Richard Cranium
Well-known member
no not really, just giving you ****. I hope you are having a great week.
Something just clicked…..
- Thread starter Strouty
- Start date
bczygan
Well-known member
You'll get there.
It's a balance.
I find I need enough disgust with myself to power action, but not so much that the self loathing sends me into depression and immobilizes me.
Got anything going today? Start small and keep on starting.
Bill
sberry
Banned
I have a few things piling up in my storages but nothing that causes a stall. I spent over a week obsessing in my shop though going over the corners with a mirror and still find junk I went right past the day before. I was nit picking yesterday and found a couple long lost items just got knocked down or behind.
I have a bit more stripping to do in storage, these are not deal killers but I have dam near everything out of my shop I don't need and managed to sort a couple boxes of junk which seem to really hang on.
It takes a fair amount of effort to keep my bench cleaned off which lasts about 5 minutes.
I have a bit more stripping to do in storage, these are not deal killers but I have dam near everything out of my shop I don't need and managed to sort a couple boxes of junk which seem to really hang on.
It takes a fair amount of effort to keep my bench cleaned off which lasts about 5 minutes.
tinker rick
Well-known member
Strouty,have you decided on a low profile jack yet?
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
Sberry, Don't feel bad, I have actually found stuff in my garage that I thought that had been stolen or lost. I felt kind of embarrassed.
dittle fart around
Well-known member
If I have to look for something, it's faster to hit the Lowes down the street, than spend over an hour looking for it.
I've got 5 tape measures.
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Nines, thanks for the hug.
Bill, I am looking at the long term for sure, I want to build habits that stick.
Sberry, it doesn't happen all the time to me, but I can see I need to have some easy tasks to have ready when I am down, maybe they will get me motivated sooner.
Rick, I ended up buying the most expensive one I could find, I bought the snap on, I figure it will have better resale later on. I really do like the jack, it is a beast.
Bill, I am looking at the long term for sure, I want to build habits that stick.
Sberry, it doesn't happen all the time to me, but I can see I need to have some easy tasks to have ready when I am down, maybe they will get me motivated sooner.
Rick, I ended up buying the most expensive one I could find, I bought the snap on, I figure it will have better resale later on. I really do like the jack, it is a beast.
bczygan
Well-known member
That sentence struck me ike a blow. You are right Strouty.
It's not just about clearing and cleaning up our present space. It's about changing how we think and live. I knew that, but you put it so plainly.
Bill
Old habits are hard to break. When I was a kid I kept a messy room but when I got my own place my mentality flipped 180 degrees, now I keep a really tight ship at home. Only problem with that is my shop suffers, it's like I can't extend my focus out there and keep it cleaned and organized like I do my house. It's weird, I dunno but my childhood nesting habits moved to the shop, only good thing is I don't let it get to the house. I don't like a shoe out of place at home, everything has a spot and a spot for everything. If I could just carry that mentality over to the shop I'd be happy.
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dlcwent
Member Emeritus
Nines, maybe it has something to do with the shop being a place that we do make messes and we're more used to having things out of place. I'm no different. The house is spotless( but the wife wouldn't have it any other way) but I let my shop go a little. Maybe there's some deep psychological explanation.
Craptain
Well-known member
Hmmm. My house is a mess and so is my shop.
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bczygan
Well-known member
We need photos!
I don't know why, but I like photos of messy shops as much as I like photos of well organized ones.
I promise I won't laugh......well, maybe a little!
Bill
dittle fart around
Well-known member
Like having a story board with samples so you can find what you need in your numbered bins.
Wait a second that was at work. I spent the last 15 minutes of each day sweeping my area, putting my tools away, restocking my small parts and making sure my wire leads were off the ground.
At home I have half finished projects, can't find the tool I sat down 10 minutes ago, and once a month I take the leaf blower to the garage.
I once had a work partner that told me not to get ******** involved with my work.
