With Spring right around the corner I’m getting inspired to reorganize my workspace and I want to share some of my favorite tips for keeping a small shop organized. There is nothing more inefficient than wasting time trying to find something that should have been put away in it’s place. But if it doesn’t have a place to start with…you get the gist. So here are a few things I’ve learned along the way to keep my shop in working order and to keep my sanity intact. Let’s get started friends!
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Tools + Materials
Tools
Materials
Shop Layout
Before we talk about how to organize drawers and mount things on your walls we have to talk layout. The way you set up your workspace completely determines your workflow and ability to stay organized. I touch on shop layout in reference to organization at the beginning of this video.
When I had my shed shop everything was on wheels, there was such a small amount of space that sometimes I had to move everything out before I could use a tool (we’ll talk about this option in a moment).
Now in my garage workshop I hardly have anything on wheels. But just because I have the space to keep things stationary doesn’t mean I didn’t seriously think through the layout of each station, like with the outfeed table for my table saw, or the cabinets at the miter station. So if you didn’t have the luxury of laying out your shop with optimal flow when you got started, take a moment now to see if you can rearrange some things to make your workflow more efficient.
So whether you’ve got a little space or a lot, they way you layout your workspace can make all the difference.
Mobile Storage Cabinets
Ok so now we’re rolling. (See what I did there?) When you can make more space by moving the storage around your shop it can really help avoid clutter. Need more space for a large project? Roll the cabinets out of the way. Need to fit a large workpiece and the wall is in your way? Roll the tool away from the wall and make yourself some more space.
Having large power tools on casters can also make you more space when those tools aren’t in use, they can be tucked up against the wall and out of the way. Here’s a full tutorial on how I made this mobile miter saw stand with storage cabinets.
Organize with Scrap Wood
If you’ve got some wood leftover from a project, shop upgrades are a great way to put that wood that would otherwise be waste to good use. In my opinion organizing you shop is considered a significant upgrade. The possibilities are endless but here are 3 ways to use scrap wood to organize!
Making a divider to separate different sized small items is a big time saver. Nothing sucks time like comparing nails to figure out which are 1.75 inches and which are 2 inches…so save yourself the hassle and give them all a home.
Sandpaper is another one of those consumables that’s always getting out of hand. A divider system made from scrap wood can easily be tucked away inside a drawer. It’s easily accessible and easy to find the exact grit that you need.
One of my favorite organizational systems from the shed shop was my battery charging station. It hung on the wall so it didn’t take up drawer space and it was so easy to get to. I placed a power strip inside the box so all of the chargers were plugged in and you get bonus points if you label their cords inside the box.
Drawer Storage
You’ve already seen how you can use scrap wood to organize inside your drawers, but there are other great drawer solutions and you can really customize to the contents within each drawer.
These plastic bins can be found at the dollar store or on Amazon and they’re great for really customizing inside a drawer. It’s kind of like piecing a puzzle together.
I also love packouts. They’re awesome for materials you need to take to projects that are not in your shop. Everything is divided and contained, and it won’t fly around when you carry it. Plus you can slide them into a drawer and call it a day.
Vertical Storage
I touched on vertical storage earlier in the scrap wood projects, but here are some more ideas for using your walls.
I stored a lot of my handheld tools on the pegboard wall in my shed shop, but I also stored things in the ceiling! No spot is left out of holding stuff when space is limited.
Clamps take up so much room, but when you mount them on the wall they can be out of the way and be aesthetically pleasing too!
Drawer Slides in Cabinets (for tools)
Some tools just don’t need to be on a surface or standing alone taking up part of the footprint of your shop. Tools like the Kreg Foreman can be tucked away on drawer slides inside a cabinet. Just shut the door and it’s cleaned up!
Scrap Wood Storage
Scrap wood can really make things feel cluttered fast. There’s always a leftover piece and it’s always the perfect piece for a future project, and that’s always the project that you’re realistically not starting till next year. So every woodshop needs a scrap wood bin. Lots of people store their wood on shelves but I really like having the ability to roll this cart away when I need to. My scrap wood bin is on casters and I definitely went a little extra with staining and edgebanding, but it’s my scrap wood bin and I wanted it to look nice. You can see how I built this one here.
Dust Collection
Keeping a shop organized can also mean keeping it from being messy. Whether you have a large dust collection system like this or you have a shop vac it will help keep your space neat and clear of dust. I highly recommend being on top of this, it’s pretty much a requirement not only for you to keep your space clean but also to keep the air breathable.
Make it look the way you want!
Let’s not forget that an organized space can also be aesthetically pleasing! Here are a couple of projects I did in my shop to make it look a way that makes me happy!
My Faux Brick Wall is such a signature look for my shop now that it’s there. It was quite the project to install but I love it. It wouldn’t be my shop without it!
The flooring can also make a huge difference. I refinished my shop’s concrete floors, it was an ordeal but I’m so glad I was able to make this upgrade before moving all of my tools in.
I hope these tips have inspired to you tackle some Spring Cleaning and organizational projects in your shop. Clear out the clutter and the dust while you make space for new and exciting Spring and Summer projects! You know there will be some fun ones here at DIY Huntress so make sure you stay tuned. Until then, Happy DIYing friends!
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