HELP!! Need something/someone to help organize my home shop

[Pablo]

I have a very cluttered two bay shop and I just don't know where or really how to start. Crap everywhere. Wood working tools. Tables/Shelves/cabinets all over the place. Yes I get work done. Brute force, inefficient. But stupid. I made those shelves and other things

I just don't know where to start as corny as that sounds..........I can't lift more than 10 pounds until next month at the soonest. But any and all suggestions welcome. Persons, sites, whatever.............

 

[cptbarkey]

I am constantly struggling with the same thing.
The one thing that seems to keep me going has been Adam Savage's advice, "One thing at a time."
Example, if you have a boatload of sawblades, find all of those first, put into a pile, then find a home for them. Ignore everything else.
His channel is a goldmine for organizing a shop. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA

 

[SC Maintenance]

Free up space by throwing the woodworking tools out. Buy a shelf to stack you Amsoil stash.

Seriously, I am thinking about getting one of the Milwaukee Pack-outs for all my cordless and misc stuff. I built a shelf years ago way up high to put the stuff I only use a couple times a year.

 

[cptbarkey]

Free up space by throwing the woodworking tools out. Buy a shelf to stack you Amsoil stash.

Seriously, I am thinking about getting one of the Milwaukee Pack-outs for all my cordless and misc stuff. I built a shelf years ago way up high to put the stuff I only use a couple times a year.

This is what I did, i'll showcase it eventually, but heavily invested in packout organizers now. It wasnt cheap but I'm fairly certain they will last decades.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I am constantly struggling with the same thing.
The one thing that seems to keep me going has been Adam Savage's advice, "One thing at a time."
Example, if you have a boatload of sawblades, find all of those first, put into a pile, then find a home for them. Ignore everything else.
His channel is a goldmine for organizing a shop. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA

I finally learned this when I re-did my first house. I bought several of these - one for wood screws, one for machine screws - etc and so on. Unfortunately they don't make this particular one anymore - but I have 6 completely full. Could use a couple more. I seldom am short a bolt, screw or nail.

 

[supton]

In my basement I wound up putting in my home office--but I was concerned about heat and utility access, so it's in the middle of the basement. I found that this made an alleyway where I tuck some stuff away--and it raised the appreciation that walls and closed spaces can help define areas better than wide open spaces. Plus it gives walls to put shelves on.

Not saying you have to wall it all off, but maybe some walls with pegboard and hooks for tools would be a start. Then cabinets and toolboxes. Shelving units. I have many shelving units and have bought a number of clear totes to store things into. Don't need to label if you can look into the tote.

You could try some shelving units for box storage. On one side attach peg board. Then you can hang stuff too, and it'd be more movable (sorta) than an actual wall.

 

[doitmyself]

Rent a dumpster, then 9 pounds at a time.

Maybe check out the GarageJournal Forum and search " organize shop" in the titles?

 

[Chris142]

Move everything out. Sweep/ clean the floors. Decide what you use often and what you rarely use. Make the used often stuff easily accessable.

The stuff you don't use much can be packed into a corner for future use.

 

[Pablo]

The breezeway where I end up actually working/assembling

 

[IndyIan]

Maybe get some graph paper and plot out your floor plan to make things fit/accessible. If it doesn't work on paper then decide what you are going to keep, and what goes.
I have similar problems! Too many mechanical hobbies/toys, projects, tools, and "spares"/parts that come in handy just after you get rid of them!
I've made the floor plan, just haven't implemented it yet! Too many things to fix and jobs to do.

 

[Pablo]

The shop itself

 

[Pablo]

 

[Pablo]

 

[supton]

Not seeing the problem here... looks pretty organized by my standards...

 

[Pablo]

More

 

[IndyIan]

Not seeing the problem here... looks pretty organized by my standards...

Yep, not too bad! Add some more shelving on the bare walls maybe with some standardized large bin capacity? Maybe 8-10 bins? Get rid of about 10% of the loose stuff, shelve the rest, see what that looks like?

I won't post my garage/workshop/junk storage/drive shed!

 

[Pablo]

I think the old graph paper idea has some real merit. I need to measure the various racks and benches and stuff.

I have some organizers for wiring items and such.

The racks down the middle just are not working. Seem to take up the valuable space.

 

[SC Maintenance]

You have lots of vertical space left. Build cantilever shelves 18 inches from the ceiling all the way around. I did that - but my garage has 11 foot ceilings - so I did 36 inches.

 

[ripcord]

Not seeing the problem here... looks pretty organized by my standards...

I was going to reply with exactly the same phrase. Looks good to me, lol.

 

[loneryder]

I can see one heck of a yard sale! Seriously I have the same problem....organizing. Also I don't put stuff away after using it. Just lay it on the already crowed table.