# How do you organize your _____ ?



## drpdrp (Oct 19, 2012)

Okay so lots of posts about the meta concepts in shop organization and whatnot… My son once called me a hoarder and I don't want to believe it is true- but I've got a lot of stuff that doesn't ever seem to show up in other people's posts. I am curious what you guys do with this kind of stuff:

Weird misc. hardware- the billion non standard screws and bolts and brackets that you pickup over time. Put them all in a bit container and you might as well not have them for all the use you will get… toss them and the very next thing you do will require them. Organize them all into their own little bins and you need to add 100square feet to the shop!

The automotive repair stuff that can't just live in a toolbox. Oil drip pans, jacks…

Yard crap- same thing.

Rolls of flooring.

Again with specialty tools that don't live in the toolbox- electrical stuff

House hardware

Crap for the bikes

Anyway, you get the picture.

Man, I suddenly started getting deja vu… did I already post this? Okay- quick sanity check there. I commented on this issue in another thread. I told the person to be aware of it- but did not tell them how to solve it. Helpful aint I?


----------



## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

Oh! I always find a place for those sorts of things.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


----------



## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

I made a 4ft deep loft over one end of my garage on 7 ft posts. Gives me room to have my bench below and enough head space above to store miscellaneous stuff like the free antique wooden chairs I pick up on the side of the road, rolled sheet of laminate, roll roofing and shingles, etc. The space between the joists gets used for storage as well. I keep screws, bolts, washers etc in plastic coffee containers. I always say 'I should just recycle it all' but always end up dumping it out and picking through to get a fastener I need. Must have inherited it from my father.

The one thing I don't do that our fathers did is save every old nail, hammer it back out straight and run it through the old bar of soap to reuse it. I did that when I was younger but use nail guns primarily now.


----------



## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

helluvawreck, you just made us all feel a lot better, because we do not have that much stuff; but a lot worse
because we not only do not have that much stuff, but we do not have it that well organized, or that much
space to put it. Now I do not know whether to try to build a bigger shop, or try to throw some of this 
wonderful junk away so I have room for more tools.


----------



## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

I just got up and sat down, had some coffee and read this post first. WOW, how big is this place *helluvawreck*? It seemed endless…...


----------



## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

@Charles: When was the last time you dusted all that stuff?


----------



## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

I try to be really serious about thinking whether or not I will really ever use the thing I am saving. I have decided that if I ever really make the "Maybe someday, after all of the other things I really want to make" project that I will go out and buy new hardware/screws.

I have also had very purposful weekends where I only make stuff from all of the scraps that I have, then sunday night I have a bonfire with the rest.


----------



## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

Built a shed for lawn/garden equipment, kids bikes, ski equipment, etc. That helped a *ton*.

Partitioned off a section of the basement for storage shelves. Seasonal crap goes there.

One corner of my garage shop houses my vehicle maintenance stuff on a set of shelves.

My screws, nuts, bolts, etc. are stored here:


----------



## drpdrp (Oct 19, 2012)

Helluva- are you in an abandoned Costco????

Thank you guys for the ideas and comments.


----------



## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Charles, haven't you contacted the folks at Pickers yet?

I try not to let myself keep stuff too long. Takes up to much space.


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

As my woodworking tool expanded the other good stuff like that seemed to disappear. About twice a year I go through the shop and say yep I might need that some day. After 25 years at this home and bringing a lot of that from my old home, made me realize its not that important. But a mans treasures is a mans treasures.


----------



## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Clutter has always been my bane in life. I hate to throw anything away (I think there is a mania name for this). It does make more sense today to save stuff because, if you haven't noticed, everything has gone up in price. Everything has doubled in price over 10 years ago, and replacements cost more also. Can you remember when a 2×4 cost 99¢ and what it is today.


----------



## RonInOhio (Jul 23, 2010)

Its an on-going challenge. I am a big fan of those carry along cases that* nwbusa has shown in the pic above *for screws and such. Besides being portable you can move them around easily if need be.

I have a lot of dimensional lumber accumilating that I'm going to build a lean-to for as well as a Dust Collector.Its been frustrating and a pain to move that stuff around to find room to work during the shop expansion. The big stuff I'm regulating to another storage area that will be under a porch. I don't have room for outdoor furniture ,grill,etc. in the shop. Enough of a challenge having room for the tools.

I too am reluctant to part with a lot of misc. oddball parts and the like. The minute you scrap them,seems a need arises. The problem seems to be finding that "part" when you need it. If you know what I mean.


----------



## bernwood (Aug 19, 2010)

I like a clean workshop and I keep it clean. But I don't throw out everything I don't need. I'm fortunate to own a 3 level barn so I could collect tons of stuff. The barn has an old out house on the back side (it was originally a fancy 2 seater outhouse). This little room is about 5' X 5' and I added shelves to it. I will collect all the extras and put them in that room. When it's full and I have more stuff to add, I weed out a bit. I will not collect more then the room holds.


----------

