# Jobsite Organization



## Brian Peters (Feb 2, 2011)

I'd like to hear some discussion on how you keep your jobsites organized, clean and efficient. I work mostly by myself... small remodeling projects, and it seems I can get tools and stuff scattered all over in no time at all. What are your "methods of operation"?


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Only take in what you need. Carry something out every time you go out, and hire a laborer.


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

Brian Peters said:


> how you keep your jobsites organized


It's called a helper. Mine has a bit of OCD in him. If he has time to lean,he has time to clean!


----------



## KnottyWoodwork (May 23, 2010)

I just clean up multiple times a day. I can't stand cluttered and dirty sites.


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Systainers solved most of those problems.


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Systainers solved most of those problems.


Little finger stainers bring out my ocd and keeps everything ***** and span... :whistling:


----------



## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

One thing that I find helps tremendously is to set up a trash bag in a handy location before a single tool gets the trigger pulled. And USE it.

A neat worksite means much less stumbling around, things are easier to set up, to find if you drop them, etc. And at the end of the day when all you want is to get out of there, cleanup is a breeze. :thumbsup:


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

I just started using those zip walls right before christmas and wow what a difference. It really separates our working space from the ho's living space. We put down vinyl wallpaper as floor covering then stand up the walls. They are expensive but so worth the cost. We installed a syklight with new tunnel in a ranch tuesday and didnt even need to vacuum when we were done, amazing!


----------



## Evan1968 (Dec 5, 2010)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> separates our working space from the ho's living space


I want to come work with you!:thumbup:


----------



## mike717 (Dec 30, 2011)

I use a cart and make an effort to put things in the cart and not lay then down wherever. It took some getting used to. Another item is a trashcan with wheels, easy to move around.


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

mike717 said:


> I use a cart and make an effort to put things in the cart and not lay then down wherever. It took some getting used to. Another item is a trashcan with wheels, easy to move around.
> 
> <img src="http://www.contractortalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=62463"/>


You must be a commercial guy. Our clients would love that on the hardwoods.


----------



## HandyHails (Feb 28, 2009)

Daily clean up at the end of the day. Quick once over at lunch. Never going to the truck empty handed. Also, I've started to negotiate a staging area in my contracts so that we know ahead of time if they have a second garage bay or bedroom where I can stockpile job supplies 'til they are ready to be installed.


----------



## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

mike717 said:


> I use a cart and make an effort to put things in the cart and not lay then down wherever. It took some getting used to. Another item is a trashcan with wheels, easy to move around.
> 
> View attachment 62463




I've been thinking about buying one for a few months.


----------



## mike717 (Dec 30, 2011)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> You must be a commercial guy. Our clients would love that on the hardwoods.


No commercial. If a cart won't work then I use a bucket with a pad on the bottom.


----------



## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> You must be a commercial guy. Our clients would love that on the hardwoods.


They come with soft rubber, non-marring, wheels


----------



## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

we always have one greenlee box on site if not two if all hands are on that job for a long duration.. power tools go in one.. odd hand tools and less used big tools in the other.

all fasteners, sealants and that sort go in a corner of a room that isnt being worked on, but with 1/2 osb down on the floor to protect it if its a reno situation. the one thing that really ticks me off is when guys take a hand full of gunspike or nail racks and lay em on the floor instead of in their toolbelt.. over the course of the day theres no racks left in the box but are scattered all over the place... someone actually needs them and their not in the box.. this costs time and money

each team of two takes whatever tools they mainly need for the task to the area being worked on.. big tools being used by everyone are set up in the driveway or inside centrally.

i always grab something thats garbage and throw it in the trailer when ever im heading towards it empty handed. or i take a tool thats no longer needed and put it back. this is something our labor doesnt understand.. no matter how many times we scream at him, he does get to do some carpentry yet when he does get to he forgets its his job to keep the site tidy primarily


----------



## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

We're new construction. So pretty much clean up after yourself, keep all tools not being used in one area so nothing gets forgotten. Pieces of material 1'-5' long get placed in the stud spacing, anything longer gets laid down on the ground. Anything shorter is deemed an ankle buster, and is thrown out to the burnables pile. Lately I've been trying to get tools that we are down with back to the truck to make my end of the day less time consuming to roll everything up.


