I made a classic decluttering/organizing mistake as I started to work on my shed: shopping for organizational products before actually knowing what I needed. I know better than that! Thankfully, I didn’t actually buy anything beyond the workbench materials, which I did need.
This morning’s project was to make sense of the gardening/yard side of the shed, empty out the RV basement compartment full of ‘stuff’ that could be stored in the shed, and continue to organize the workshop side. Now that I had a large stable worktop, I could start arranging things by categories and figure out how best to containerize or otherwise make them accessible.
So here was the gardening/yard side when I started this morning, a jumble of tools and materials. Things that I need to be able to take out easily, like the mower, ladder, and wheelbarrow were stored at the back.
It didn’t make long to build a simple support for my gardening implements at the back of the shed and then move the ladder, wheelbarrow, and mower to the front.
Then, using what I had for containers, I sorted through my things and arranged them neatly either on the workbench or under it. I put my wrenches and pliers into old coffee canisters I’d saved and added screws to hold things like a hand broom, bag of tie wraps, levels, and squares. I hung my hammers from the same backer board as my screw drivers and clamps (and boy do I have a lot of clamps!). Does it look as pretty as a pegboard on Pinterest? No. But it’s just as practical and, best of all, it didn’t cost me anything. One my favourite bits is that I hung my tool belt from a hook and then clipped my tape measure to it because I’m always looking for it!
I macro organized hardware, with one tub for miscellaneous screws and another for everything from washers to eye hooks. At some point, I’ll find cubbies or some other organizational product that will let me sort these bits at the micro level. One thing I don’t have that surprised me were any nails! It would have been nice to have some big nails to use as hooks, but I have so many deck screws that it didn’t hurt to use a few of those instead.
Now, check out the other corner!
Wow, I didn’t expect to be left with so much room! I’d rather not fill it up since it gives me room to really spread out a project and to use my table saw. One of my next projects will be to come up with a platform on casters so I can roll it around. I also want to build a ramp to more easily take heavy wheeled things outside.
Well, I had a productive long weekend and managed to get away from my computer. Back to work tomorrow! And I may be off to Montana again on Wednesday afternoon, which would be a fun way to break up the week. That will allow me to finish up the booster project so I can post about it! The post is written, but needs some final photographs.
I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do next with myself. Work on my Mexico packing list, I guess! 😀
Well done! I’m sure it feels good to turn a store room into a usable space. You brought to me memories of my Grandpa’s workshop–built as a garage but never had a car in it.
Thanks! I wish I’d better documented how much work I did on this building!
Nice job, Rae! Old coffee canisters are great for holding nails, screws, etc as they stack very nicely on the wall between studs. The more you accumulate the more you can fine tune your storage in them. Large nails, small nails, galvanized nails… whatever. I just use a marking pen to label them. Organization is wonderful. My problem is that everything stays on the workbench so I never have access to it.
Just a thought on your ‘rolling platform’. How about one of your pallets with casters on the bottom?
Thank you! I like the coffee canisters because they are solid and have a good lid on them. Plus, they’re easy to accumulate! My mother used orange juice cartons for her shop because that’s what she goes through in large quantities. She cut them down to the right height and labeled them. I like that idea better than the coffee cans because square containers make more efficient use of space.
I have a label maker, but, of course, I ran out of labels as I working yesterday! Dang! 🙁
Hmm, you know, a pallet could possibly work! My initial thought was that it would be too big, but definitely not. I need to find heavy duty casters that lock. My mother has all her tools on rolling platforms and locking casters was one thing she stressed, for obviously reasons! Her shop is really amazing. It’s packed to the gills, but because everything is on wheels, she can push things around as needed.
I wasn’t sure what you wanted a rolling platform for but pallets are very solid, come in a couple of different sizes and the best part – they are free!
The platform would make it so much easier to move the saw to the middle of the shed or even outside, then put it away in an out of the way spot when I’m done.
As for pallets, I have tons! After three summers, I’m really seeing which ones hold up and which ones don’t.
Ah! Move the table saw to the project and then store it away. Now I understand.
Exactly. 🙂 It doesn’t make sense to store it in the middle of the room with tons of space around it, but it’s really heavy and awkward to move!
Will a pallet and casters make it too high for you? Is there a way to attach casters directly to the legs of the saw? The pallet has two layers. Can you put the casters on the bottom and then cut some slats back to allow the legs to sit solidly on the bottom slats of the pallet?
We had the same thought about the height, but I already figured out what I I’m going to do. 🙂 I have some pallets with only one fully solid side, so they’ll be easy to take apart. I’ll just make the platform from a row of boards rather than a whole pallet, which would be too heavy anyway.
Great JOB!!!!
Thank you!
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