Garage Organization

[AU Doc]

Is there a section on forum where organization is usually discussed? I’m planning to start building may garage early next year, and I’d love to plan out the organization ahead of time. Tool boxes, cabinets, work surfaces, tool racks, and so on. I see these shops on TV, YouTube, race shops, and they all look like nothing is out of place, and everything has a home, and I’m wondering how they even figure out where to start.

 

[wssix99]

The first thing is to order a full size dumpster and fill it up. Its painful to do, but it brings clarity quickly.

 

[NDJ]

The first thing is to order a full size dumpster and fill it up. Its painful to do, but it brings clarity quickly.

I Herd Dat !

 

[AEAdam]

Easy. You start with what you intend DO in your shop. Are you storing things, building things, or working on vehicles?

Great shop layouts are designed by practicality. They are the outcroppings of what you do.

If you are designing a new building, my suggestion is to try designing from the inside out. Figure out what you are doing, then figure out what you need to do it. Try to put 4’ between fixed tool boxes and vehicles. Walkways should be 3’ wide.

 

[CraigStu]

You can find inexpensive computer programs that will let you work out floor plans for placing the large items. When we did our house I used one from HGTV but I don't know if it is still available. In 2D mode I was able to place furniture and equipment and each item was customizable for size and color so I could make things that looked close enough to the real thing it was obvious. Then in the 3D mode, I was also able to walk through the house and garage. I know you can do similar w/ graph paper and small cutout pieces to represent things but the PC program was a whole other level and made it really fun to work thought variations. One of the ways shops like you mention look nice is so much is inside cabinets. I still have some shelving in the garage but wall cabinets are so much nicer. Unfinished kitchen cabinets w/ a coat of solid color stain got me started. The do have weight limitations but will work for maybe 80% of garage stuff.

 

[Monza Harry]

While shelving units aren't as finished looking as cabinets, they can be made presentable with matching "bins", judicious use of some Masonite and some aluminum (?) trim can be made to match you cabinets. Shelving units come in narrow to 4' deep by as wide as you can fit, cabinets in those sizes are, uhm, VERY EXPENSIVE! The whole thing doesn't have to happen at once, I'd concentrate on items that are likely to be updated, cabinets and chests, (styling and sizes are routinly swapped out] the Whalen shelves have been pretty stable design wise and easily hidden at a later date [they have seemed to added some new sizes recently(ish) without removing any existing sizes +]. Again Masonite isn't going anywhere (I hope) anytime soon, so time is your financial friend. The shelves will store, long items that will never be in a cabinet. Just add my ramblings to your planning process and scrounge as required. Harry
Edit: architectural sheet aluminum or steel could replace the Masonite I mentioned in the post for an even more finished look (@ greater cost and tooling needs, it is the Garage Journal way! LOL!)

 

[Rst277]

Is there a section on forum where organization is usually discussed? I’m planning to start building may garage early next year, and I’d love to plan out the organization ahead of time. Tool boxes, cabinets, work surfaces, tool racks, and so on. I see these shops on TV, YouTube, race shops, and they all look like nothing is out of place, and everything has a home, and I’m wondering how they even figure out where to start.

Organization depends on what you intend to do in your garage. Do you have a work space now? How is it organized and what would you do different? My shop has evolved as I have changed hobbies, bought / sold tools and machines and found / purchased tools / tool boxes etc. For example, if you do wood working, start with a small bench and organize the tools you have and leave space to develop if / as needed. Hard to plan something without actually working in it.

 

[AU Doc]

Good feedback! Thanks!

I’m am planning to use the space primarily for restoring old cars and trucks. At the moment I work out of what is generously referred to as a two car garage. The problem is that it’s a common space, so every time I start to get organized, any space I make ends up with kids toys, holiday decorations, or some other family stuff piled into it.

With that as my starting point, it’s tough to think about how I would like for a new space to work. I’m pretty sure I’ll put a lift in the third bay, use the middle bay for body work and anything to be done on the ground, and the first bay for smaller things that can generally be done at a table or bench.

I will try to find a program to let me model a few layouts and try some things out.

