Garage organizing -- what're Oppo's approaches?

[way2blu]

I'm freeing up space for some lil' wrenching projects (more on that soon) and have mapped out how I plan to tackle a messy side of the garage:

I first wrote everything down as a non-prioritized list, and then added the numbers to order things logically. I'll see how much of this I can get to today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology)

In a true Toyota MR2 (naturally aspirated 2.2-liter model) fashion, I'm using the 5S methodology that Toyota developed for organizing such spaces.

What do you all do to keep your workspaces (garage or otherwise) organized?

[Bandit]

@way2blu Shelving like these + tupperwear bins along the side walls and tool boxes and large tools along the rear wall. I'm trying to work in a fold-down 4'x2' workbench table too. It's the best I can do with my 20x20 garage.

[way2blu]

@Bandit that's great! Visibility is key in keeping track of everything. I'll definitely be considering shelving like that soon.

[theturbomrt]

Uh..... pile things on top of the workbench until they fall off on their own, and after a few months of that go out with a trash bag until the pile is more managable again

Also, Ikea cabinets and a generous shed

[adamftw]

I'll be watching. I just put some 2x4 and plywood shelves up in mine (moved them up from the basement) and they've just been a place for me to leave loose shit on.

I have to grind and coat my floor in the spring and revisit my strategy.

[CarsOfFortLangley]

@way2blu No space for classified documents?

[theturbomrt]

@CarsOfFortLangley next to the vette

[BJ]

[foghat1981]

I'm in a facebook group for people who are way too into their garages, but it's fine to look at and get inspired (but ultimately fail/do nothing).

Apparently Home Depot has been having really big deals on their Husky cabinets (~50% off and should be free shipping). So if you're thinking about doing cabinets and dropping some coin (still pricey, even on sale), may be worth looking into.

[Ad absurdum per aspera]

Though I'd hope the average Oppo does better, I think the average American approach is to fill the garage with household crap (most of which really should go to the thrift store if not the dump) and park the car outside.

[415s30]

What's a garage?

[Darkbrador]

@way2blu Metal file cabinets. Cheap in garage/estate sales, super durable, can take a lot of stuff, sturdy enough to swallow heavy stuff, keeps things tidy and protected, and they makes the garage look much cleaner than open shelves or a collection of tupperwares ...

(my own garage before it turned into a sh%show)

[atfsgeoff]

@way2blu said in Garage organizing -- what're Oppo's approaches?:

What do you all do to keep your workspaces (garage or otherwise) organized?

I look around once in awhile and throw things out that I haven't touched in 5 years or longer

[CaptDale - is secretly British]

@way2blu Fire. If it all burns down I can start anew. Thanks insurance fraud

[frinesi2]

@way2blu My general process is iterative over time as project demands change and as my workflow evolves.

In general, I try to:

• Keep like items together
  • The exception being items that might be needed quickly at various work stations - for example I have some basic hand tools, writing sticks, measuring tools, and consumables like tape and zip ties, at each work bench
• Stock frequently accessed items and tools at chest to head level
• Stock less frequently accessed items higher up and out of the way
  • The exception being very heavy items that are better off staying low to the ground
• Try not to pack stuff so tightly or deep that I can't see what I have, unless it's explicitly deep storage (in which case, I try to label stuff).
• Bins bins bins. Clear bins with labels. Or opaque bins but DO NOT SKIP THE LABELS. Shops get dusty, and it's a lot easier to wipe dust off a bin lid than everything in that bin.
• Label every bin, drawer, cabinet, etc. It helps remember what you have and where it is and you can start to get an idea of what kinds of things you access at the same time during any particular phase of a project. It's annoying to have to walk to three different corners of a shop to get stuff for one task. Tracking where you keep stuff will help you optimize your layout.

And last but not least:

• Pick a layout, get it to 90%, and then LET IT BE for like 6 months (other than keeping it straight). Don't waste a year getting it ideal. Get it pretty good and then live with it for a while and only change things that are obvious issues. Every time you rearrange the shop, ideally it will be smaller changes and the layout will get more efficient.

[Huzer]

@way2blu I like to rearrange things too much. My garage rule is nothing on the floor that isn't on wheels. A storage shelf has erroneously made its way into my garage that will be leaving shortly. I like to be able to pull everything out, clean the floor, and reorganize, if needed.

I don't like easy access flat surfaces. Garage flat surfaces (at least in my household) become crap collectors.

Garage rabbit hole available here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/

[Mark Tucker]

@way2blu I let stuff pile up until my wife yells at me, then stuff it all away where I can't find it when I need it. It's not much of a system, to be honest.

[Bandit]

@Huzer 100% agree with this comment! My shelves are all on casters so they can be rearranged and moved for cleaning. Flat surfaces always become congregation places for junk, that's why you'll often see slanted top storage solutions in factories and industrial places.

[415s30]

@Darkbrador And a Vespa, I have one left buried in storage. That picture shows more wasted space than I have in total! I'd have racks and kayaks hanging from the ceiling.

[Taylor Martin]

@way2blu the car is a shelf, and the floor is a shelf… and everything that’s flat is a shelf…

[Darkbrador]

@415s30 two vespas, four five motorcycles, a big tractor, a small tractor, a pickup truck, a camper for the pickup truck, a Land Cruiser, a snowmobile, … and a lift… and all sort of shizzle, parts, shop equipment, winter/summer tires, tractor implements, … it’s a mess

[Urambo Tauro]

@way2blu Always start with the workbench! You're gonna need it as a staging area for organizing the rest. My workbench has "NOT A SHELF" written on it in large letters, but I admit it hasn't been as effective a message to myself as I had hoped...

[ranwhenparked]

@way2blu What is this "organizing" thing you speak of?

[john norris]

@foghat1981 said in Garage organizing -- what're Oppo's approaches?:

Apparently Home Depot has been having really big deals on their Husky cabinets (~50% off and should be free shipping

Ha ha. My son reads the same fb page. He just told me about this Sunday night. He ordered $1,200 worth. We will see how it comes out.

Edit

[functionoverfashion]

I do a good job of keeping my small workbench clean, because I can't stand when I leave something on it "to come back to later" then a week/month late when I go back down to work on something else "real quick" I have to spend 20 minutes cleaning up my last project. So I keep it clean unless actively working on it.

Beyond that, my garage plan has looked like this:

1. do not consider buying a house without a garage
2. buy house without garage because LOOK AT THE VIEW also post & beam construction
3. plan to build garage soon
4. massive recession (ca. 2009)
5. recover from that. garage time!
6. have kids
7. build shed because I gotta put kids bikes and all skis and firewood somewhere other than basement
8. garage time! and all the stuff that would clutter it up is now in its own space! Finally ready!
9. buy land adjacent to our property for cash because land financing is awful. deplete garage fund
10. prices for everything skyrocket along with interest rates
11. kids are going to be in college before we can afford it
12. RIP my garage dreams until retirement probably, LOL