My New Year’s Resolution for 2017 – Workshop Organization!

Like so many people at this time of year, I’ve made a resolution to get organized! But I’m not vowing to get rid of paperwork clutter or prevent an avalanche in the closet. I’m focusing on just one thing: workshop organization. My hope is that a more functional workshop will allow me to create more amazing projects!

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My Workshop Now

Ok, so I swear it normally doesn’t look nearly this bad! After the mad scramble to get my fireplace remodel finished in time for Christmas, I just dumped every tool I’ve touched in the last month in the workshop and closed the door. I got hit with a nasty cold over the holidays, and haven’t had the energy to clean it all up until now. So no judging! 🙂

Believe it or not, my workbench is somewhere under this mess! And yes, that’s an old TV there. The previous owner graciously left it behind, and I haven’t gotten a chance to get rid of it yet.

Sawdust has accumulated to dangerous levels in the corners. Some serious dust collection is necessary before a stray spark burns the whole house down!

I used buckets to shuffle tools from the fireplace down to the workshop when it was time to clean up. Now I need to find a home for them again.

It’s time for a complete overhaul! This space was fine as is back when DIY projects were a little hobby I did every once in a while. Now that I’m in there every day, it’s time for some serious workshop organization!

Workshop Organization Plan

New Work Surfaces

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen the amazing gift I received from my husband for Christmas: the Ryobi 12 inch Sliding Miter Saw. Quite an improvement over the cheap $80 saw I’ve been using!

A bigger, better saw demands a bigger, better work surface! I plan to build a new miter saw station to replace the small worktable I’ve been using.

Something like this miter saw station by Shanty 2 Chic will support the wood while making cuts, allowing me to work safer. I’ll build some customized storage below, and add a shop vac to cut down on the sawdust.

My assembly table is just a solid, flat door on top of two sawhorses. The door is super heavy and perfect for clamping and assembling projects. It might be a bit too heavy for my plastic sawhorses, however. I’m afraid they’re going to collapse under the weight any day now!

Kreg Tool’s Universal Bench kit would make a rock solid worktable. If I adjust the height to match my table saw and add casters, it can double as an outfeed table!

Tool Organization

Underneath my assembly worktable, I want to add storage for tools so they’ll be within arms reach while I’m working. This set up by Sawdust 2 Stitches would be perfect, and I could also add additional square cubbies for sanders.

I dream of having a wall of pegboard storage that looks like this one from The Creativity Exchange. **drool**

But instead I have my wall o’ junk! Unfortunately, we need some of that junk and there’s nowhere else to store it. A giant white tarp stapled to the floor joists protects all that stuff from sawdust, and makes a good backdrop for photos!

So instead of one big wall of organization, I’ll take advantage of whatever wall space I can find and put it to work! First up will be this clamp rack from Fix This Build That…

Then I’ll need some way to corral all those cans of spray paint and tubes of caulk I’ve been hoarding collecting. I love how this one from Reality Daydream brings a bright pop of color to the workshop!

Lumber Organization

The previous owner of our house left some MDF boards and trim on these shelves, so I turned them into a lumber rack. Of course, I’ve added to the collection significantly since we moved in. Now it resembles a Jenga tower about to topple…

Small cutoffs are overflowing from the plastic bin they’re supposed to live in. No wonder I’m not using them up!

I want to keep the top two shelves of the rack for longer pieces of lumber and trim, but there needs to be a better way to organize the smaller pieces. I have plans to turn all that scrap lumber into a scrap lumber bin, to be filled with more scrap lumber! The circle of life…

Introducing Workshop Wednesdays!

Obviously, I’m not going to get to all these projects right away. Workshop organization is something you tinker with until you find the ideal set up for your workflow. And I certainly don’t want to bore any of my readers that don’t have or want a workshop of your own!

So I’ve decided to dedicate my Wednesday posts to the workshop, and call the series “Workshop Wednesdays.” Aren’t I clever? 😉 But don’t worry, I’ll still write about home improvement, decor, woodworking and more on Mondays or Fridays!

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