 

[LeeG]

You’re not going to get it perfect the first try. Or maybe even ever, so plan for changes. Put a lot of thought into the things that are difficult to move later (lifts, doors, outlets), and things like work benches, cabinets, and shelves can kind of go wherever. As you use your space, you’ll figure out what works best where and can make adjustments.

Lee

 

[AEAdam]

A lot of race shops etc, use the same sorts of designs we use in aerospace. Generally, unlike automotive, we hand build aircraft. Our lines are only now starting to incorporate robots.

So a basic aircraft line contains one or more assembly lines, then feeder lines, which provide part build ups, sub majors (sub assemblies). We have elaborate parts receiving, standard parts storage and delivery, tool cribs (not a good fit), and back shops.. I think you could use all these concepts for a large ish resto shop. Having space around a car bay for sub assembly (feeder line) work could make a lot of sense.

 

[Shop-hound]

My garage/shop in the suburbs is also a 2 car and *had* similar issues sharing space. You almost have to start with that component first if you can. My solution was to first organize and get rid of a bunch of **** in the basement so my wife could claim that (with the agreement that the garage was then all mine), then I put a second 8x10’ shed in the backyard for all the kids stuff. Now garage is strictly tools and projects only. Works for us

 

[619DioFan]

The garage gallery section here on the forum will give a lot of ideas.

 

[CraigStu]

I agree w/ Monza Harry on plastic buns. 2 garages ago we splurged when on sale for 8 36wx30t unfinished kitchen wall cabinets. I painted them and mounted on a wall two rows of 4. The bottom row was off the floor just enough to be able to slide grey Rubbermaid bins underneath. The garage had a 2ft deep shelf about 2ft from the ceiling on 2 walls. That had always been a mess. Then someone had a sale on clear plastic bins so I got a bunch. They cleaned up those shelves nicely.

 

[Relax]

You can find inexpensive computer programs that will let you work out floor plans for placing the large items. When we did our house I used one from HGTV but I don't know if it is still available. In 2D mode I was able to place furniture and equipment and each item was customizable for size and color so I could make things that looked close enough to the real thing it was obvious. Then in the 3D mode, I was also able to walk through the house and garage. I know you can do similar w/ graph paper and small cutout pieces to represent things but the PC program was a whole other level and made it really fun to work thought variations. One of the ways shops like you mention look nice is so much is inside cabinets. I still have some shelving in the garage but wall cabinets are so much nicer. Unfinished kitchen cabinets w/ a coat of solid color stain got me started. The do have weight limitations but will work for maybe 80% of garage stuff.

Visio is one of my tools for work, so I just used that after trying a few others that I couldn't learn quickly enough. Took some time to measure everything and create an object for each, but now I can pretty much drag/drop/rotate stuff to play what-if. I probably rearrange my garage every 6 months because of stuff coming and going.

 

[metalmagpie]

If you can't get an ironclad commitment from the other people in your house that they can't store ANYTHING in that space anymore, you don't have an organizational problem you have a family law problem. For starters, never refer to that space as a garage ever again. From now on, it's your shop, period. You may have to throw some plastic toys in the street to make your point. When your kids get older, establish a policy that no matter what their situation is in life, they can NEVER store any boxes at your house. Boxes like that quickly become permanent and persist long long after said kids find a place.

In other words, grow a pair and stick up for yourself. You gotta fight for your right to par-ty!

 

[garboui]

When I moved into my new place a year and a half ago, one of the things that has been the biggest improvement is enacting 2 rules:

1. EVERYTHING is put on castors. Wait for a sale but spend teh couple bucks for the ones with the nice locks. for things like bandsaws and tables. Standardize on a size too so that interchange and reclamation as things change is easy.
2. THE FLOOR IS NOT STORAGE!!! Everything is on a shelf or in a cabinet that's also on wheels (filing cabinets on the used market are cheap to free). This makes the reconfiguration (permanent or temp) painless.

Doing these two things has been great for not only reconfiguration or moving things as projects demand, but housekeeping gets easier too (and happens more regularly).

