LET'S GET ORGANIZED!
A study in shop sanity.
I've always found shop organization to be one of the most important things a maker should strive for. Like many of my fellow artists, my workspace is rather small-about 10 by 15 feet, so I really need to keep all my materials and tools organized to help me stay sane and maximize my efficiency. Now I am naturally a very messy person, especially when working on a project, however I really try to discipline myself to stay neat and organized. Believe me, it makes a huge difference when you don't have to hunt around for things or move stuff out of the way every time you want to work on something. Of course it helps if you've got a dedicated work space, but even a spare bedroom can make a great shop if everything is tidy and organized.
I'd like to share with you, my fellow craftsman, some tips for keeping your workshop in order:
THE TEMPLE OF TOOL
Try to put up all your tools at the end of a work session. Put them back in the same place every time so you can find them again. Nothing beats the old school pegboard for keeping tools in their place. If you find others constantly borrowing your tools, do what my uber-organized Uncle did and paint an outline of each tool on the pegboard so you always know which tool is missing.
AS SEEN ON "MYTHBUSTERS"
I am a firm believer that one can never have too many shelves and storage boxes. These have really helped me keep all my stuff stowed away neatly yet easy to find. I picked these plastic shoeboxes up at the Dollar Store near my workshop. These are great for storing all kinds of materials.
HARDWARE HEAVEN
Hardware collections can easily get out of hand. Make your fasteners easy to find by putting them in these organizer bins. You can find these at your local hardware store. If you're really anal like me you can pick up a label maker to mark your bins. It's fun!
CLEAN LESS, MORE OFTEN.
Try to get in the habit of sweeping up messes before they take over your shop. Woodwork is especially messy, so vacuum up sawdust after every cutting or sanding operation. Placing a large trash can under your workbench can also help catch dust before it ends up everywhere. If I'm using a router or belt sander it's outside I go. Nothing will coat your shelves in sawdust like a 20,000 rpm cutting bit (ask me how I know).
HOLSTER THAT SHOOTER
