Consider these two workshops. One, a workshop where you have to continuously search for tools that you need for a project. And two, a workshop where you don’t have to search for any tool because you already know where each item is placed. In which of those workshops would you love to do your work? Of course, you’ll pick the second. Having a tidy or organized workshop doesn’t only make things easy to find, but it also saves you a lot of time and makes you more productive.
You should however know that having an unorganised workshop doesn’t necessarily mean that you are untidy as a person. It might just mean that you haven’t gotten the right tips or ideas on how to properly arrange your workshop. Nonetheless, if you are in search of workshop storage or organisation ideas to help you reduce clutter and improve your workflow, here are some suggestions for you.
Sort Tools in Your Workshop
There are several ways to conveniently store your tools without spending much, and some of these storage options you can easily construct yourself. You can make use of materials you already own or leftovers from previous projects.
1. Put away trash
The first thing you should do when trying to organise your workshop is to take out all trash or leftover materials. Regardless of the kind of workshop you own, there tend to be leftover materials after you finish a project. Many people tend to keep such materials as they assume these materials will be of use later on – this can sometimes be true.
However, you should be careful not to keep leftover materials that might never be useful. Any material or tools broken beyond repair should not remain in your workshop. Broken tools or materials that can be recycled should be recycled while the rest tossed out.
2. Keep only tools you use
One habit that can make your workshop untidy is the keeping of unnecessary tools. While there are tools that see little use (tools you only use once in a while), there might still be tools that you never use. You should try to differentiate between the tools you use regularly, tools you seldom use and tools you don’t use at all.
Indeed, the tools you don’t use might be expensive, so throwing them away is not an option. Notwithstanding, you can always find ways to sell them off as putting away such tools will create more space for the tools you need. Then you can figure out or find effective ways to properly store your tools.
Optimize Your Workshop Storage
How organised, neat or spacious your workshop depends greatly on how you optimize storage. Whether you have a large, small or cramped workshop, you can always keep it organised and even provide more room by storing tools wisely. Here are some tips for effective storage.
1. Avoid storing materials on the floor
Keeping tools and materials off the floor will help you maximize workshop space and no doubt help you keep it tidy and organised. Since you already have a workbench on the floor taking up space, leaving materials or tools on the floor will only reduce your workshop space and make it look even more untidy. Therefore, you need to find other ways to reduce clutter which takes us to the next tip.
2. Use the walls
Take a look at your workshop. You might just realise that you have far more space on the walls than on the floor. Then why not just make good use of that wall space. There are quite a several ways to store tools and materials on your wall; so, depending on your budget you can decide to use any of the following;
- Contact companies that can help you build and install custom wall storage. These companies will get the dimensions of your workshop and you build and install wall storage that will fit perfectly into your storage.
- Try using a pegboard. The use of pegboards is probably the easiest and cheapest way to efficiently make use of your wall space. Pegboards are great for hanging hand tools and attaching small shelves where tiny bits or screws can be stored.
3. Keep small parts together
Tiny parts like drill bits, screws and pins can easily get lost in the workshop if not properly stored; and if you own a wood workshop, such tiny parts can be covered by sawdust. So, one good way to store them is to designate a specific space where you can keep them together. This space could be on a rack or in a cabinet – it all depends on you.
4. Try keeping things mobile
Keeping things mobile is more of a tip for maximizing space than for organisation and storage. However, for someone who has a small workshop, it is a very useful tip for keeping things tidy and improving the ease of work. Two things that can consume much space in a workshop is the workbench and cabinetry. Hence, making them mobile allows you to push them aside when not in use helping you create more space other tasks.
To Wrap Things Up …
You can never go wrong by having a well-organised workshop with effective storage space. This doesn’t only improve workflow but can also help avoid accidents. With the above tips, you can achieve this and maximize your workshop space along the way.
