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

[GON]

When I lived in Washington, the awesome elderly gentlemen that lived next door to me had the ability to fix anything that broke.

This gentlemen was in his late 70s. He stated he disposed of the majority of his garage hoard. He stated his wife hammered him to dispose of all of the five decades collection of garage stuff. The reason, his wife thought it wasn't right to leave all the garage stuff for her, or their children to clean up after his death.

If I die today, my wife will pay someone to take it all away in one shot. She could care less the value of my snap on stuff, or anything else. She will pay someone to haul away the snap on boxes, oil, and everything else.

 

[Pablo]

The question I have is- do you remember all that you have in your shop?

Doing moves, I am always amazed at how much garage stuff I have and I forgot I have it.

Yes, you have a mental health condition with your shop, I have the same condition. Not sure what the fix is except to simply throw everything away and start over. On the condition, I am not a behavioral health professional, but suspect you (and I) were exposed to something in your childhood that made hoarding of items something you think is being protective.

Yes. I mean not down to every washer, but I do know what tools I have. And any duplicates I have were for a purpose.

I would tend to say I'm more of a slob than a hoarder. I don't just buy stuff or keep stuff and pile it on top. I work on stuff, complete and then move on. No time to clean up. Throwing EVERYTHING away makes no sense really

I appreciate and hate this thread. I hate it because I am more frustrated than ever not being able to lift and move things, I appreciate it because I AM going to do something.

Take wood clamps for example. Never can have too many, but finally I have just enough to do the projects I have been working on. I was tossing them in the bottom drawer of my Craftsman tool cart. That was a pain, just a jumble and all the smaller clamps would filter to the bottom. So I stated tossing them in milk crates and the larger clamps on my 20T press. That was no solution at all.

Searching around got me here: https://sawsonskates.com/small-workshop-diy-clamp-storage-ideas/

 

[AZjeff]

. I work on stuff, complete and then move on. No time to clean up.

If you don't change this there's no need to waste the hours it will take to sort and organize your war zone.

BTW you have a clamp problem.

 

[AZjeff]

Also would love to see pics of projects that require that many clamps.

 

[Mechanician]

I saw an Amsoil sign - that should be enough to get these guys to stop by and help you out. Maybe have the wife give Danielle a call.

 

[burbguy82]

@Pablo

my friend, there are two types of folks, IMO....one who have nice clean shops where every little thing has a cover and holder and in an inventory.............and then there are the others (like us) who actually do stuff, and have other stuff that comes up, and then that other thing etc...........

 

[Pablo]

Made a temporary safety equipment table

Ears hands eyes nose

 

[Pablo]

Sockets organized

 

[AZjeff]

@burbguy82 ,Respectfully don’t agree. Sure there are neat freaks like you described. To say they don’t get things done is a bit much. At the other end there’s a point where clutter and disorganization hurts productivity no matter what one wants to think. Trying to find tools and a clear workspace is frustrating.

It took more than a bit of courage for brother Pablo to show the extent of his “problem “ and ask for help and ideas to make things better.

It looks like talking about it got him started in the right direction.

 

[walterjay]

Doing good Pablo. Steady progress already being made. I'm sure it gives you the impetus to do more.

 

[burbguy82]

@burbguy82 ,Respectfully don’t agree. Sure there are neat freaks like you described. To say they don’t get things done is a bit much. At the other end there’s a point where clutter and disorganization hurts productivity no matter what one wants to think. Trying to find tools and a clear workspace is frustrating.

It took more than a bit of courage for brother Pablo to show the extent of his “problem “ and ask for help and ideas to make things better.

It looks like talking about it got him started in the right direction.

I did not mean that neat freaks dont get stuff done........I was speaking about making order of chaos. Some live in clutter, and can produce good work......some live in hermetic neatness, and produce good work.

This all to say.....when I was in the field, doing plumbing work, at the end of the day, my clothes would be filthy, with glue and grease and copper dust tarnish green, with black castiron coating al over my face, but my work was laser straight, and on the money. Just my personality.

I do get to a point in my shop where enough is enough, and a purge \ reorg is in order.

Sorry for not fully clarifying...........................neat freak. (you)

 

[burbguy82]

Made a temporary safety equipment table

Ears hands eyes nose

View attachment 281015View attachment 281016

boy you best clean that black paint off that table!

 

[burbguy82]

I saw an Amsoil sign - that should be enough to get these guys to stop by and help you out. Maybe have the wife give Danielle a call.

View attachment 281005

huh.....nevermind

 

[Pablo]

boy you best clean that black paint off that table!

I do have a can of paint remover and know where it is!

 

[AZjeff]

Sorry for not fully clarifying...........................neat freak. (you)

Hardly. I was a product line manager responsible for getting military aircraft parts out on schedule that were essentially handmade and could document the difference between organized and disorganized workers. When we did the 5S project we did work flow charts and rearranged our work area for better efficiency. Same stuff works at home. It just takes some effort.

At home I do put tools away overnight but my problem is keeping clear workspaces for ongoing projects as I have limited space.

 

[MaximumMini]

first, throw out or donate anything you have not used in the last 5 years,

C'mon now.... everyone knows the problem with doing that.

Haven't used it 5 years but THE MOMENT YOU GET RID OF IT ......

 

[burbguy82]

Hardly. I was a product line manager responsible for getting military aircraft parts out on schedule that were essentially handmade and could document the difference between organized and disorganized workers. When we did the 5S project we did work flow charts and rearranged our work area for better efficiency. Same stuff works at home. It just takes some effort.

At home I do put tools away overnight but my problem is keeping clear workspaces for ongoing projects as I have limited space.

yeah, tools go home, mostly for me too. My issue, is tables.......if I can sit something on it, I do. Everything is a table.

 

[MaximumMini]

Pablo,

Your shop is a sign of a hard working man who gets stuff DONE !

I tackled this same problem with TONS of wire rack shelving and bin boxes.
I wrote CF programming to keep track of it all. Over 1000 items in the database as we speak and growing.
I'm too scatterbrained to be organized unless I can use software to help me.

I have to create a specific place for everything to have any hope of putting everything in it's place.
Even then in the middle of big jobs, like replacing pistons, things can get out of hand quickly.

Looks like you're making really good progress there.

 

[Pablo]

I need to find some tall deep metal cabinets. For paints. Adhesives. Lubes. Nothing locally

 

[Urshurak776]

I have the same drill press!!