had gotten in that corner, and how I sort of subconsciously avoided that part of the garage.
Earlier in the winter, I rigged up an old propane RV furnace that I had bought on CL for $50. I can get the garage up above 50, which is much better than the 20-30 degree weather we have this time of year. When I come home, I crank it up, go inside, have dinner, change clothes, watch the news. By 6-ish it's a little more bearable, and that helps a lot.
I had a project strewn across the work table. I took that off, just stacked the wood in the wood pile, and put all the tools away. Then I just started picking things off the floor and putting them on the table, sweeping up the sawdust and clutter as I went along.
That gave me enough space to pull stuff out from under the tables, sweep back there, and evaulate whether to put back, put elsewhere or toss.
After two hours, I had a bag of trash, about half the floorspace is clear, and I can actually move around.
Of course, now all my worktables are piled with stuff, but it's a lot easier to deal with I don't have to bend down for everything, or trip over it.
Feels good just to make some progress. One thing that surprised me - I changed a light bulb in an overhead fixture that's been burned out since June. (I had to clear the clutter to get a stepladder there first). Made a surprising difference in brightening that area of the garage - I hadn't noticed how gloomy it had gotten in that corner, and how I sort of subconsciously avoided that part of the garage.
diogenes
Well-known member
Get to work on one of the projects you've got going.
One of two things will happen:
1) You'll finish it and get it out of the way, or
2) You'll get so frustrated by searching for the tools and supplies you need to finish it that you'll rip into cleaning the place up.
The third option is possible - "F this 'til it warms up." But I didn't want to chill your enthusiasm to get started.
Good luck!
One of two things will happen:
1) You'll finish it and get it out of the way, or
2) You'll get so frustrated by searching for the tools and supplies you need to finish it that you'll rip into cleaning the place up.
The third option is possible - "F this 'til it warms up." But I didn't want to chill your enthusiasm to get started.
Good luck!
keflaman
Well-known member
ckucia,
Thanks so much for starting this thread. My manliness and self-esteem were withering away as I thought I was only one with this problem!
I was encouraged to hear from members who have chronicled their impressive garage/shop/space makeovers in other threads admit they started out in the same situation with the same frustrations.
In that vein, I appreciate everyone taking the time to offer advice and pictures of their accomplishments. I know it's helped me and I hope I can contribute some useful ideas later on.
Thanks so much for starting this thread. My manliness and self-esteem were withering away as I thought I was only one with this problem!
I was encouraged to hear from members who have chronicled their impressive garage/shop/space makeovers in other threads admit they started out in the same situation with the same frustrations.
In that vein, I appreciate everyone taking the time to offer advice and pictures of their accomplishments. I know it's helped me and I hope I can contribute some useful ideas later on.
TEXACMAN
Well-known member
Boy do I know the feeling , I have been picking at my shop mess for a month . I have been frustrated and gone to the house at times. I worked for two hours tonight and it atleast it has a path through it. I have decided my workbench is too deep for one, it is always too hard to reach my pegboard and hang things back up. I plan on a rebuild of the bench down to around 24" deep , right now it is like 36". A bad habit I have picked up is just opening the door and setting something on the floor , the next thing I know I have to climb over the pile at the door. I will spend the next two nights out there , maybe that will help !
nissan_crawler
Well-known member
Get a few 6-packs and start drinking. Then get the garbage cans out, and dump everything in one area you want to clean, on the floor.
Now, after a good buzz is going, decide if it's worth picking that item up off the floor and putting it neatly in a labeled box on a shelf, or if it's easier to throw it away.
You won't believe how clean the garage is in the morning.
Now, after a good buzz is going, decide if it's worth picking that item up off the floor and putting it neatly in a labeled box on a shelf, or if it's easier to throw it away.
You won't believe how clean the garage is in the morning.
Lippyp
Well-known member
I have this as a perrenial problem. Part of it is just simply a space issue, its hard to re-organise when you don't have space to move stuff somewhere else to then reorganise the space you've just cleared.
It doesn't help I have the usual issues of mower, odd garden stuff, things like the roof box for the car etc in a space most of you US guys would call a shed. The shed is full of gardening stuff so theres not enough room for the mower in there either.
That said going to look at a couple of houses this weekend that would solve the storage problems, both have buildings that will make great workshops, onee already used for that with pit ect roughly 23 x 60 and the other has a nissen hut style building about 20 x 36, and extra outbuildings to use as storage space plus room to build more, one with 5 acres and the other with 18 acres. Moving might just solve my problems!
