Operation Organize Garage: What a Tool

Had a garage sale over the weekend.

Still can't show you my entire garage...

There are boxes the size of the kids' rooms in there.

Don't ask.

I'll tell you what you CAN ask about, though!

My garage to-do list!

Build/Buy another shelving unit and maybe put them side-to-side along the back wall. done here

Build a lumber storage rack  read about that here

Figure out bike organization (plans mentioned here)

Create a mud room system along the right wall (check it out here)

Move metal shelving to back wall pics to come!

Create yard tool organization

Paint door + trim (a little far fetched, but it's so dirty that I'm thinking a darker color would save my sanity)

Maybe I'll get around to cleaning the floor.... (this one is REALLY far-fetched)

Are you seein' what I'm seein'?

Because I'm seein' a nearly completed list!

I'd mentioned here that I wanted to take ideas from two retail yard tool organizers to DIY my own. As you can tell, I got most of the [p]inspiration from this guy.

source

with a few mods...

To figure out where to begin, I drew up a design in Sketch Up

The plan was to have PVC pipes on the front and back to hold tools for quicker access. I also didn't want the dividing boards placed on top of each other, like in the inspiration photo, so I figured out how to make a "dado" cut without a dado blade on the table saw.

I figured out where I wanted the boards to intersect quite strategically..

By eyeing it and tracing them with a colored pencil... ;-) (if you're wondering, I am a good chess player...)

Then I had to figure out how to accurately set the depth of my table saw.

Since a 1x2 is 1 1/2" wide, I marked a scrap at 3/4" (half of the 1x2) and clamped it to the fence of my table saw, with the blade completely lowered. Then I turned on the blade and slowly raised it until I saw the cut reach the mark I'd made.

Then I clamped my pieces together and ran them over the blade between the marks I'd made earlier.

Be careful when you do this - those little "shards" can become projectiles. The remaining wood pieces can be removed with a chisel, or probably even a flat head screwdriver and a hammer or mallet.

Dry-fit the pieces...

Get excited because, for your first time, you did pretty frickin' amazing (this step is optional - especially if you notice that the fit closest to us is a hair off).

Glue  and nail everything together.

Then forget to take any pictures until you're finished.

Oh, is that just me...?

Crap!

After everything was put together, I realized that I only had enough room on the front for the push broom. Totally fine, especially since it meant that I only had to cut one PVC pipe.

I'm pretty sure this is a 1" PVC pipe, and I cut out a 1/2" chunk on the front.

Drilled into the back...

And screwed it into the middle of the dividers.

I also added a hook on the side for quick access to the dustpan.

Oh, wait! Did I show you the "before" yet? Don't most people do that BEFORE showing the after?

See way over on the right? How the tools are sitting haphazardly in a Lowe's bucket?

Look, you can see better here...

Behind the kid.

Yes, that big mess...

Now it's all cleaned up and organized (because we're ignoring all the crap to the right of it for now ;-)).

WOO HOO! The garage is nearly organized!

How's your organization coming along?!