I know why I can't keep the shop clean

I'm all over the freaking place.

I can't do ONE project, and see it through; I'm doing bits of many projects all at the same time, so everything needs to be out.

Currently in my shop, I am working on:

• V8 Firefly rear brakes
• V8 Firefly fuel tank vent
• V8 Firefly battery box
• V8 Firefly front fender rust repair
• 1973 Ariens snowthrower gear box re-seal
• Tool racks for the shop walls
• Air compressor shed out back
• Slot car set
• Rebuild horizontal bandsaw
• Modifying old stove for powder coating

There is still a whole lot more on my list, but I am doing little bits of a whole lot of stuff, and the mess starts creeping more and more....

Not looking for answers, but I think I found the cause.

Yup, I had to downsize to get things done.

My motorcycles get built in a 10x10 shed.

I'm a slob and the small workspace forces me to keep it clean and organised with the added benefit of only being able to work on one project at a time.

Shawn

I can't go back to small.

Before I built my shop, I had, in my two-car garage:

• Wife's car
• Lethal Locost (Super 7)
• Lotus Super 7 frame
• V8 Pontiac Firefly
• Milling machine
• Lathe
• Drill Press
• Vertical band saw
• TIG welder
• Mig welder
• Table saw
• Bench grinder
• Router
• Pressure washer
• Welding table
• Solvent tank
• Mechanics top/bottom cabinet
• Bead roller
• Portable air tank
• Toolbox for junkyard
• Toolbox for milling cutters

I hated hated HATED having to empty the garage to pull out all the tools to work on some wee thing, then put it all back.

Hey, at least you have a proper garage. I have a one car shed in my backyard (calling it a garage is too generous). It has a janky hinged door, a weird, L-shaped layout that barely fits one car, and the roof leaks everywhere. So most of my wrenching is either there, in my carport, or in my driveway. So as you can imagine, tools get misplaced quite frequently.

A couple months ago, I started diligently plugging in to finishing projects.

I'm an animal. I work my rear off to finish whatever project is in front of me. Totally finish.

I pretty much finish 1 project per weekend, and some of them are huge.

I tell myself, "No Cepfors". A cepfor is a thing at the end of a project. It's the answer to the question, "Did you finish?" People often respond, "Yep. I finished. Cepfor (such and such little detail)".

I still have 50 or more projects to get to, and my shop is still a mess. But things are getting done, and the shop is MUCH better than it was before. It REALLY feels good.

Try it.

Side benefit...

During the same period, I have also lost 15 lbs (mostly because I am sweating it off finishing projects). I'm back down to fighting weight, and that feels really good too.

I have a multitude of projects at any one time. Mostly not car related. Some have been ongoing (or stalled out) for a couple years with no progress, some I come up with an idea on Friday, then spend all weekend busting my butt to get it done by Sunday evening from start to finish. I have yet to really understand my method, but in the last week I came close to making a list of unfinished things with an eye to knocking them out or getting rid of them. Just been too busy to make the list so far.

Mine's really just a big Shed, but pretty big for a shed. Plywood floors no heat,

Taj Mahal

I have something like 1000sq ft.

in there currently active; bugeye resto (with entire wall of parts)
Spitfire build (has subframes strewn around)
Storing the mustang (between events)
storing the miata (keeping rain off my daily, we mostly DD the wife's car)
Sheetmetal fab projects for the two project cars
Storing a extra Hutch (know anyone who wants one?)
4 dining room chairs
an easychair that needs to be reupholstered
a treadclimber
2 mopeds
a few woodworking projects in various states
A snowblower

I have a 4 post lift. The mustang is parked on the lift, to get it out I use the snowblower to drag the spitfire out from under it. (yeah, snowblower with tank treads doubles as a car mover for something with no engine)

I think I need to actually finish some projects and clear some things out of my way...

In reply to SVreX:

I'm jealous. I have so many projects in process I don't know where to start. And by the time I get home from work, I'm so exhausted it's a rare night when I manage to make something for dinner.

It's overwhelming to the point of depression.

In reply to Ian F:

I've felt like that.

At the moment, the process is simply this...

As it gets near the end of the week, I decide on 1 project I can get done that weekend. Just one.

And I don't make it too big. It has to be attainable. So I don't say, "Clean up the shop", because that's too big. Unattainable. I say, "Clean up THIS CORNER of the shop". Then I do it.

There have been weeks where I really didn't feel up to doing much. I set a lower goal, like "Mow the lawn", or "Fix this doorknob".