It doesn't help I have the usual issues of mower, odd garden stuff, things like the roof box for the car etc in a space most of you US guys would call a shed. The shed is full of gardening stuff so theres not enough room for the mower in there either.
That said going to look at a couple of houses this weekend that would solve the storage problems, both have buildings that will make great workshops, onee already used for that with pit ect roughly 23 x 60 and the other has a nissen hut style building about 20 x 36, and extra outbuildings to use as storage space plus room to build more, one with 5 acres and the other with 18 acres. Moving might just solve my problems!
I did do some measuring last night.
My garage is 17x17 with two single rollup doors. No other entrances, and two windows on the "shop-side" wall
Gives me about 3 inches on the sides from the edge of the door to the inside wall, and about 12" (only 7" of which is useable due to the tracks) of space between the doors.
The roof peak is right above the doors (slopes forward via an overhang) and slopes back to about an 7.5' ceiling at the back wall. Not much space overhead for storage or cabinets. Have a 4" x 8" beam down the middle (2 2x8s).
I still have trouble believing this, but my roof is 2x4 joists that span the entire width of the garage (although held up by the middle beam). 18' 2x4s - can you even buy those anymore? The 2x8s down the middle are also continuous.
Did I mention that the roof started leaking in about 4 places just as it was too late in the season to do anything about it?
I sometimes wonder what sorts of cars my garage was designed to hold. My house was built in the late 20s, but the garage was added later. I'm guessing 1940s.
My wife's Altima, which is a microcar compared to what was built back then is 15 1/2 feet long. That only leaves a foot and a half of clearance. The previous owner had a 1st gen Taurus that (presumably) fit, and I had a 1st gen Sebring convertible and S-10 pickup that would fit, but those were just barely.
A '55 Chevy is almost 16 1/2 feet long - that's pretty tight (although I did loose a few inches when they switched from outside-mounted hinged doors to standard inside-mounted tracked rollups). By my measuring, there was probably a period from the late 50s until the mid 70s where almost no "family size" car out of Detroit that the previous owners bought would have fit in the garage.
My garage is 17x17 with two single rollup doors. No other entrances, and two windows on the "shop-side" wall
Gives me about 3 inches on the sides from the edge of the door to the inside wall, and about 12" (only 7" of which is useable due to the tracks) of space between the doors.
The roof peak is right above the doors (slopes forward via an overhang) and slopes back to about an 7.5' ceiling at the back wall. Not much space overhead for storage or cabinets. Have a 4" x 8" beam down the middle (2 2x8s).
I still have trouble believing this, but my roof is 2x4 joists that span the entire width of the garage (although held up by the middle beam). 18' 2x4s - can you even buy those anymore? The 2x8s down the middle are also continuous.
Did I mention that the roof started leaking in about 4 places just as it was too late in the season to do anything about it?
I sometimes wonder what sorts of cars my garage was designed to hold. My house was built in the late 20s, but the garage was added later. I'm guessing 1940s.
My wife's Altima, which is a microcar compared to what was built back then is 15 1/2 feet long. That only leaves a foot and a half of clearance. The previous owner had a 1st gen Taurus that (presumably) fit, and I had a 1st gen Sebring convertible and S-10 pickup that would fit, but those were just barely.
A '55 Chevy is almost 16 1/2 feet long - that's pretty tight (although I did loose a few inches when they switched from outside-mounted hinged doors to standard inside-mounted tracked rollups). By my measuring, there was probably a period from the late 50s until the mid 70s where almost no "family size" car out of Detroit that the previous owners bought would have fit in the garage.
I just came out the other side of this dilemma. A couple of years ago, my woodshop was so cluttered with tools and lumber/plywood scraps that I could barely walk through except for a circuitous path I kept sorta clear. After a great deal of imagining and mental rearranging, I decided that the center of my problem was a cumbersome A-frame lumber cart made from 3/4" ply. The fact that the cart was on heavy duty casters and yet immovable was an additional insult. So last summer I took all the lumber out and deconstructed the Beast. I found a fairly cheap lumber storage system online. All told, I spent $200. It consists of 8 4X6 landscape timbers that lean vertically against the wall at about a 10-degree angle. The bottoms sit on a 4X4 which is bolted into the concrete. The tops are lag-screwed into the wall top plate. For racks, I found some 1/2" diameter, 18" long iron spikes near the concrete/rebar sections of Lowe's/H-depot and set them 6" deep. I covered them with PVC to protect the lumber from rust and black iron marks. I've loaded it with all my lumber plus all my long, narrow stuff like PVC, trim, pipes and more.