----------



## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

I got the 55gal brute trashcan with casters, I love it. I don't even mind that the sub trades fill it up with their trash and don't empty it :no:


----------



## Trick1 (Dec 6, 2008)

I guess it depends....if I'm involved in service work, I have a drop cloth set on the work area and then another one next to the first one and lay out my tools.

I also bring in a trash can, dust pan and broom.

I try to sweep up right after drilling or cutting anything. There's nothing worse than working in filth.

Zipwalls are great for remodeling and during remodeling we always have a shop vac on site.

I always have a soot vac ready to go during boiler/burner service. If you think dust is bad when it spreads, soot is 10 times worse!!


----------



## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

I use a Stanley rolling tool chest and I always use the top compartment to hold the tools that I am working with at that moment. 

I always vacuum as I go because I can't stand getting the drywall dust and wood shavings all over me. Also, I NEVER put any hand tools on the floor UNLESS I am working on the floor. And even at that, I always pick them up when I get up. The bottom compartment of the tool chest is like a big bucket so I use that for tossing the wire scraps, trash, etc. and then I dispose of it later. 

If I am working out of a tool bag, I do my best to keep everything in the bag as much as possible even though it's not always practical. 

But overall, if I am not using it or I am done with it, I put it away until I need it again. It can be tedious at times but I prefer to spend a little extra time being meticulous than to spend extra time looking for my tools.


----------



## Oconomowoc (Oct 13, 2011)

One simplistic method I discoverd years ago was to complete something 100% before even thinking about something else. This includes cleanup as well. Once your done move the tools to a new area and focus on the next part. Amazing how many people work on multiple things at once and have tools everywhere then spend 2 hours a day looking for tools.

Proper work flow is under rated by many.


----------



## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

pick the tools out of the mess, and break out the leaf blower


----------



## JRSeifert (Apr 22, 2010)

Oconomowoc said:


> One simplistic method I discoverd years ago was to complete something 100% before even thinking about something else. This includes cleanup as well. Once your done move the tools to a new area and focus on the next part. Amazing how many people work on multiple things at once and have tools everywhere then spend 2 hours a day looking for tools.
> 
> Proper work flow is under rated by many.


Oh is that ever true. Dad and I don't see eye to eye on that one. He's had years of jumping from one thing to another and is so set in his ways, and I'm always advocating that we plan our work, set up in one spot, complete the task, then take down and move to the next thing to minimize time spent moving, hauling materials, getting tools etc. Sometimes I get through to him, but he'll never truly reform. His mind is always on the technicalities, and only sometimes on the execution.


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

1) Trash can and bags in all places needed. (One in work area, one in staging area, one in tool area...)
2) Tool staging area, with work bench to set up and put away tools.
3) Keep a few brooms and pans in all areas.
4) Clean up after every task and any time you leave the site.
5) WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH SOMETHING PUT IT AWAY!!! That is my biggest pet peeve!

I am pretty anal, most guys work for me for about 2 hours before they understand my expectations. I want every customer to remember how neat and clean we are and not how messy and disorganized we were.

I even have customers show their neighbors, friends and family members my van and how neat and organized I keep it.

I have a sign in my garage that says it all:


----------



## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

i agree tnt, 

when i organize things i like to have materials in one spot,, fasteners in another spot and tools along side that. one of our guys believes organizing means jamming everything in a corner with the materials in front of everything when you need a tool or need to fill up on nails you gotta climb over stuff or move sheet goods... wtf and he wonders why no one can ever find anything


----------



## actionman (Jan 5, 2012)

Oconomowoc said:


> One simplistic method I discoverd years ago was to complete something 100% before even thinking about something else. This includes cleanup as well. Once your done move the tools to a new area and focus on the next part. Amazing how many people work on multiple things at once and have tools everywhere then spend 2 hours a day looking for tools.
> 
> Proper work flow is under rated by many.


That's my #1 thing. When I was younger I would start something before something else was done and end up looking for tools more than working. No more of that, one task at a time, clean up, move on to next task.

I refuse to look in some of the trucks of guys I work with because it's so frustrating to find something.


----------

