Tired of the mess in my shop

[varmint]

Like death and taxes, this is something we all deal with! When you get older, you probably begin to have more stuff than you can easily remember having, but the suspicion that you have it, somewhere, is what drives us crazy. I, for a while, had a computer created list with locations listed for hundreds of items... but it got outdated, and I just don't have the enthusiasm needed to redo it. And no matter how much stuff, a current project always seems to need something you don't have. Buy two, one to use and one to "have"? Maybe not such a good idea. And then there's the topic of tools...

 

[MikeInEburg]

My biggest moral issue is sending perfectly good stuff to the landfill, just because I no longer have a use for it. I would WAY rather "put it back into circulation" by giving it to someone who could use it. Big things go at the end of the driveway with a "Free" sign. But how about the zillion little things? There are a couple of hardware donation sites in the area - Second Chance and ReStore. But they have rules about what they will and won't accept as a donation. First World problems...

 

[SPIKER]

This is a real global issue for sure, I too have had issues with it and recently began to do away with all those GOOD things. Started by putting stuff on CL for low prices, others for free, got rid of a sink today!! WHOOT!

I put up a new project shelf in the barn and did same insulated the inside wall and plywood covered it, then used 2x4 to build solid 3 HD shelves. I also have hauled one of my junker cars from around back & filled it full of old metal STUFF and made 329 bucks on that... Yes to buy back half of what I tossed probably would cost 4 times that NOW but much of it was a free collection of good stuff someone else was getting rid of but didnt want to trash it...

The other half is worse (MUCH WORSE) than I am in this regard, can't get into 2 of the 3 rooms in basement and attic is piled full too... Anything in any of those 3 places have not been seen in probably 10+ years so why have it I say... That is what I'm working on doing, can't get the car inside to work on it so must make space somehow.

Mark

 

[sodamo]

My biggest moral issue is sending perfectly good stuff to the landfill, just because I no longer have a use for it. I would WAY rather "put it back into circulation" by giving it to someone who could use it. Big things go at the end of the driveway with a "Free" sign. But how about the zillion little things? There are a couple of hardware donation sites in the area - Second Chance and ReStore. But they have rules about what they will and won't accept as a donation. First World problems...

We are responsible for our own trash and have a transfer station to take it to then county takes it to the landfill. The one we prefer to use also has a good sized tent type structure with tables and shelves. We call it the "Give and Take". Can drop off most any reusable item and take whatever you see there. Clothes, books, tools, all variety of stuff. Makes me feel better leaving stuff there, but I've taken my share as well

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[grsthegreat]

im not sure. it seems that most of the time i was spending in the shop was in the evenings and winter days. i usually have the lights on then anyways

 

[grsthegreat]

well, a slight hitch in the shop cleaning operations. I had a delivery of 6 generators show up. the only place to store them is in the sorting area i created in shop.

im slowly being able to move them to their new homes. but until i do so, im at a standstill in the sort, move and restock modes of the shop cleanup].

the weather is too iffy to store anything outside at this time

 

[varmint]

Even where I live, fairly affluent, I find if I put stuff out by the road, it'll usually disappear. Whenever I go to the transfer station, I am simply amazed, and discouraged, but what I see going over the wall of no return there... perfectly good window units, storage cases, lumber, you name it. They discourage salvage- well, prohibit it, and when I stop at the metal recycling pile, that's even worse! All sorts of steel and aluminum that most of use would love for our project scrap pile is being tossed.

And Mike, I know Second Chance down in the city quite well- got our salvaged oak flooring, some cast iron radiators and misc. old cast iron "art objects" from them, back when they sold stuff CHEAP. Most of it is being nicely reused in our house.
So many good reasons not to mine, transport, manufacture and ship new stuff when old stuff is available- not for every use, of course, but for many...

 

[dieselcrawler]

I wish mine was as organized and clean as the before pictures.:ashamed:

I agree... we have moved 2 times in the past 3 years... I have lost so much valuable stuff it almost makes me cry. The first move forced me to pack up or dispose of 8 years of truck parts to move out of a 30x80' pole barn into a town lot with a 16x24 garage with a ceiling so low I never had a vehicle in it while we lived there. Thank god our tenants who live there now think its great. Now we have a nice barn that I have to share with 4 horses, 2 cats, and the rabbits. I'm out numbered, I can barely get the tractor and 4-wheelers in there and still move around enough to feed the critters! I am slowly making progress in getting things sorted out, but glaciers look fast by comparison, and turtles like a jet plane. Naturally the wife sees no improvements and threatens to clean for me... I never know when I'll get home from work and see tools by the road with a "Free" sign. She wanted me to sell a compressor at our yard sale... "You dont need 3 of them," she says... "But there all different sizes!" I replied... out it went. Lucky for me it didnt sell!

She took the daughters to the mall today and told me to wash dishes... maybe I should build shelves while I can.

I'm done venting now...

OP... your project looks nice. Old store shelving is great, we use a lot of it at work both as shelving as well as building materials for other projects.

 

[newbury]

Like death and taxes, this is something we all deal with! When you get older, you probably begin to have more stuff than you can easily remember having, but the suspicion that you have it, somewhere, is what drives us crazy. I, for a while, had a computer created list with locations listed for hundreds of items... but it got outdated, and I just don't have the enthusiasm needed to redo it. And no matter how much stuff, a current project always seems to need something you don't have. Buy two, one to use and one to "have"? Maybe not such a good idea. And then there's the topic of tools...

I've got my "stuff" spread out over 4 shops in Mississippi. I try to keep is sorted by major function, tractor, plumbing, electrical, etc. I frequently will start a project with a concept, some sketches etc. I call this the Pondering stage. Then I wander around looking at my various collections of hardware on hand to see what I can make out of what I have, that is the Piddling stage. Next step is to put the stuff together which is the Puttering stage. Often I can finish off an entire project with less than a dozen runs to the hardware store.

My biggest moral issue is sending perfectly good stuff to the landfill, just because I no longer have a use for it. I would WAY rather "put it back into circulation" by giving it to someone who could use it. Big things go at the end of the driveway with a "Free" sign. But how about the zillion little things? There are a couple of hardware donation sites in the area - Second Chance and ReStore. But they have rules about what they will and won't accept as a donation. First World problems...

I abhor "trashing" a useable item. I was brought up with the mantra "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without".

 

[Rio_Grande]

Worked on this tonight in the shop. What I realized real quick is the bulk of the clutter belongs to my wife. 6 totes of Christmas decorations for a lady who puts up a tree and a string of lights on the front porch. I am going to build a specific purpose rack that holds rubber made totes. Tree on top and then 4 totes wide as many tall as 10 foot ceiling allows. Once I get her stuff up I may build a second one for some of my stuff.