Over the last few months, I've gotten really good at it, and very productive. This weekend I pumped out the frog pond we used to call a pool, shoveled the muck out of the bottom, scrubbed it, pressure washed every inch of it, acid washed it, wiped it down with a mildecide, primed it, and painted it with epoxy pool paint. 2 coats.

1 weekend. Looks great! Very satisfying.

Just for added bonus, last night I also painted the new shutters for the house. Just so they'd be ready for next weekend's work.

I'm not Superman. I'm just tired of the mess, and turning over a new leaf.

You can do it too. Start small.

BTW, there is no project I dreaded more than that darned pool. It ate at my soul. Totally depressing.

It's been eating at me for over a year.

I finall decided the weather was good, and I was ready to conquer the giant.

In reply to SVreX:

It's the only way to get things done! Last night I was tired, run down after a long day of chasing kids and working in a sweaty attic, and working on cars, and etc etc. But I finally had my post-9pm period that's literally the only time I get to myself any more, and I sat and thought I would just watch TV, I was so tired. But I thought - I'll spend 10 minutes and straighten up in the tool/supply room in the house basement. An hour later and there's nothing left loose on the floor, tools have been put away, shelves are straighter, and I feel a thousand times better about the room.

Resolve to work for five minutes. "Nothing can get done in five minutes!" you might say. But remember, nothing gets done without those first five minutes either. It's a "journey of a thousand miles begins with one step" kind of thing.

As mentioned in my mr2 parting thread, I've resolved to keep my workbench clean and clear so I can get right into a project. Every day ends with cleaning it off. It's gone very well and my productivity is way up. That's gradually expanding to the shop floor, garage floor, etc. Clean and organized work spaces really are more productive. Getting there is difficult but it's worth it.

I think the part I sometimes forget is the cleanup.

A project is not finished until the area is cleaned up and all of the tools are put away.

Often I finish a project but don't put away the tools or properly clean up, which just makes another project to clean up later.

I don't try to make myself put away every single tool. Again, that's trying to clean the whole shop (unattainable). But I do force myself to put away every single tool from the project I just finished.

I'm right there with you. I have a commute of over an hour, missus has the same. Trying to fight the good fight against everyday being netflix and chill. I had an hour or so yesterday to mess around in my shop. Felt accomplished to patch up the exterior doorhandle and remove the side window/tracks from the drivers door. at this rate it feels like the car might run about the time I retire (I'm 32 )

SVrex, I ripped out an aboveground pool based on the time it was taking to maintain the thing. It was such a relief turning it into a pile of scrap vs a giant tub of water I was constantly fighting to keep clean. More time spent maintaining it than using it. Plus the cost of chemicals... NOPE!

SVreX wrote: I was ready to conquer the giant.

My wife calls it, "eating the frog." Your most unpleasant task that you dread the most. She says - do it first and the rest of the day (/other time period) will be more pleasant for it.

In reply to dculberson:

Actually, that pool had over 500 frogs. And tadpoles.

But I didn't eat them.

Apexcarver wrote: Trying to fight the good fight against everyday being netflix and chill.

I'm afraid you are slightly missing the true meaning of "Netflix and chill"...

Edit: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/jamiejones/netflix-and-chill-fails

Three minutes is enough time to get something done. I use my phone as a timer while cooking and grilling, usually not more than 15 minutes. In three and four minute intervals I removed the gas tank from my mustang, replaced the rubbers, painted the rust and reinstalled it. It took two dinners plus fifteen minutes.

I'd prolly be further ahead having an auction, clearing out the garage end to end, demolishing and rebuilding then starting all over again.

Organization is the key to efficiency, now if my ego and alter ego will talk to one another...

At the risk of sounding like an ass you should have loads of time to keep projects organized and tidy being a teacher....you have what an EXTRA 3 months of not going to a job then nearly everyone else on the planet.

Between the end of March and the middle of Sept I will have had a TOTAL of 1 day off to do whatever I wanted,I had 3 others but those were spent in the truck for full day road trips picking up stuff for work so not really off but much easier then the 13hr day in the sun doing carpenter type stuff today.

Are you inviting me to defend myself, my hobbies, and my career choice?

At no time will I ever purpose to sound like an ass and slam you or your career. I came here for Grassroots Motorsports.

He can't be bothered to put down the bonbons and pick up the broom. The life of a teacher is so tres charmante.

Stacking the cones and putting the volleyballs in the mesh bag is way harder than it looks. j/k