Cleaning up

[Jon McElwain]

Time to implement shop clean-up rule #4080: Every time I walk into the shop, pick up ten items and put them away.

I have found that in just a few days, this rule will de-clutter a shop that was once an overwhelming mess. Ten screws, ten sockets, ten pieces of scrap wood, ten pieces of trash - whatever. Mix and match of course, but do it every time you walk in there and the 15-20 seconds it takes will make all the difference.

Oh, shop clean-up rule #1267: A "Honey-Do" can not be checked off the list until the tools that were required to complete said honey-do are put away.

What are your shop cleaning tips?

Jon

[johnny means]

Plywood off cuts are trash. You will never get a project that uses more plywood scraps than you created in your last project. Hence, no need for 12 projects worth of off cuts.

[Rick Fisher]

I read your 10 things rule .. That has become my new rule.. except its 5 things.. lol. Anyway.. I love that rule.. I am trying .. May need a tatoo..

[Bill LaPointe]

I am a very early riser (2 to 4 AM) I do most cleanup then. Most tools are left on the bench until I need the space for something else. Most left over fasteners get put up at the same time tools get put away. Johnny's plywood off cut rule is one I keep forgetting 'til there is no more room in the bin!

[Bob Riefer]

For one, I got rid of the cases for tools, so it's easy to just shove the circ saw (or whatever) back where it goes. I used to dread putting away those tools for some reason so they'd be out and clutter things up. I keep all accessories next to where they're most often used so I'm pretty lazy if I don't take 4 seconds to put things away as they're used. At the end of each project phase (not each project... each phase) I clean up completely. It slows me down initially, but the gains in efficiency on the next phase are more than worth it.

Now, if I could be so regimented in the house my beautiful wife would be much happier with me.

[John Coloccia]

Time to implement shop clean-up rule #4080: Every time I walk into the shop, pick up ten items and put them away.

I have found that in just a few days, this rule will de-clutter a shop that was once an overwhelming mess. Ten screws, ten sockets, ten pieces of scrap wood, ten pieces of trash - whatever. Mix and match of course, but do it every time you walk in there and the 15-20 seconds it takes will make all the difference.

Oh, shop clean-up rule #1267: A "Honey-Do" can not be checked off the list until the tools that were required to complete said honey-do are put away.

What are your shop cleaning tips?

Jon

When I was airplane building, it's VERY easy to loose momentum. There's a LOT of boring, repetitive tasks that need to be done correctly. Drilling and deburring hundreds upon thousands of holes, for example. Edge preperation. Etc Etc. My rule was "do something every day...EVERY SINGLE DAY". It didn't matter if all I did was walk in and sweep for two minutes. The rule was I would have to do something useful every day. I have to say, my shop in California was neat as a pin all the time.

Now that I work in my shop home every day, all day, my rule's not working anymore. I like your rules, Jon, and may implement them in my shop as I always seem to be tripping over something or looking for something.