The Art of Letting Go: Organizing My Garage

Organizing My New Garage: 

Moving to a new house comes with its own set of challenges, and for gear heads like us, one of the biggest tasks is setting up the garage. We want to be able to work on our projects and take care of any repair necessary. Recently, I found myself in this exact situation. With the new-to-me garage with fresh concrete in place of the nasty dirt, I was excited to organize my tools and equipment to create a functional workspace. Among my more important tools are a small bench top metal lathe and a drill press. I also had an extra, unused toolbox that I planned to dedicate to the tools associated with these two pieces of equipment.

The Toolbox Discovery

Upon opening the toolbox, I was greeted with a mix of emotions. The drawers were mostly empty, but what I did find was a collection of old tool packaging, instructions for parts I no longer own, and general junk inside the flip up top. It was a classic case of “why did I keep this stuff?”

The Reality Check

As I sifted through the contents, I realized that aside from a few specialty fasteners and some tubes of anti-seize, most of it was just taking up space. It was a moment of clarity: not everything needs to be kept. I know this and sometimes I have to relearn it. Holding onto unnecessary items can clutter your workspace and make it harder to find the tools you actually need when you need them.

The Purge

I decided it was time for a purge. Here’s how I approached it:

1. Sort Through Everything: I took everything out of the toolbox and sorted it into three piles: keep, toss, and maybe. 
2. Evaluate Usefulness: For each item, I asked myself if it had a specific use or if it was just taking up space. If I hadn’t used it in the past year, it went into the toss pile.
3. Organize the Keepers: The items I decided to keep were organized neatly back into the toolbox. Specialty fasteners and tubes of anti-seize found their own designated spots in better places.
4. Dispose of the Junk: The toss pile, which included old packaging and instructions for parts I no longer had, went straight into the garbage.

The Benefits of a Clean Workspace

Clearing out the unnecessary items not only freed up space but also made my garage more functional. Putting all the tools in one spot will make it easy. Now, when I need a tool for my lathe or drill press, I’ll know exactly where to find it. A clean and organized workspace can significantly improve efficiency and make working on projects more enjoyable. I may never achieve a spotless perfectly organized shop, but I can definitely do good enough

Final Thoughts

Moving to a new house and setting up a new garage is the perfect opportunity to reassess what you really need. It’s easy to accumulate items over time, but not everything deserves a spot in your toolbox. Some things are worth keeping, some are not. By letting go of the unnecessary, you can create a more organized and efficient workspace.