Kid's woodworking area - how would you organize it?

Question

This woodworking area needs some help and suggestions!

It is for kids age 5-14 to use manual tools, and is probably the third iteration since I first set it up a year and a half ago. Clearly, organization is not succeeding here - what would YOU do?

Pics, thoughts, and other ideas are most welcome. Thanks!

Nik Knacks · Answer

...and after a couple hours of work, this is what it looks like...

Donna Wilkinson · Answer

I think you need to add some color to the area and some simple storage baskets would help a lot to keep everyone from just putting it all on the floor. Great idea for those kids though......I hope they appreciate it!

Becky · Answer

I don't know if you can find an older step ladder or even a new one would work, but if you open it up and set it against the wall and then lay the boards across it according to length. It makes it easy to see and to get to without taking up much room. Any way you can add color will help too! Kids are naturally drawn to color.

Ellen Day · Answer

I was thinking on the lines of what Becky added about an old ladder but using it against a wall horizontally to stand the wood up in. But I do like the step ladder idea as it could be anywhere in the room.

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

You could get some sonotubes or similar and attach them to a base to hold the taller pieces of boards by length/type, etc. This could be placed along a wall.

Kathy · Answer

I like the ladder idea in certain applications, however for this room I think they would take up too much space,could be easily tipped over just removing wood for one project. If longer wood at bottom got used up that could make it top heavy. I used to make shipping skids/crates. That wall space in back need to be used. I suggest shelf brackets without shelves. Lay the boards on them across the wall. A spacer btwn wall and bracket on the bottom or spacer or washer on top at front as a block. I used to take 4x4s down out of a rack that way. Keep as much up as high as you can.

Kathy · Answer

More ideas are standing boards in those buckets. Dairy Queen gets them full of strawberry topping. I get them free at 1, for $1 at another. They could hang on hooks below the horizontal long boards and or sit on floor. Haven't tried to make them taller,but maybe cutting off bottom then it would fit inside top of another for couple inches to make it taller. Anxious to see how it all turns out. BTW, I grow tomatoes in the buckets.

Cherie · Answer

I don't see any shop or straw brooms in here! That would help give the kids the idea to at least sweep once in a while. As for upright storage, we use PVC drain pipes for a lot of it - easy to screw it to a large piece of wood and place others around it. Or use it horizontally stacked on top of one another - either glued together or tied. Doors off the cabinets might help also. One of my grandsons made a planter box for me when he was 4!! It's still together and I use it every summer! He's 16 now!

Nik Knacks · Answer

Here's an update on where the woodworking area is at - I have some serious organizing to do, but I built some upright storage and took the doors off the cupboards which made a huge difference. Thank you all for your input!

Donna Wilkinson · Answer

Nik Knacks this looks really good but I still think you need to add some color to add a new freshness to the area. It gives inspiration to those who are working in this room.

B. Enne · Answer

This pallet storage would be good for the longer wood pieces, tools and brooms and you can often get them for free. http://www.hometalk.com/diy/organize/garage/garage-storage-for-garden-tools-from-old-pallet-9278927

Carole Alden · Answer

Remember the saying, A place for everything and everything in its place.  Piles of wood are useless unless you can see what you have without moving a ton.  The mallet on the wall for standing up things will get that mess off the floor.  Your table can't take pounding, put it in front of the window and make a large box with rollers to go under it for your smaller pieces of wood.  I'd move your canning shelve so you have room for the mallet and make a home made workbench for in front with a peg board above.  You have tones of shelves and drawers, use them.  Where are your tools?  Go garage saleing .  You can hang your tools on the peg board or use your drawers and shelves.  I like painting a line around my tools hanging on the peg board to show what shape belongs there.  Instantly notice whats missing and neat to look at. I save my clear square macaroni salad ect dishes from the deli that stack up for storing small stuff like nail, screws ect.  You can see what you have and doesn't use a lot of space.  Lock up any tools that need adult supervision.

Chas' Crazy Creations · Answer

I have several organizing posts that might help you https://chascrazycreations.com/diys/how-tos/organizing/

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Kid's woodworking area - how would you organize it?

Garage Storage for Garden Tools From Old Pallet

Suggested Project Book