DFA, that's the second time I read a statement like that(spending time at the end of the day putting away things). I'm beginning to think that's where I'm going wrong. My first job out of high school was install manager at a car audio store and the owner required us to stop everything 30 minutes before close and put away all out tools, clean off the workstations, sweep and if needed mop. I hated that but looking back, that structure was necessary and allowed getting a fresh start the next morning much easier. Every job after that was more lax, that allowed for the bad habits of leaving things scattered. My mindset was that the tools I used were already out so getting back started was easy but it wasn't. I would forget that I walked over here or over there with a part or a tool and set it down in another part of the shop. Had I kept the mentality of putting things away and pulling them back out the next day, I think my life would be much simpler these days. I need to go back to my roots, the 7 P's...
Proper planning & preparation prevents piss poor performance.
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Proper planning & preparation prevents piss poor performance.
Sent from my iThingy using Tapatalk
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Nines: i like the 7 P's and we all should have a sign saying that above our workbenches. it's now in my signature. thanks
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egnorant
Well-known member
Habits can be easy to adjust! I used to be the guy who went to troubled restaurants and whipped them into shape. I have been using my old training methods on myself and my brother and it has begun to bear fruit.
If you can do something for 2 weeks, it will become habit. This work as well for putting away tools as it does for wearing the proper uniform.
Don't clutter the work area! It is much easier to work and clean up when you have a known spot for tools and supplies. I recently created a few wrench holder sets as my front line rather than that drawer of 100 unorganized wrenches.
Make cleaning easy, continuous and habitual. I made a peg for my bench brush with a trash can arms length away. I know where brooms, dustpans and towels are and have a spot for them after use! Take the head gasket out of the package and throw the package away with the left hand, set the gasket on the head with the right!
I got mad at myself a while back over cutting torch tips! I was working late at night and realized I needed a new tip for the torch. I remembered that I had bought a spare last time I needed one but I could not find it. Well, I was stuck for the night and could not continue until after work the next day after I made a trip to the welding supply.
The other day I found my tip stash and apparently I had done this before as I now have 5 new tips! But they are now in an organized spot so I don't repeat the aggravating delay.
Other items that I bought new because of disorganization include painting tape, anti-sieze, tubs of axle grease, electrical tape, WD-40, solder, spark plugs, Deep metric 1/4" sockets, transmission fluid, 1/2" breaker bar, paint brushes, saw blades, paint pens, cotter pins, hydraulic fluid, hose clamps, light bulbs, tape measures, 3 pound sledge hammers and much more.
Now that I have developed a habit of rotating tubs to clean a new area I still find amazing stuff! Last tub added to my collection of Ford and Mustang banners, tie straps, brake fluid, hacksaw blades, HotWheel cars, another tub of sockets plus tape measure and wire brushes. But now I can handle them in an organized manner.
Bruce
If you can do something for 2 weeks, it will become habit. This work as well for putting away tools as it does for wearing the proper uniform.
Don't clutter the work area! It is much easier to work and clean up when you have a known spot for tools and supplies. I recently created a few wrench holder sets as my front line rather than that drawer of 100 unorganized wrenches.
Make cleaning easy, continuous and habitual. I made a peg for my bench brush with a trash can arms length away. I know where brooms, dustpans and towels are and have a spot for them after use! Take the head gasket out of the package and throw the package away with the left hand, set the gasket on the head with the right!
I got mad at myself a while back over cutting torch tips! I was working late at night and realized I needed a new tip for the torch. I remembered that I had bought a spare last time I needed one but I could not find it. Well, I was stuck for the night and could not continue until after work the next day after I made a trip to the welding supply.
The other day I found my tip stash and apparently I had done this before as I now have 5 new tips! But they are now in an organized spot so I don't repeat the aggravating delay.
Other items that I bought new because of disorganization include painting tape, anti-sieze, tubs of axle grease, electrical tape, WD-40, solder, spark plugs, Deep metric 1/4" sockets, transmission fluid, 1/2" breaker bar, paint brushes, saw blades, paint pens, cotter pins, hydraulic fluid, hose clamps, light bulbs, tape measures, 3 pound sledge hammers and much more.
Now that I have developed a habit of rotating tubs to clean a new area I still find amazing stuff! Last tub added to my collection of Ford and Mustang banners, tie straps, brake fluid, hacksaw blades, HotWheel cars, another tub of sockets plus tape measure and wire brushes. But now I can handle them in an organized manner.
