Organizing is either my gift, or illness (depending on who you ask). Here are a few tips I have learned:
- Have plenty of trash cans in convenient places. If you don't, trash will accumulate in piles on your work areas.
- If you look in a specific storage place for a tool/item 3 times, move the item to that space. Let's say you have screwdrivers in the 3rd drawer of your toolbox, but you keep going to drawer 5 for them. Move the screwdrivers to drawer 5.
- Keep items often used together near each other. Although it makes sense to put rivets, nuts, and bolts together, it makes MORE sense to put rivets and riveting tools together.
- Have a stack of plastic baskets (or similar containers) for temporary storage of in-use items. Maybe it's going to take 3 or 4 (or more) sessions to finish a task, so it would waste time to put the necessary tools away at the end of each session. Place them in a basket and they will be there when you need them tomorrow (and you will be able to find them).
- Make efficient use of your storage space. If the shelves are adjustable, move them so there is no "dead space" above the shelf's items. If they aren't adjustable, you can hang wire baskets, or hooks, or even stretch bungee cords across the underside of the shelf above to utilize the empty space.
- You don't want to have to move something to get to something else, ideally. Boxes that can be accessed from the ends, while stacked, are better than boxes with top access that you have to unstack to open. Drawers work well, too. You can make racks out of C-channel or right angle strips to hold those compartmentalized plastic boxes in a way that they can each be accessed individually.
- Have cleaning supplies handy and easily accessible. Mentioned by several people already is the omnipresent ShopVac? - the wall-mount idea is brilliant! If that isn't an option, you can at least pick up 3 or 4 dustpan & brush sets for dirt (groan) cheap at the discount store. Hang them in convenient locations.
- Have clearly defined areas for stuff. Have the cleaning supplies shelf, and the power tool charging shelf, and the measuring tool drawer, etc. You are much more likely to remember where things are, and where things go if there are classifications. We even have silly names for things in our shop such as The Adhesives Cabinet and the Safety Shelf (for PPE). It's goofy, but I will never forget where the hearing protectors, masking tape, or epoxy are again!
Hope this helps, and happy building!
--Lylah