(BPT) – Any good DIY project leaves a trail of dust, tools and various scraps around the workshop. While the end-product is often fulfilling, the remaining cleanup never is. However, having a clean, organized workshop you can easily maintain isn’t impossible. Here are eight workshop cleanup and organization tips to eliminate the dust, grime and clutter that’s there, and prevent the messes yet to come.
1. Utilize ceiling space. Many projects need all the surface area you can get, so when it comes to storing tools or placing extra extension cords, utilize available space above. It’s a great spot to hang wire baskets to get seldom-used tools out of the way, and place hooks for getting extension cords off the floor.
2. Choose the right tool. The best way to remove dust is to do so at the source. The Dremel brand’s VRT1 combines a versatile rotary tool with a shop vacuum to cut out the cleanup and clear dust as you work. The tool connects to standard wet/dry vacuum hoses and adapters, and intake ports on the tool itself collect airborne dust and debris. It’s a great asset for a dustless workshop, especially with sanding, engraving and polishing jobs or when working with dusty materials like wood and drywall. To find other Dremel tools for your clean and organized workshop, visit www.Dremel.com.
3. Install magnetic strips. Hand tools, measuring tape and other small items have a way of going rogue while you’re mid-project. Rather than throwing them into a big, cluttered bin, install a few rows of magnetic strips along the wall of your workspace. It’s an easily visible place to store these smaller items that often go missing.
4. Include a retractable vinyl window shade. The work table often gets the brunt of the mess from glue spills and paint to dents and dust. Attaching a retractable vinyl window shade to the side of your work table enables you to pull down a protective cover over your workspace when you need it. The best part is, most materials can be easily wiped or scraped off the vinyl when the project is finished, leaving a cleaner, mess-free work table.
5. Consolidate with a battery charging station. Misplaced battery packs can delay progress during a project. Avoid the stress and consolidate all of your battery packs into one, central battery charging station. Create a long tray out of wood or metal and place with a dedicated power strip. Use this area as the landing space for all your battery packs, so next time a power tool runs low on juice, you can quickly replace it and keep your projects going.
6. Create a garbage station. Running scraps to the garbage, searching for a broom and dustpan, and finding extra garbage bags is a tiring and unwanted step when you’re in the middle of a project. To keep from making multiple trips back and forth to the garbage, create a handy garbage station that corrals the broom, garbage container and extra liners in one spot. Place these items on a tray with wheels and it easily becomes a mobile station so you can get rid of the garbage as you go.
7. Cover walls with chalk paint. Sometimes an organized workshop involves making a space for your creative ideas. Rather than cluttered notebooks and binders of notes, paint the walls of your workshop in chalk paint so you can jot down notes, measurements, timelines and plans in an easily visible spot. This keeps your big ideas top of mind and holds you accountable to any deadlines you have set.
8. Wipe up water. Dust loves water. Water spills around the workshop are a great way to ensure the dust spreads and stubbornly sticks to where it shouldn’t. To prevent dust from clinging to every surface, ensure your workspaces are dry prior to working with dusty materials like wood and drywall.
With a little work, the right tools and a plan in mind, an organized, dust-free workshop is right within reach.