Bruce
86turbodsl
Well-known member
Strouty, you are so right....
bczygan
Well-known member
So true, so true, so true!
I am adding good habits every day. One is with mail. I open it outside by the mailbox on the front porch. All the junk mail and envelopes and inserts go directly to the outside trash can. They never even make it into the house.
And every thing that get's it's own spot to be, becomes a joy, because I can always find it, instead of spending the whole day looking for it.
Bill
Bruce, you are exactly right. Of course I have a "but", the trouble I have is that I am not bound by any schedule unless I am doing a job and that is a huge problem. I tend to work 7 days a week cleaning, organizing, and analyzing things. My shop is not at my house, so I have a 35 minute one way drive to get there and that makes it even harder. I tend to get burnt out and then get myself into a funk, that leads to a mess that takes even longer to get out of. I try and keep some sort of schedule, only to find myself still at the shop late at night and then not wanting to get up the next morning. Trying to balance things is a bit crazy for me and I have not found that sweet spot.
I would prefer to have a set schedule, but there is no real way that I can manage to keep it. This is what goes through my head, I probably could managed to control it better if I could learn to say no. That is the hardest word in the world for me. I have started to say it with the "free" stuff, trying to keep it from wasting all my time and effort. This fall has been a real pain, as I have added a lot of new things to the mix. Last week was a total waste and it looks like next week will be raining and when it isn't I have a job to do. I am supposed to do several other jobs in the next month, not really sure what is going to happen with that since I don't really have any help.
The weather has played a huge part in this, I have wasted a lot of time on things that I would not normally do. The funny part is that I should not be complaining, I really enjoy the warmer weather. Having it warmer has made me forget or maybe ignore the fact that it is December and that is going to spell trouble.
I would prefer to have a set schedule, but there is no real way that I can manage to keep it. This is what goes through my head, I probably could managed to control it better if I could learn to say no. That is the hardest word in the world for me. I have started to say it with the "free" stuff, trying to keep it from wasting all my time and effort. This fall has been a real pain, as I have added a lot of new things to the mix. Last week was a total waste and it looks like next week will be raining and when it isn't I have a job to do. I am supposed to do several other jobs in the next month, not really sure what is going to happen with that since I don't really have any help.
The weather has played a huge part in this, I have wasted a lot of time on things that I would not normally do. The funny part is that I should not be complaining, I really enjoy the warmer weather. Having it warmer has made me forget or maybe ignore the fact that it is December and that is going to spell trouble.
bczygan
Well-known member
Strouty,
That schedule thing struck a chord with me. I have a schedule because I have a wife who works. When she gets up, I have to get up and help her prepare to leave. After she does, I fall apart unless I have something pressing on my mind to do.
In the afternoon, when she gets home, I have to prepare us dinner and she wants me with her for the rest of the evening, so that time is automatically down time.
My real problem is to self structure the day in between, so as to accomplish something.
But what I'm getting to, is that you need a method to create scheduled down time. I thought you had a girlfriend. If you could get her to make a schedule that included regular time with you in the evenings and on weekends. That might help create a more regular work day and work week for you. Actually setting up a schedule doesn't imprison you, it frees you. Nights and weekends are off limits for work, so you are free to turn down any jobs that don't fit that schedule and make money at the same time. And nights and weekends are now available for any kind of fun you desire. If that fun includes going to the shop and doing some project that you have avoided to do more "important" things, then you are free to do so.
I compartmentalize.
Even with things as bad as they are here, I take breaks. I also take time to go and play the guitar and piano. I watch TV and play on the internet. And when it's time to do work, after agonizing and pushing myself, it eventually gets done.
I can see that one long continuous week or month of work, would get so old. Break it up and take your rewards along with the work.
Just finished another session outside. Amazing how many little things you realize are in a space when you really look at it. Got the patio table and chairs cleared off and the winter umbrella put up. Now we could actually use it!
Time to make it even better.
Later!
Bill
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Richard Cranium
Well-known member
I agree on the 7 p's
impala4speed
Well-known member
Strouty,
I haven't commented for quite awhile now but I regularly follow your thread. You may not think so at times but, as others have said, you have really made a lot of progress from when you first started. Keep up the great work.
