No Excuses, Time to get organized

[thomask]

Hello to all garage/man cave fans.

It has been a pleasure seeing what many of you have done out there to your own garages. Some really great ideas and places to spend quality time.

I have recently retired after thirty five years plus and look forward to getting my home life organized. My garage is a typical 20 x 20 double attached and has had 2 boats and 2 cars call it home since I built the house back in 1987. With all the boxes, etc brought home from my office the biggest vehicle that will fit now is my Snapper riding mower.

I need help as it is now time to get organized.

Your motivation and ideas are welcomed.

 

[rocketman]

FIRST... lose the purse in the red box... They do NOT belong within 20ft of a toolbox unless attached to a breathing female who is passing through!

 

[redneckprofessor]

I'd tell my wife not to store her Christmas ornaments with my car-detailing supplies!

 

[thomask]

FIRST... lose the purse in the red box... They do NOT belong within 20ft of a toolbox unless attached to a breathing female who is passing through!

Hi Rocketman, that's a laptop case, but good point.

Who needs a laptop case in a garage?

Although some of the really cool garages I have seen on TGF have computers to look up stuff.

You are right on point, I have a lot of stuff that needs to go, somewhere.

 

[thomask]

I'd tell my wife not to store her Christmas ornaments with my car-detailing supplies!

Thanks Professor.

Maybe you could tell her for me. I don't want to push my luck.

I am down to the last room in the house, if you know what I mean.

Hey, does anyone else out there have that problem or it just me?

 

[Foul]

Two words: Garage Sale.






Of course, mine's almost as cluttered.

 

[Frank Elson]

I retired last December, just about got my garage straight a week or so ago.

All I can say is start in one corner and work your way around the place.
Don't be afraid to throw/sell/Freecycle stuff.
Keep reading the garage section. It's looking at others that made me determined to get mine better than it was.

 

[thomask]

Thanks Frank,

Your kind words will help motivate me.

It was great to hear from you and congratulations on your retirement, too.

I recognized your great "vehicle signature" .

My wife and I enjoyed England and Scotland on our anniversary some years back.

 

[redneckprofessor]

Thanks Professor.

Maybe you could tell her for me. I don't want to push my luck.

I am down to the last room in the house, if you know what I mean.

Hey, does anyone else out there have that problem or it just me?

Ha, yeah, I have that problem as well. My basement is getting more and more crowded.

On a serious note, how about shelving/storage space up near the ceiling? Is the ceiling high enough? You could even get away with shelving just a couple of feet high.

 

[babzog]

LOL Mine tries to tell me the shop is her space too. Guess that's why there's MIL **** out there (headed for the woodstove next fall if it's still there...)

The garage and shop both have an assortment of kids **** too, a fact of which I am under no illusions, will continue to grow. I see more sheds in my future to store that stuff where I don't have to see it.

As for cleaning out: My motto (which IS hard to live by sometimes): If I haven't seen or looked at it in 6mo, it's toast (dump, freecycle, give to friends, yard sale, whatever). De-clutter. It's the best feeling in the world. Okay, maybe not the best, but it's still pretty good. I hate having **** lying about, getting in the way, staring up at me with that look that tauntingly says "Haha... I'm still here!"

 

[fordracing200]

I have shelving units built out of 1/2" plywood and cut down 2x4s, I'll get some pictures tommorow, I also have two garages though, an attached 2 car for all the decoration, women like storage, and a manly 3 car garage for everything else like tools, and..well tools. haha

 

[rwhite692]

One thing to consider doing, if you can, is to move all of your yard maintenance items (mower, etc) out to a shed or other structure, so that you can avoid having that space-hogging, frequently used, and always messy, stuff constantly being in the way in your garage.

Also for the christmas items, consider getting a bunch of identical plastic storage totes and get that (and any other "annual use" type of stuff) up into the attic, if you can.

 

[fordracing200]

x2 on the above, I need to get a lean to or shed built, my old garage was much smaller but less cluttered having a shed for all the lawn care equipment along with chainsaws and what not.

 

[jamesemery728]

Two words: Garage


Of course, mine's almost as cluttered.

One word: Goodwill

 

[BigMike782]

I must have a good plan because my Wife would never even think of storing anything in the garage......"it stinks in there".....yea,like gas and oil and smoke and all the smells that go with a garage.

 

[hobie1dog]

clean garages are great...yours can look like this one in no time

 

[thomask]

QUOTE=hobie1dog;522683]clean garages are great...yours can look like this one in no time

[/QUOTE]
Thanks Hobie,

What a space!!!

Are you a doctor? You could do open heart surgery in your garage.

I am sending this picture as an example to my two stepsons who love their garages, too.

Yours is certainly in the running for "Best of show neatness award"

I would love to see the insides of your storage cabinets as I am sure they are in "inspection ready" order. Really like your floor and that cabinets are off the ground for cleaning.