I guess the thing that finally got me motivated enough to put the plan in action was to commit myself to a new, big project (15' cedar strip canoe), which required major shop space. I finally bought the cedar lumber on New Year's eve.
Of course, I put that project on hold to reside the garage, which is nearly finished. Best of luck. Being in a funk *****!
I guess the thing that finally got me motivated enough to put the plan in action was to commit myself to a new, big project (15' cedar strip canoe), which required major shop space. I finally bought the cedar lumber on New Year's eve.
Of course, I put that project on hold to reside the garage, which is nearly finished. Best of luck. Being in a funk *****!
Daniel Dudley
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2009
- Messages
- 3,546
I used to save all the stuff that would make a good project, but I could never finish the garage and the second story, too much stuff. Too much stuff to finish the building, and too much stuff to ever get around to doing, especially because the main project was the garage.
I would go out to reorganize a couple of times a year. Roll out all the cars and stuff, and try to consolidate. I would wind up moving stuff around, sweeping up, and rolling it all back inside. And the second floor was even worse.
Finally, I had to admit I had a decision to make. Buy lots of shelving, and turn the upstairs into a permanent storage area, organize the car parts etc, or decide to finish the second floor. I had to admit that with the massive amounts of stuff and projects, I hadn't been able to work on cars in anything but the most basic ways, and my garage was failing as a garage and as a workshop.
I decided to get rid of some projects. I found a guy who was a paid car restorer, and I sold him a boatload of car parts and a couple of restorable cars. Strangely enough, he left a ton of parts, which I came to realize were really just junk, as nobody would ever use or want them. So I scrapped them. Multiple blocks, cylinder heads, cam towers, etc,etc... all went to scrap. The rest went to the dump.
Next, I consolidated all the stuff I was not ready to get rid of into one solid, tightly packed area, not to be touched until later. Since it wasn't going to be accessed, I could really pack it tightly, and cram a lot of stuff into a small space. The stuff I had been saving to finish the second floor came to the front, and amazingly enough, I actually had an empty second floor to work on.
Well, the second floor is almost done, and I was able to use many of the windows and cabinets, etc. I had been saving. As it became clear what was being used and what would not be used, I was able to get rid of more stuff. After a while, I started to see that once the studio was finished, I could clear more of the garage of saved furniture, etc, and actually create a garage, a woodworking shop, and maybe even have the time and space to work on OTHER things again.
Hoarding towards a goal is OK - as long as the hording doesn't stop the process. Collecting projects is also OK - if you have the space to store and organize the projects and the parts. I could have easily made a commitment to go in that direction with my cars, but the truth is, even after getting rid of the projects, I still have plenty of cars to work on, and I will now have a better place to do it.
The fact that I was able to find someone who was able to take the cars on was a bonus. Sacrifice a few things now, and create the space for the projects to happen.
I would go out to reorganize a couple of times a year. Roll out all the cars and stuff, and try to consolidate. I would wind up moving stuff around, sweeping up, and rolling it all back inside. And the second floor was even worse.
Finally, I had to admit I had a decision to make. Buy lots of shelving, and turn the upstairs into a permanent storage area, organize the car parts etc, or decide to finish the second floor. I had to admit that with the massive amounts of stuff and projects, I hadn't been able to work on cars in anything but the most basic ways, and my garage was failing as a garage and as a workshop.
I decided to get rid of some projects. I found a guy who was a paid car restorer, and I sold him a boatload of car parts and a couple of restorable cars. Strangely enough, he left a ton of parts, which I came to realize were really just junk, as nobody would ever use or want them. So I scrapped them. Multiple blocks, cylinder heads, cam towers, etc,etc... all went to scrap. The rest went to the dump.
Next, I consolidated all the stuff I was not ready to get rid of into one solid, tightly packed area, not to be touched until later. Since it wasn't going to be accessed, I could really pack it tightly, and cram a lot of stuff into a small space. The stuff I had been saving to finish the second floor came to the front, and amazingly enough, I actually had an empty second floor to work on.
Well, the second floor is almost done, and I was able to use many of the windows and cabinets, etc. I had been saving. As it became clear what was being used and what would not be used, I was able to get rid of more stuff. After a while, I started to see that once the studio was finished, I could clear more of the garage of saved furniture, etc, and actually create a garage, a woodworking shop, and maybe even have the time and space to work on OTHER things again.