And since it seems there are many of us that have similar issues with getting things organized (and then staying organized when/if we get there) I saw this book:
http://www.powells.com/book/the-lif...ampaign=pbnews_20151209&utm_content=TidyingUp
I realize the author is referring to tidying up the house but I wonder if this concept would be useful in the garage and shop. I haven't read the book, only looked at this web page, but the one thing she said that really struck me: "get rid of things that don't bring you joy". I don't know, I may have to read it. I'd be interested in what others think.
I haven't commented for quite awhile now but I regularly follow your thread. You may not think so at times but, as others have said, you have really made a lot of progress from when you first started. Keep up the great work.
And since it seems there are many of us that have similar issues with getting things organized (and then staying organized when/if we get there) I saw this book:
http://www.powells.com/book/the-lif...ampaign=pbnews_20151209&utm_content=TidyingUp
I realize the author is referring to tidying up the house but I wonder if this concept would be useful in the garage and shop. I haven't read the book, only looked at this web page, but the one thing she said that really struck me: "get rid of things that don't bring you joy". I don't know, I may have to read it. I'd be interested in what others think.
Bill, I tend to fall apart if I am not out of the house first. It is really weird. My GF has a schedule that changes every month and when she has to get up and out first (this month) it really messes with me. I tried getting up at 4:30 so I would not be in her way, but I tend to work late and then that causes issues with sleep. When she has to be in at 9AM, I am golden.
What is the 7P's???????????
Impala, thanks for following, without you guys I think this would have failed long ago. As for the book, I will check it out for sure, I have yet to find a book that deals with industrial type objects. Maybe I should write one???
What is the 7P's???????????
Impala, thanks for following, without you guys I think this would have failed long ago. As for the book, I will check it out for sure, I have yet to find a book that deals with industrial type objects. Maybe I should write one???
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Strouty: the 7 P's we are talking about are now the bottom line of my signature. Nines mentioned it first and while the words might not be perfect the message is so i'm going to give it a go for now.
Nines mentioned that his boss at a place he worked at when he was younger taught him that saying and had him and the crew clean up the shop the last 30 minutes of each day. not sure i'll be able to do that much cleaning especially with projects not finished, but at least being able to start the next day not dealing with a huge mess might be nice.
Impala: i haven't read that book, but the few i've skimmed through wouldn't help the likes of Strouty, Bill, Nines and me and other GJ members. we need to have stuff in many stages and parts to fix the potential things that come our way, but better organized situations would be better and Strouty has done a great job both buying and getting rid of quality stuff the last couple months.
Nines mentioned that his boss at a place he worked at when he was younger taught him that saying and had him and the crew clean up the shop the last 30 minutes of each day. not sure i'll be able to do that much cleaning especially with projects not finished, but at least being able to start the next day not dealing with a huge mess might be nice.
Impala: i haven't read that book, but the few i've skimmed through wouldn't help the likes of Strouty, Bill, Nines and me and other GJ members. we need to have stuff in many stages and parts to fix the potential things that come our way, but better organized situations would be better and Strouty has done a great job both buying and getting rid of quality stuff the last couple months.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
I was going to start my winter projects, but I was informed by my wife that winter doesn't start till the 21st of December.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
and days start getting longer for us after the 21st of December. YIPPEE
bczygan
Well-known member
Strouty,
I just watched 2 episodes of Extreme Homes on Netflix. You know, the show with every amazing home they can find, the world over.
Now I'm REALLY depressed about the place I live in.
And even more so, because I could design some of those places, and have, in my mind.
So no matter how I fix up this place, well........Bleh!
I've got to quit doing that to myself. There's nothiBillng wrong with a nice 1,250SF 2 story brick colonial with a small one car attached garage on a 40x100 corner city lot.
Impala,
Strouty really has made amazing progress, and while still working jobs. He has followed a path I think most have to. First discarding what needs to be discarded, then organizing the remainder for efficiency.