 

[Hapis]

I talked to some former submariners and they told me about what the CAPT would do if it got a little messy onboard. They called it “Angles and Dangles” and apparently once this was done all the stuff lying on the floor got tossed. Not so easy to do with a garage but you get the point.

I thought about moving out and back in and that would be the shake down.

 

[thomask]

I must have a good plan because my Wife would never even think of storing anything in the garage......"it stinks in there".....yea,like gas and oil and smoke and all the smells that go with a garage.

Big Mike,

I just love the "smell of horsepower" in a garage if you know what I mean.

Right now mine is limited to a 12 hp lawnmower that needs to go back in the shed.

 

[GDA]

Couple suggestions that really helped clean and organize mine -

1) Go through all the stuff in there currently and use a 2 year rule to separate out the stuff to garage sale

2) build and install shelving or flooring so that you can store very infrequently used items in the attic/crawl space

3) install pegboard or cabinets for storage in an attempt to get everything off the floor; all that stuff that is stacked and resting up against the wall takes up a ton of space and is very tiring to move around each time you have to work space

4) build or get a shed to store all the lawn and garden equipment

Its amazing how getting stuff off the floor, perimeter of the garage greatly expands the working space in your garage.

Good luck and post up your plans/results.

 

[thomask]

I retired last December, just about got my garage straight a week or so ago.

All I can say is start in one corner and work your way around the place.
Don't be afraid to throw/sell/Freecycle stuff.
Keep reading the garage section. It's looking at others that made me determined to get mine better than it was.

Frank, great idea I did start in one corner.

First picture attached shows "BEFORE" my kickoff of "operation organization".

I decided to also organize the interiors of my tool cabinets as I move around the room.

Slow progress but want to do it right. I am going east to west on your computer screen.

Next few pictures give you a look at "AFTER".

 

[randydupree]

don't listen to them Thomask!
you just need a big old brick building to hold your stuff for you!

 

[thomask]

don't listen to them Thomask!
you just need a big old brick building to hold your stuff for you!

Hey Randy:

Your shop/house got me to thinking, I need to get organized.

Storage in 400 square feet versus 8,000 sq feet is like trying to --- in the ocean and fill it up in reverse.

Shucks, I would be happy with just one lil' old gas station.

 

[Fins/413]

clean garages are great...yours can look like this one in no time

Love that XM radio too.

 

[thomask]

Small parts are always a problem to keep organized and available when you need them. I have a number of Plano clear plastic tackle boxes for small items. They stack well and are easy to see what your looking for and they travel well to work site.

This week I have been finding things I forgot I had. Other stuff is ready for recycle/goodwill/etc...also have several muti drawer plastic cabinets that over the years stuff just got stuck in all those little drawers with no plan.

In organizing our limited space I planned on specific cabinets for:

automotive/mechanical

carpentry/woodworking

electrical/electronic

plumbing

(Any other suggestions) welcome

Will use my two carts for auto/detailing supplies. (No holiday decorations, per RedNeckProfessor)

The good news,

We do have:

1. A shed for lawn tools/lawnmower. (when I build a better ramp for the mower). Everything for the yard goes in here.
(Great idea GDA getting the yard stuff out really helps)

2. Floored attic storage above garage (when I can get in there, too hot right now to try).Holiday decorations go in here.RedNeckProfessor

 

[thomask]

Sorry for the lapse, have been ******* last week working on boat in driveway, painting guest room and helping a friend install a door opener. GOOD NEWS half of the garage is cleared out now and could fit one car.

As you probably see this is a do everything garage. Work on home/construction projects, cars, boat and motorhome. It has space for two cars (?). Serves also as a play area on rainy days for grandkids, my best helpers. They work for ice cream.

We have a garage stereo I am working on (to play 50s and 60s "cartunes" and 20" TV for the kids "cartoons". Cable has been run via a temp hook up, I will get in attic in cooler weather and hide wire.

Need some ideas for TV stereo storage, up and out of the way.

VIP: Ice box with cold beverages .

Would like to add an old traffic light, Gulf or Standard Oil signs and maybe a neon sign or two if I can. Any good leads out there?

What am I missing?:

Couple pics of garage "Toys"...

 

[heffneil]

clean garages are great...yours can look like this one in no time

Did you build those cabinets? What are they?

Thanks,

Neil

 

[thomask]

Something funny happened.

I had been missing a tool and had not looked too hard to find her.

I was looking at a picture I posted and it was in the picture.

Have any of you out there photographed your shop and tools (house, too) etc for insurance purposes?

We have seen a lot of hurricanes down this way and a good record would be very helpful if anything did happen. You can put all your pics on a disc and file in a safe place.

 

[Kevin54]

Something funny happened.