Hoarding towards a goal is OK - as long as the hording doesn't stop the process. Collecting projects is also OK - if you have the space to store and organize the projects and the parts. I could have easily made a commitment to go in that direction with my cars, but the truth is, even after getting rid of the projects, I still have plenty of cars to work on, and I will now have a better place to do it.
The fact that I was able to find someone who was able to take the cars on was a bonus. Sacrifice a few things now, and create the space for the projects to happen.
PassnThru
Well-known member
My problem is not generally my detached garage - I don't have many projects going at once and I always try to re-evaluate my storage when I do a yearly cleaning. My problem is the attached garage - and the main problem there is my wife. I can clean it up and she tends to dump anything and everything in it. And I can't clean it up because unlike the detached garage I don't know what to do with it! It's impossible to clean up behind someone else. That is my real paralyzing moment - when I look at everything that needs to be cleaned up and organized and I don't know why it's there
keflaman
Well-known member
Here's My Humble Contribution
Today, while working on my homemade trailer, I decided to try and really focus on putting everything back in place when I was finished with the task at hand.
When finished using my 1/2" drive sockets, I resisted the impulse to lay them to the side and instead I started towards the tool box at the other end of the garage while counting, "one thousand one, one thousand two..."
It took me twelve seconds.
Wow. That's considerably less time than what it took me to FIND where I left the damn socket set!
For the next hour or so I repeated this process comparing mental notes of the elapsed time putting a tool or item back where it was supposed to go, vice wasting time looking for it.
Not exactly earth shattering information, but I thought it may help somebody else.
Today, while working on my homemade trailer, I decided to try and really focus on putting everything back in place when I was finished with the task at hand.
When finished using my 1/2" drive sockets, I resisted the impulse to lay them to the side and instead I started towards the tool box at the other end of the garage while counting, "one thousand one, one thousand two..."
It took me twelve seconds.
Wow. That's considerably less time than what it took me to FIND where I left the damn socket set!
For the next hour or so I repeated this process comparing mental notes of the elapsed time putting a tool or item back where it was supposed to go, vice wasting time looking for it.
Not exactly earth shattering information, but I thought it may help somebody else.
rustbucket49
Well-known member
THIS is an awesome thread!!! Even though I haven't read all of it.... The psychology of garage conquering.
I just stand there and look around thinking "what would Jack do....?" I did pick up a copy of the garage organizing magazine that just came out the other day. Maybe, just maybe, I will make progress this year.
I just stand there and look around thinking "what would Jack do....?" I did pick up a copy of the garage organizing magazine that just came out the other day. Maybe, just maybe, I will make progress this year.
rustbucket49
Well-known member
Re: Here's My Humble Contribution
Saves a lot of money too. I usually say - to hell with it..... and buy another socket when I can't find one. Funny how they always show up the next day. So now I have five 9/16" sockets..
Saves a lot of money too. I usually say - to hell with it..... and buy another socket when I can't find one. Funny how they always show up the next day. So now I have five 9/16" sockets..
onewaydave
Well-known member
x2 on the good advice here, BUT first some self psychoanalysis is in order. One must first decide if you are a keeper or a throw-awayer. That's important 'cause if you are a keeper and you try to follow a throw-awayer's advice, well just mix oil and water there and see what you get.
Yeah, I go to the shop and go through the boxes of stuff I've carted around for 20 years and over 5 states in countless moves thinking I might find a use for and try to cull according to advice given. It just leaves me in a catatonic state of indecision. Kinda like paralysis.
Sleep depravation has done it to me before too. Getting off shift and thinking I'd go to the shop and get something done and find that 4 hours later, I'm sitting there doing nothing holding something to do it with.
Ditto on cold/snow being a demotivator. Best just go to a good book/magazine/forum/cable show on guy type stuff. As the Marines say, its not admitting defeat, its reserving the right to come to fight another day.
Yeah, I go to the shop and go through the boxes of stuff I've carted around for 20 years and over 5 states in countless moves thinking I might find a use for and try to cull according to advice given. It just leaves me in a catatonic state of indecision. Kinda like paralysis.
Sleep depravation has done it to me before too. Getting off shift and thinking I'd go to the shop and get something done and find that 4 hours later, I'm sitting there doing nothing holding something to do it with.
Ditto on cold/snow being a demotivator. Best just go to a good book/magazine/forum/cable show on guy type stuff. As the Marines say, its not admitting defeat, its reserving the right to come to fight another day.