I have heard about that book on a hoarders group I am on. It has a little too much emphasis on LOVING every object you have. Because we guys have a lot of practical objects. But that can also be an excuse and a pitfall. If you have tools to be prepared for something you will never do, then why? Do I need a library if I never take the time to read? Do I need a wood shop if I have no idea what I would make?
Tools don't give you power, they give you potential. It only turns into power when you use them.
I am starting to feel some of the satisfaction that I know Strouty is feeling. It comes from having specific places for things, and the good habits of returning everything to it's place, so you always know where it is. It comes from building good habits, so disorder doesn't creep up on you. It comes from being actively present in your own life, engaged, so you are alive and purposeful and living in the moment.
It's hard sometimes. There are negative voices in our own heads that defeat us at every turn, if we let them. Little trains of thought and ways of reacting, that halt us in our tracks, and imprison us. I've learned counter phrases to use against these voices, and this stops the negative ideas and replaces them with positive ones.
A couple of examples.
When the weather isn't great, and I don't want to go outside, my mind makes up lots of excuses like, "You'll be cold and your feet will freeze and your hands too. You hate that. Why don't you stay inside where it's nice and warm, and do that stuff later." I counter with, "Well, just dress warmly. Put on your warm boots and some gloves and the winter knit hat. You know you always get hot when working. And remember last winter when you were out in the snowstorm? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
I think about going and doing some task. The inner voice says, "That stuff has been fine where it is for years. You don't need to deal with it now. It could stay there interminably with no harm." I counter with, " There might be some useful things in there that I could use. And I need that stuff to be organized so I can find things. Plus, if I toss the trash and junk, I could get some more space to work in."
And so on.
Bill
I just watched 2 episodes of Extreme Homes on Netflix. You know, the show with every amazing home they can find, the world over.
Now I'm REALLY depressed about the place I live in.
And even more so, because I could design some of those places, and have, in my mind.
So no matter how I fix up this place, well........Bleh!
I've got to quit doing that to myself. There's nothiBillng wrong with a nice 1,250SF 2 story brick colonial with a small one car attached garage on a 40x100 corner city lot.
Impala,
Strouty really has made amazing progress, and while still working jobs. He has followed a path I think most have to. First discarding what needs to be discarded, then organizing the remainder for efficiency.
I have heard about that book on a hoarders group I am on. It has a little too much emphasis on LOVING every object you have. Because we guys have a lot of practical objects. But that can also be an excuse and a pitfall. If you have tools to be prepared for something you will never do, then why? Do I need a library if I never take the time to read? Do I need a wood shop if I have no idea what I would make?
Tools don't give you power, they give you potential. It only turns into power when you use them.
I am starting to feel some of the satisfaction that I know Strouty is feeling. It comes from having specific places for things, and the good habits of returning everything to it's place, so you always know where it is. It comes from building good habits, so disorder doesn't creep up on you. It comes from being actively present in your own life, engaged, so you are alive and purposeful and living in the moment.
It's hard sometimes. There are negative voices in our own heads that defeat us at every turn, if we let them. Little trains of thought and ways of reacting, that halt us in our tracks, and imprison us. I've learned counter phrases to use against these voices, and this stops the negative ideas and replaces them with positive ones.
A couple of examples.
When the weather isn't great, and I don't want to go outside, my mind makes up lots of excuses like, "You'll be cold and your feet will freeze and your hands too. You hate that. Why don't you stay inside where it's nice and warm, and do that stuff later." I counter with, "Well, just dress warmly. Put on your warm boots and some gloves and the winter knit hat. You know you always get hot when working. And remember last winter when you were out in the snowstorm? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
I think about going and doing some task. The inner voice says, "That stuff has been fine where it is for years. You don't need to deal with it now. It could stay there interminably with no harm." I counter with, " There might be some useful things in there that I could use. And I need that stuff to be organized so I can find things. Plus, if I toss the trash and junk, I could get some more space to work in."
And so on.
Bill
bczygan
Well-known member
bczygan
Well-known member
Looks like we are neck and neck
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Necking.....Not something I want to do with anyone on GJ, except Cudachick and Raccoon.
Bill
bczygan
Well-known member
We should be using this thread to encourage and empower Strouty.