I had been missing a tool and had not looked too hard to find her.

I was looking at a picture I posted and it was in the picture.

Have any of you out there photographed your shop and tools (house, too) etc for insurance purposes?

We have seen a lot of hurricanes down this way and a good record would be very helpful if anything did happen. You can put all your pics on a disc and file in a safe place.

There was a large thread on e pics for insurance purposes sometime back. A search may bring it back up. As far as your newly redone garage....

 

[T>D>C]

I'll take that Epiphone off your hands to get it out of your way. I'll even pay for shipping!

5S - Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize & Sustain

 

[thomask]

I'll take that Epiphone off your hands to get it out of your way. I'll even pay for shipping!

5S - Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize & Sustain

That's just an empty case, guitar is in the house on a stand, and yes, this needs to go in attic.

Do you ever shop your local craigs list? I see all kinds of great priced guitars for sale on there.

Thanks for the 5S, I have been doing that on tools and now parts.

Big event is getting at least this one car back into this space (see before pic below)in the garage and out of drive.

Just as soon as I finish the clean up/reorganization of work bench will post new pics...As you will note most all tools are in cabinets and out of sight. Hey, I have grandkids.

I am getting real close and not giving up now.

 

[Mikea57]

Nice boat!! Is that a Whaler?

 

[thomask]

Nice boat!! Is that a Whaler?

Thanks Mike.

It's a 1992 17 Montauk SE Boston Whaler with 100 HP Johnson GT. She will fly for a center console.

Kids love "getting air", though not advised per owners manual.

It "was" kept in our garage years ago but had to park her sideways to get door to close. My previous 15 cc Whaler with 50 HP Mercury fit straight back in. Door closed with no problem.

NOTE TO ALL: Need to build garages at least 24 ft deep.

 

[thomask]

You can never have too much storage for tools. Was at local mall last week with grandson letting him throw pennys into fountain. Found a two drawer craftsman center cabinet on sale for 40 dollars. Only catch was it had black door pulls. Rattle can silver spray paint fixed pulls to match existing cabinets.

Goal to have all tools in garage housed in cabinets and off floor, etc.

Where will this stop?:

P.S. plastic bucket used to take tools on the road

 

[mrpowderkeg]

Looks like too much household **** in the garage, totes n toys, and carpet on the floor, glad you're claiming your space back. So I think the real question is, is what are you doing to do with all the junk that made it to your garage in the first place?

 

[Enloe]

dumpster???

 

[thomask]

Looks like too much household **** in the garage, totes n toys, and carpet on the floor, glad you're claiming your space back. So I think the real question is, is what are you doing to do with all the junk that made it to your garage in the first place?

"I have recently retired after thirty five years plus and look forward to getting my home life organized. My garage is a typical 20 x 20 double attached and has had 2 boats and 2 cars call it home since I built the house back in 1987. With all the boxes, etc brought home from my office the biggest vehicle that will fit now is my Snapper riding mower."


MRPOWDERKEG: Good news I have got it half cleared out and one vehicle (81 vet) back into the garage. At 58 years of age, job for 35 years and a wife/grandkids you do get a lot of stuff. A lot is going to go....

ENLOE: you have that right!

 

[Enloe]

status???????????

 

[Dragster Racer]

Well, this thread started off looking like my garage. My garage hasn't changed though. Moving into the new shop and home soon. Then I can kick all my wife's stuff to the basement, cause we will have one! Freekn christmas decorations! WTH? She has a deco for every darn season! "Oh, take your grandmother's furniture instead of selling it. I will refinish it for the new house." Yep. Got a hutch, tv, and some desk thingy in my garage. I almost broke my neck the last time I had to use the press. I'm retaking my space I tell you! Well, soon anyhow.

 

[thomask]

Well, this thread started off looking like my garage. My garage hasn't changed though. Moving into the new shop and home soon. Then I can kick all my wife's stuff to the basement, cause we will have one! Freekn christmas decorations! WTH? She has a deco for every darn season! "Oh, take your grandmother's furniture instead of selling it. I will refinish it for the new house." Yep. Got a hutch, tv, and some desk thingy in my garage. I almost broke my neck the last time I had to use the press. I'm retaking my space I tell you! Well, soon anyhow.

DRAGSTER RACER,

I feel your pain.

Let me tell you how it all started about ten years ago when I got married......We moved all her stuff to a 1700 sq ft house house where I lived as a bachelor since 1987, plus I moved in all the stuff my father left me. We have added on 400 more square feet since. Well now we have one house filled with three houses of stuff.

Rome was not built in a day nor was a garage transformed back to a man's domain overnight. You eat an elephant one bite at a time

Good luck guy and remember correct answer is always "yes dear"...

Hey keep us posted on your new garage and shop. Maybe you could post a few pictures here to show us what you are facing