Organization Hacks for a Clutter-Free Workbench

If you’re looking to optimize your workbench and keep it as clean and productive as possible, it can feel like a losing battle. Workbenches are inherently messy, and time spent cleaning can be a huge opportunity cost if you’ve got other tasks that need your attention. Rest assured; a few simple workbench hacks will reduce the time you spend cleaning and cut the clutter to a minimum. It may seem as though you’ve already done all you can, but sometimes obvious solutions can be elusive. So, let’s make your organization problems history!

The Elephant in the Room

Consider the area around your workbench to be ground zero for dirt, and the hardest organizational challenge to tackle. The proverbial elephant in the room. It’s the castle that your kingdom has been built around. And if you want to make sure it’s not surrounded by a mote full of muck, it’s got to be moved from time to time. And it’s got to be moved easily.

Your first option is workshop casters. On some versions, the brakes will keep your workbench stationary when you need it. On others, the casters can easily lift your workbench up for easy moving. Either version can allow you to free up more floor space when you need it and can simplify cleaning around or under it. This is especially useful if your workshop is doing double duty as a garage.

If that’s still not enough space savings, check out the Bora Centipede. It’s a folding solution to supporting a work surface, and it may be the most compact option out there. With its small footprint, vacuuming, sweeping, or other chores become much, much easier.

The Magic of Magnets

An affordable magnet placed at the bottom of a plastic cup is just the thing to keep your bluing salts, gunstock oil, or any other liquid firmly affixed to a magnetic surface. And for keeping any solid particulate firmly in place, it’s best to keep a few Ziplock bags that can be tucked into magnet bearing cups to simplify workbench cleanup.

Depending on what you’re working with, it’s important to keep in mind that not all metal is magnetic. As I’ve mentioned before, any stainless steel with high levels of austenite (like the very common 316) isn’t going to be magnetic. Things like aluminum buffer tubes and receivers won’t stick, and neither will polymers or wood (obviously).

I’ve recommended magnetic trays before, and I can’t overstate how useful they can be. Keeping your screws and other soon-to-be-installed small parts in a precise formation is a game changer. Plus, remember those other little magnets I recommended earlier? If you store them on metal trays, you’ll know exactly which pole is facing up on each one. And that lip around the sides of the tray will still secure small aluminum or stainless steel parts like firing pins, even if they aren’t magnetic. Not bad!

And if that wasn’t enough, you can attach a dowel to any reasonably powerful magnet, and now you’ve got a movable tool hanger that can be attached to any metal surface in your shop. Viola.

Metal Grate Cabinetry

Being able to look through your cabinet doors and see what tools are on the other side is a huge time saver when busy at your workbench. And screws will usually fit easily through the gaps in the metal grating, making it a great surface for securing tool caddies, white boards, and all kinds of small accessories. If you’re already used to hanging your tools from peg boards, and you’ve got a little space to spare, this might be a great way to upgrade your organizational system.

So, stop looking through your cabinets and start looking through your cabinets. See what I did there?

App-Controlled Overhead Lighting

If you’re using magnification lamps, having it close at hand may be a necessity. But if you’re not, you might be sacrificing precious counter-top real estate that could be used for other things. Installing overhead lighting with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi app control can make life a lot easier.

There may be more affordable remote-control options, but that remote will never be as close-at-hand as your phone will be.

Suspended Jars

If you’ve been recycling your jars, I commend you on lowering your carbon footprint, but you’ve been giving away gold. The lid of that discarded glass container can easily be screwed into a strong overhead surface. All you’ve got to do fill your jar with small parts, screw it onto the lid, and leave it conveniently suspended there until you need it again. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really have to. It’s awesome.

Catacombs

Now that the cosmos of your workshop has some storage jars overhead, I recommend tending to the underworld. You need what I like to call catacombs. Whether you utilize the space beneath your workbench or under a storage area, a few vertically oriented small storage spaces can keep all of your small items in order.

I recommend keeping your least used accessories together at the bottom, and your frequently used items together at the top. Then, when you’re running low, it’s more immediately obvious what needs to be restocked. And you’ll stop buying small things that you already have hiding in your workbench!

Where to Start on Your Workbench

What is it that you’re always looking for on your workbench? Where do you wish you had more space? If you know the answer, you know where to start.  However, I would like to recommend that you start with the small or easy things, the improvements can help motivate you. And a few small improvements can lead to a big upgrade.

Written by: Lanna Perkins, Education Writer