[dutton101]

The worst and most depressing thing is to come into the shop the next morning all excited to work on the project and then have to spend an hour cleaning up or stepping over things. Soooo!!!! I clean up at the end of each day! Put the hand tools away first. Small wood scraps go in an old kitchen waste basket, larger ones on shelves. I vacume as I go but also at the end of the day. I try to have a place for every thing and every thing in it's place. A habit that my Father taught me. He was a mechanic and you wiped your tools down and put them away. ALWAYS !!!!!!

 

[Earlextech]

First I crank up the tunes!
Then I just do it, one thing at a time, until I'm done.

 

[thedude50]

did you get your shop clean and ready to go have you changed how you work ?

 

[Momcanfixit]

Dude -

Yes, I actually got the shop cleaned up and this thread HAS changed how I work. I noticed that as I get 'into' what I'm doing, I start leaving tools here and there because I'm thinking about the next step. I'm not saying I've completely stopped, but it's gotten better. I also do a complete clean up at the end of my shop time.

My shop (aka the garage) is still overcrowded and is the repository for everyone's stuff, but it's nice to go out and know that all my tools are where they should be.

I've been offline due to my mother in law passing away and I'm eagerly awaiting some badly needed shop time.

 

[Ocelot]

My shop also stores my outdoor power equipment. By spring, the dirt on the bottom of the roto-tiller is dry enough to fall off. Also, the grass and stuff on the mower is in a pile under the thing. I clean up a couple of times a year. I'll clean an area when too much junk or shavings are in the way or when I can't find some critical thing.

-Ocelot

 

[LeTurbo]

I find I sweep first - if there are lots of scraps on the floor, my mind says there's a thousand things to do. So I get that clean, and I won't trip over stuff. From there, the rest seems easier.

 

[Whiskers]

LOL, I'm the exact opposite Turbo, Sweeping is the last freaking thing I do. After I get tools and everything put away and workspaces clear, they are still dirty and the easiest way to clean them is to sweep/blow them off which means all that dust and junk goes straight to the floor. Seems counter productive to sweep first.

Scraps? Define scraps, usable recyclable scraps are gathered fairly early, they everywhere, not swept.

 

[gfadvm]

Sandra, Sorry I'm so late weighing in but my day is not finished until "all the evidence has been destroyed"! ie The shop is clean and everything is back in its assigned place.

 

[Momcanfixit]

Andy - I think I've watched your shop tour three times now. I was showing one of my friends, saying "wait for it, wait for it…. he has DOWEL storage!" She thought I was nuts.

 

[gfadvm]

I showed eddie and Don the dowel storage and told them how covetous you were but they didn't seem too impressed.

Now the pink sawblade holder? That got their attention!

 

[bigcreekwoodworker]

I sweep once so I'm not walking over shavings and scraps and then put tools away. I clean benches and tools off from there and sweep it up again.

 

[Whiskers]

I ordered in 2 separate orders some T-Track and Veritas style straight edges from Peachtree and both those orders were shipped in these cardboard tubes about 4" diameter x 4' long with plastic end caps. One of these is now storing my dowels.

 

[Momcanfixit]

I don't think it's really about the dowel storage - it's that it represents the level of organization I strive for.
Oooh, that sounded deep.

 

[firefighterontheside]

The level of organization I strive for is a little lower, but I do strive for something.

 

[thedude50]

Sandra I am so sorry for your loss I lost My Mom a couple of weeks back. I miss her so much She was my biggest fan and was always there to bail me out no matter what the cause she would always help me Now I have to go it alone which I hate doing but I have no choice.

I send your husband and you my prayers and best wishes

Lance

 

[Momcanfixit]

Thanks so much Lance. The journey is never the same once someone leaves.

 

[lateralus819]

I just cleaned my shop. What joy a clean shop is. I usually let it build up. Then stare at the wreckage for a while contemplating where i should focus my time first.

 

[Underdog]

Clean up? You can DO that? Who knew?

Seriously, I think of my mess as a theft deterrent. If someone wants to risk their life by entering my shop, good luck with that.

Mostly though, I just despair as I bring another piece of wood into my shop, and wonder where I should put it.

Anyone want a job as my shop secretary? I'll pay you in wood. Please. Take it off my hands.

Maybe I just need an intervention…

 

[Doe]

What does everyone do with bits and pieces that don't have a home? Do you chuck them out or do you have "junk drawer"? I have a CA glue jar (like medicine) for tiny things that I don't recognise, but there are much bigger things that I've misplaced that I need now but can't find. Maybe I threw them out-I have no clue.

I've been organising the shop since I started reading this and it's coming along nicely except that I still can't find stuff.

 

[Momcanfixit]

Doe,

I'm a notorious thrower-outer. But I do have little jars that go on my pegboard for keeping odds and ends.