These style locks are much better than the side twisty things.

 

[Junker]

Is there a section on forum where organization is usually discussed? I’m planning to start building may garage early next year, and I’d love to plan out the organization ahead of time. Tool boxes, cabinets, work surfaces, tool racks, and so on. I see these shops on TV, YouTube, race shops, and they all look like nothing is out of place, and everything has a home, and I’m wondering how they even figure out where to start.

Don't go by what's on TV. You will reorganize your garage once or twice a year so don't plan on the perfect layout.

You need benches, a large table helps too. Storage for lumber and some cabinets

A nice size toolbox ofcourse but plan for having stuff in useful places. The grinder is easy to get to but also far enough to keep grind dust somewhat contained. All the grinding polishing and sanding stuff is stored nearby

Same with drilling and tapping, same with wood cutting. It's good to have a couple vices too. Shop air supply routed to where it's needed. Outlets in tge ceiling so you can move lights around

This is your opportunity to be creative and do what you want, and if you don't like it then change it to suit your changing ideas.

You won't know what works or not until you put it together

 

[Dig Doug]

According to TV it only take 30 or 60 minutes to swap out an axle, or a motor etc. All depends on what show you’re watching. LoL

everything is staged to look good

Race shops only do one thing - prep race cars…

or
Build race cars….

try


working on a motorcycle - project
and
prepping a SXS for a ride during the same day….

things get messy fairly fast !

My uncle stopped by over turkey holiday, good thing he called before hand, I spent 2 days cleaning up knowing he was On His Way….

 

[drmarkr]

Plan 8 hrs or so on a Saturday, and then go head first into the Gallery subthread. Take good notes, or clip and save ideas from the pics everyone posts.

Do not come up for air until dinnertime or so, and you'll have yourself loads of info.

 

[CraigStu]

Since it had been in use on various places I was trying to figure out what to permanently mount my disc/belt sander on. Walked through HD one day and they had a small 3 drawer steel toolbox on sale. The top was about table height. Bingo. Bought it and a 2'x2' piece of plywood. Cut the plywood to fit into the top and mounted my sander. Nice. The spare belts and discs are in the top drawer. A bunch of rubber hoses and a small bin full of hose clamps is in the bottom drawer. It is usually sitting near the bandsaw so spare blades are in the middle drawer.

 

[ycgoat]

Since it had been in use on various places I was trying to figure out what to permanently mount my disc/belt sander on. Walked through HD one day and they had a small 3 drawer steel toolbox on sale. The top was about table height. Bingo. Bought it and a 2'x2' piece of plywood. Cut the plywood to fit into the top and mounted my sander. Nice. The spare belts and discs are in the top drawer. A bunch of rubber hoses and a small bin full of hose clamps is in the bottom drawer. It is usually sitting near the bandsaw so spare blades are in the middle drawer.

I use (2) 2 drawer file cabinets I get from my brother who is in the commercial office furniture business. right now a chop saw and bench grinder on it.

 

[Mike65]

When we had our 2 car (24'x25') built almost 2 years ago we had a plan. It was for room for me to store & finish building my 69 Mustang, storage for my wife's motorcycle, & for maintenance on our trucks. We have toolboxes, a work bench, 4 shelf units, air compressor, a future 4 post lift, & a short storage cabinet for the chemicals related to our trucks, the Mustang, the motorcycle, & vehicle cleaning stuff.

 

[48windsor]

Organization depends on what you intend to do in your garage. Do you have a work space now? How is it organized and what would you do different? My shop has evolved as I have changed hobbies, bought / sold tools and machines and found / purchased tools / tool boxes etc. For example, if you do wood working, start with a small bench and organize the tools you have and leave space to develop if / as needed. Hard to plan something without actually working in it.

well spoken

 

[gsuty17]

You will be miles ahead of most if you can just keep everything off the floor.

 

[Relax]

You will be miles ahead of most if you can just keep everything off the floor.

And casters on stuff that can't (workbenches, heavy equipment/stands) for easy rearrangement.

 

[Metal-Marc]

well spoken

This is an old thread and OP is long gone.