I've been in the shop picking up every damned loose socket, screwdriver, etc off the floor and those in the the liitle nooks and rannies.

Now I know why dad always had a few of them telescoping magnets around...sure does save your back bending over

I now have abuot a 4ft x6ft couple of pieces of plywood on sawhorses) full of a pile of tools...always wondered where that gridner went...

Anyway, this was the first sweep of '08...seems like just last year I did this too and filled up all the toolboxes/bins I had.

Now I have to get the gumption to put it all away!

 

Before I acquired my tool boxes, my tools were always on the floor.

What a pain in the "axe" to find a particular tool I needed.

Now that I have my tools in a tool box, I never finish my session in the garage
until ALL of my tools are back in their proper place in the tool box.

That way, when I do need a particular item, it's there.

 

I'd kill for your willpower

 

Now that my son is no longer using my garage for his projects, I'm slowly starting to reorganize my garage, replace some tools that were broken, and put them all away. It will probably take me until next winter to complete. It's a mess.

 

ive just finished cleaning all my tools and putting them away. turned my back for 30 seconds, and my 3yr old starting taking all my tools out of the box. he was saying "gotta fix it or else".

couldn not help but laugh, little bugger can always make me laugh.

 

My problem is that my tools are in 3 different locations in two counties...and the tool I need is almost always at one of the other locations! I need to consolidate...

 

My 3 year old takes out a hammer and screwdriver, and starts to fix something, hell anything that is in her way. I sat back and watcher her "fix" things one day, she had out the hammer, 20something screwdrivers, a few wrenches a cordless drill and two tubes of caulking, tied half of the stuff to the dog, and locked the dog in the shed... "I fixing it daddyyyyy, mommy said to du it."

 

Have three different sets of tools for all three locations.

I'd kill for your tools.

 

What I do with my 6YO...and used to do with the other two when they were younger...is start a 1/2 dozen nails in a board and give them a hammer...this serves two purposes..

One, it keeps them busy..

Two, I don't need to look up and see what they are into until the banging stops.

 

I usually know what she is up to because she is following me around wanting to help. My beagle follows me around as well, she wants attention. I know something is up if my kid AND my dog are gone, and a door is closed. The kid is smart, she learned that the dog cant get away if the door is closed, and if the dog cant get away, she will give in to the kids' will and play pro wrestling dummy, dress up doll, play chase or bed for the kid. poor dog....

 

When I was real young, my mom bought me one of those
Handy Pandy tool kits.

She also bought a new Muntz TV console with a record player/radio on one side
and record storage on the other side.

Guess what I did with my new Handy Pandy tool kit.

Guess who had a hard time sitting down.

 

If I left my tool laying around my dog would swallow them up. That would cost me too much and then I'd spend half the day trying to find that tool I knew I had.


Ah, she looks tame enough in that picture. But, don't let her fool ya. Lol !!!

I think Mom trained me right. For my 16th birthday she gave me a Craftsman Tool Chest. I use it to this day along with a Craftsman Tote for tools.

However, when Dad passed he had all his tools in two tool boxes systematically organized. I was amazed when I finally opened up his toolboxes the gems he hid from me for all those years. ;-)

I started to carry a tupperware container around with me while I worked on my cars and while working I just toss tools to the container. We'll at least most times. Or, I'll lay out a blanket if I'm on the ground and everything goes on that.

Then when I'm done I pull the blanket from under the car or truck with all the tools on it and it makes it easy to put stuff away wiping as I go. It also keeps me from getting too dirty are grinding rocks into my elbows. Too bad I didn't learn about this until last year. In the past I'd only put down a old blanket in the mud or while 4 wheeling. I always worked in the dirt. I guess I just got over it. He, he, he.....

The other thing I do now, that I didn't use to do; is put on the jumpsuit. I used to think they were lame. However, since I started to drive back and forth to other work locations it was a way to save my cars interior after a days work.

 

I use a bucket when I work next to my project.

That way, my tools stay within reach, and so does my beer.

Then when I'm finished, I carry the bucket, clean most of the tools, and then
put them back in their proper place.

The beer also gets put into its proper place.

 

I like the bucket idea. However, laying on the ground it's hard for my to reach up and over the edge while staying under the car / truck.
Great idea if working on a lift, in the engine bay, or interior. I may have to adopt that idea. ;-)

Plus then the dog couldn't run away with the tools or supplies. Lol !!!

 

Hmmnn...a bucket of beer and a Cresent wrench...doesn't get much better than that!