One thing I am feeling in this transition from too much stuff to the right amount, is that I vacillate between delight and despair. I can look at the same area and feel it is wonderful, and a second later be filed with the idea that it will never be good enough.
This just shows to go me, that it's all in my head, the problems and the solutions.
Bill
One thing I am feeling in this transition from too much stuff to the right amount, is that I vacillate between delight and despair. I can look at the same area and feel it is wonderful, and a second later be filed with the idea that it will never be good enough.
This just shows to go me, that it's all in my head, the problems and the solutions.
Bill
Tommo3
Well-known member
Someone on here (Ratdoggy?) has a sig line something like "We ain't got much but we do poor better than most" and that's true for a lot of the guys here they also say you can't polish a turd but with a couple of coats of carefully applied varnish you can give a turd a fine shine.
Now please clear some basement space for the kitchen stuff it can't stay in the powder room. Basements are for storage not powder rooms that's what leads to hoarding!
dlcwent
Member Emeritus
Someone on here (Ratdoggy?) has a sig line something like "We ain't got much but we do poor better than most" and that's true for a lot of the guys here they also say you can't polish a turd but with a couple of coats of carefully applied varnish you can give a turd a fine shine.
Now please clear some basement space for the kitchen stuff it can't stay in the powder room. Basements are for storage not powder rooms that's what leads to hoarding!
That's some sound advise Tommo. I watched an episode of Hoarders and the woman had her shower stall filled to the top with paper towels and toilet paper.
bczygan
Well-known member
Don't worry, it's a temporary way station and will be cleared out very soon.
This morning I've been thinking about how I'm working hard to find spots for every little thing, tucking stuff in here and there.
I realize this means I still have way too much stuff.
Time to start sorting and pitching again.
I can do that as I move the kitchen stuff too.
Made a list last night, on my blog, of the rest of the things to do in the yard.
It's too long, and shows there is too much stuff to deal with.
Most people just put away the lawn mower and they're ready for snow time. Me, I've got this list:
Move to back area:
Glass panes
Electric panels
Marble slabs
Granite slab
Piano wood
Slate tiles
2 black chairs
Logs
Put away:
Plastic sawhorses
Table saw
Tanks and cart
Pond (Empty first)
Steel 3 ton jack
Milk crate of auto parts
Move:
Workbench (To next to new shed)
Fire Pit (To cleared area)
Yellow cart (To back area)
Stuff between sheds (To storage area)
Stuff in back area:
Put away and move some things to storage area
Move bikes to storage
Misc,:
Fix lights on and in sheds.
Use recessed lights
Future work:
Build framing for bike storage
Clean up back porch
Move things off scaffold
Finish sheathing new shed
Realizing I have collected things as if I had a 40x100 pole barn instead of a 40x100 lot.
Anyway, I'm cluttering up Strouty's thread, just like my yard, so back to it.
This morning I've been thinking about how I'm working hard to find spots for every little thing, tucking stuff in here and there.
I realize this means I still have way too much stuff.
Time to start sorting and pitching again.
I can do that as I move the kitchen stuff too.
Made a list last night, on my blog, of the rest of the things to do in the yard.
It's too long, and shows there is too much stuff to deal with.
Most people just put away the lawn mower and they're ready for snow time. Me, I've got this list:
Move to back area:
Glass panes
Electric panels
Marble slabs
Granite slab
Piano wood
Slate tiles
2 black chairs
Logs
Put away:
Plastic sawhorses
Table saw
Tanks and cart
Pond (Empty first)
Steel 3 ton jack
Milk crate of auto parts
Move:
Workbench (To next to new shed)
Fire Pit (To cleared area)
Yellow cart (To back area)
Stuff between sheds (To storage area)
Stuff in back area:
Put away and move some things to storage area
Move bikes to storage
Misc,:
Fix lights on and in sheds.
Use recessed lights
Future work:
Build framing for bike storage
Clean up back porch
Move things off scaffold
Finish sheathing new shed
Realizing I have collected things as if I had a 40x100 pole barn instead of a 40x100 lot.
Anyway, I'm cluttering up Strouty's thread, just like my yard, so back to it.
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