How do you keep your shop clean. Seems every time I do some cleaning it just comes back to that point or worse. Clean Off a bench, and then it collects more. Sweep the floor then it seems to grow more. Try to straighten up but more stuff shows up. I need a bigger shop. But that means bigger mess to clean up.
I'm always amazed how messy things get in the heat of battle doing projects.
I try to always bring things back to "nirvanna" state afterwords but sometimes will just close the shop door and deal with it later! Luxury of it being a hobby. Honestly sometimes I go in the shop and do nothing but clean and organize.
I absolutely love a clean and organized shop. Too bad it rarely happens!!
KVT has been in my shop before, he knows how I keep shop. It's trails thru the maze of stuff. I keep the trails swept so I don't track steel shavings into the house. Most of the time.
I also try to keep a trail through the shop, I even keep a mat at the door from the shop to the house trying to keep some of it out of the house. But for some reason stuff keeps getting in the way.
I love a clean shop. Certainly mine is not always in the state I would like it - during the process things creep from drawers and scuttle around benches. But there is an immense sense of satisfaction to putting everything back in place.
I think the trick is to take as much pleasure in shop organization as you do in the projects. I get a great deal of pleasure from making organizational tweaks. In many ways I am lucky, because it naturally has me picking up and putting back in order at the end of (most) days.
I am far from perfect - but I do OK.
I share the struggle and have for years! Smaller shops like 2 car garages are tougher though as there is little room for simply pushing things out of the way. About 10 years ago my small shop seemed to implode on itself and I have not been able to get on top of it since! Sadly, another shop guy would be able to see that I have great organizational skills for tools, machines and equipment that i earnestly applied early on to take full advantage of my small space. However, I seem to have hit a wall. Even creative and thoughtful planning no longer seem to be enough to solve the storage problems I have out there. I continue to chip away at it though. I am doubling my efforts in coming weeks to once again get on top of this return some sanity to my mess. The plan is to start by putting away all small hand tools that already have dedicated places and hopefully build enthusiasm to tackle the tougher stuff off of that success.
Single car Garage, With not only my stuff but Wife's, the Freezer, and the water softener. I have a work bench, Old roll around tool box (top and Bottom that I have had since the 70's, A horizontal band saw that I on wheels, A regular band saw and drill bench top drill press on a table on wheels, A 10x24 lathe on a couple of furniture dollies so I can move it around, (needs a motor and some work), A air compressor, A Mig welder and cart, A Jet 10X24 on a Steel table, A Bridgeport Clone, A HF Large rolling tool box, with A Machinist tool box on top, along with a Granit plate, Also have all my plumbing, and woodworking stuff in where it will fit and on the walls. Then have 2 Sherline lathes, and mill, and all the stuff for them around in there as well. For things like a 6x48 belt sander, and a couple of Grinders on stands etc Open door and pull things out to grind, and weld etc. I just need a bigger shop,
Have not figured how the swarf from one end of the place gets under stuff at the other end of the shop, when I have not used it in months. Wife has though about putting a shed in the back yard and moving me into it.
For the home hobbyist, I have a generous amount of space to work in and around. As for cleanliness of my garages,, more spacious shop doesn't equate a clean shop. I have a lot of machinery, tool boxes, tools, and just stuff. Yet still limited amount of space for them. Hence every piece must have its' place to make it work. And returned when finished using.. Along with cleaning up each day's work..
In my mind there is a direct correlation between orderly and clean workplace to working faster and more efficient. Making the job task easier, quicker, and enjoyable. No doubt the physical environment of any workspace has a significant impact on the way one works and the quality of work that's produced. Simply put when our workplace is a mess, so are we. I've been called obsessive; but I often find myself strolling through my shops feeling the pride of what I created...