Clutter happens, or..... shop organization

[Paul Cook]

I have no "clutter"...

I call it a "MUSEUM". The first picture is the Kempner Power Wagon Museum at Day 1.

The second picture is more recent. It shows my M37, '67 W100, and '05 Power Wagon. Looking past these vehicles you can see my WC-52 in the front left. Next to it is a '30 Model A. You can also see my 1937 Bowser gasoline pump.

What you don't see is two storage barns with more trucks and a field where some other trucks are "grazing" in the sun.

You also don't see my collection of old tools and old toys. Some of my "collectibles" are priced at several hundred dollars, and a few have a collector value over a thousand dollars. Thank goodness for the internet where I can show her some collector web sites. The internet is our friend.

The best part of this is that my wife encouraged me to build the "Museum" building when we built a new house. She insisted that the museum have a bathroom so I could live there when I had more trucks than she thought I should.

What makes this work is that some of the vehicles belong to my son who is a collector, too.

[Steve Pellock]

I learned the hard way to never throw anything away until the project is completely finished. Chances are you will need it for the project or to swap for something you do need. Besides, collecting parts is fun if you have the room to store them

[Hobcobble]

I use my new 36x48 building mainly for parking vehicles. I keep some
space for "light duty" work like assembling body panels, wood working
or metal working. I also donated one space to my wife to keep her
vehicle in. I do the dirtier work in an old 30x40 barn which is split into
3 bays. I re-did the upper floor of this building and keep all of my parts
stored there. I'm pretty squared away and learned that from my dad
[and also my uncles when I worked summers on the farm in IA]. After
each time I do some work, I clean up and store my tools and get things
ready for the next day. I can't stand looking around for tools, etc.
so the last chore at night is "clean up". I tend to accumulate "stuff"
but don't let it get too out of hand. Whenever I need to lighten my
load, I donate all my scrap to the neighbor as he can use the money
he gets for it for food, heating oil, etc.. I'm lucky to have a room in our
house where I keep most of my WW1, WW2 & KW clothing and field
equipment collection. I collect old lanterns & books as well. Both my
parents grew up on farms in IA during the depression and were taught
not to throw anything out that might have another "use" in the future.
My dad is 77yrs old and still keeps the training wheels from my first bike
because ..... "you never know when you might need a pair of wheels"....
John

[Gordon Maney]

I use my new 36x48 building mainly for parking vehicles. I keep some
space for "light duty" work like assembling body panels, wood working
or metal working. I also donated one space to my wife to keep her
vehicle in. I do the dirtier work in an old 30x40 barn which is split into
3 bays. I re-did the upper floor of this building and keep all of my parts
stored there. I'm pretty squared away and learned that from my dad
[and also my uncles when I worked summers on the farm in IA]. After
each time I do some work, I clean up and store my tools and get things
ready for the next day. I can't stand looking around for tools, etc.
so the last chore at night is "clean up". I tend to accumulate "stuff"
but don't let it get too out of hand. Whenever I need to lighten my
load, I donate all my scrap to the neighbor as he can use the money
he gets for it for food, heating oil, etc.. I'm lucky to have a room in our
house where I keep most of my WW1, WW2 & KW clothing and field
equipment collection. I collect old lanterns & books as well. Both my
parents grew up on farms in IA during the depression and were taught
not to throw anything out that might have another "use" in the future.
My dad is 77yrs old and still keeps the training wheels from my first bike because ..... "you never know when you might need a pair of wheels"....
John

I think I like your dad....

[rickt4498]

1-800-pack rat

on the way home tonight... I passed one of those rental storage pods...

1-800- PACK RAT...

( another golden idea stolen by someone else) ; > )

[Dana Singsaas]

Save it all!...

I learned just a few years ago from my father that I was potty trained before my first birthday. Now, by all psycho-analysis-babble-talk I am, or should be, the poster child for the phrase “anal retentive”. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Dress-right, dress.

HAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! I must be the exception to the rule! My shop is a mess, but like others have said, in my chaos – I know right where everything is! I’ve also noticed that when I “clean” my shop, what I’m basically doing is moving that pile over there to here and this pile here to over there. Nothing ever gets thrown out (heaven forbid!). One of our problems is: my wife is a pack-rat too. I have 12 out-buildings and all of them are full of “treasures” that we might need. (We haven’t seen the stuff in five years, but it’s OUR stuff and we might just need it… someday.) It’s just happened too many times to me that I’ll have a widget for years, moving it from drawer to shelf, to basket to shop to garage, then finally, under duress, throwing it away. A week later someone will ask, “Do you have an extra widget?” (D’oh.)

Our son Andy learned from mom and dad, fortunately for the boy he married a wonderful young lady who actually doesn’t have a problem with throwing stuff away! His garage is clean, looks good, you can walk in there… I’m impressed. (But not jealous!)

(By the way, I have three kids of my own and I have no idea how, on God's green earth, you could potty train a kid before their first birthday!! But he said my mom wanted that diaper pail OUT of the house!! :)

[Desoto61]

Our son Andy learned from mom and dad, fortunately for the boy he married a wonderful young lady who actually doesn’t have a problem with throwing stuff away! His garage is clean, looks good, you can walk in there… I’m impressed. (But not jealous!)

That's because he knows if he threw it out or can't find it Dad has to have three or four somewhere!

[Hobcobble]

I think I like your dad....

Guess who's shop these will end up in.... some years down
the road...
John

[Ron in Indiana]

A good friend of mine, Jim used to have his own bodyshop and he kept a lot of his tools. He recently decided to buy a smaller house now that he is closing in on retirement. He gave me some of his tools he will no longer needs because he knew I could use them. Jim is very well organized with everything having a place. But he is nothing compared to his sister Janet. If she has something that they don't use in a year it's GONE unless a keepsake. I've never seen a cleaner garage than hers, it's almost scary. Jim calls his sister Stuffbusters...... Who ya gonna call STUFFBUSTERS!

[Gordon Maney]

A good friend of mine, Jim used to have his own bodyshop and he kept a lot of his tools. He recently decided to buy a smaller house now that he is closing in on retirement. He gave me some of his tools he will no longer needs because he knew I could use them. Jim is very well organized with everything having a place. But he is nothing compared to his sister Janet. If she has something that they don't use in a year it's GONE unless a keepsake. I've never seen a cleaner garage than hers, it's almost scary. Jim calls his sister Stuffbusters...... Who ya gonna call STUFFBUSTERS!

She would not be allowed on my property....

[BobbyMike]

She would not be allowed on my property....

Now we have a "stick" to threaten you with ;)

[BobbyMike]

My shop is full of pieces of hardwood, cabinet doors, hardware, tools that I'm restoring. My wife asks me, very nicely, to straighten things up once or twice a year and I do, but a week later it's back to the same state. I like to think that it's because my shops not big enough, but I know in my heart that's not true.

[Ron in Indiana]

I came up with the proper motivation to clean house in my shop, hold a rally. I had my first rally last year and I knew I had to clean up so we could get people inside to eat. So it really got me busy with getting things put away so at least it had the appearance of organisation. Of course it looks just like it did before last years rally so it's time to get out the broom and scoop shovel along with my skidloader. Hey it gets deep around here through the winter. ha ha.

[Gordon Maney]

My shop is full of pieces of hardwood, cabinet doors, hardware, tools that I'm restoring. My wife asks me, very nicely, to straighten things up once or twice a year and I do, but a week later it's back to the same state. I like to think that it's because my shops not big enough, but I know in my heart that's not true.

I read an article about wood shops [that I am not sure I could totally follow.....] that said you should have a rack and/or barrel in which to keep your scrap or drop material. Leave it in there for a year, or until full, and then discard all or most, starting over. I have tried things like that but I get stuck when I start setting aside the really good stuff.

[BobbyMike]

I read an article about wood shops [that I am not sure I could totally follow.....] that said you should have a rack and/or barrel in which to keep your scrap or drop material. Leave it in there for a year, or until full, and then discard all or most, starting over. I have tried things like that but I get stuck when I start setting aside the really good stuff.

I do that. I further separate into "burning" kindling, useful hardwood scraps, antique trim and molding, etc. The hard part for me is that I do quite a bit of restoration and often need a particular piece to match existing wood/grain.

The earlier comment about throwing something away two weeks before you need it struck home ;)