It doesn’t take long before you’re knee-deep in building materials when you’re working on a project. The shelves and drawers soon fill with saws, hammers, screwdrivers, and other tools needed. Before long, you’re wondering where everything is.
Organizing and storing building materials is critical, especially when working on a construction project. If you don’t have the right tools and supplies, it could lead to delays in completing your project. Here are some tips on how to organize and store building materials.
1. Store Ladders Vertically
When working on a project, it’s easy to see how you could use all the tools in your workshop. But when you’re not using them, they can take up a lot of space. For example, storing your ladders vertically is a great way to save room when working on a project in your home or garage. The best way to do this is by using a ladder rack or stack shelves like Stack-It Industrial Shelving and similar shelving solutions.
These are designed for storing ladders or other long tools, so they’ll hold them securely without sacrificing much space in your garage or basement. If you have multiple ladders that need to be stored, consider buying multiple racks at once to arrange them according to size and type.
For example, if you have four different step ladders, arrange them according to size on one rack and then stack them vertically against the wall to store each ladder separately. It’ll make it easier to find the right ladder when you need it.
2. Place All Like Items Together
Organizing your building supplies is a great way to make sure you can find what you need when you need it. Not only it’ll save time but also save money by helping you avoid purchasing unnecessary items.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by sorting like items together. For example, if you have two types of screws and bolts, place them in separate containers, then stack the containers on top, so they’re easy to access.
You can also sort them into piles based on size. It makes it much easier to find what you need quickly and easily without searching through several different containers.
3. Keep Your Stock Dry
If you’re looking to build a house, shed, or anything else that requires building materials, you’ll need to keep your stock dry. It’s essential if you live in a climate with high humidity levels.
To prevent your stock from getting wet, place them in an area with good air circulation. You can also store them in plastic bins if they have holes. It’ll allow air to circulate to the items.
Be sure not to stack these items too high, as this can cause mold growth which may ruin your stock. If you’re worried about keeping your materials dry during wintertime, consider keeping them inside a garage or shed with good insulation and ventilation.
4. Use Metal and Plastic Bins
Plastic bins are a great way to organize and store building materials. These bins can be found at any home improvement store and come in various sizes, colors, and shapes.
You can even find them online for less money than you would have to pay at the store. The best part about plastic bins is that they are easy to clean, so if something spills inside your bin, it won’t ruin all of your other items.
Metal bins are ideal because they’re strong enough to hold heavy pieces such as lumber, while plastic bins are better for lighter things like screws or nails because they won’t weigh down the metal bin too much.
If you’re storing both types of items in the same room, then using both storage containers is better. It’ll be easier for you to find things when you need them since not everything will be in one place.
5. Label the Bin Lids
Labeling the bin lids is a great way to organize and store your building materials. It’s also a good idea to easily mark the bins to find what you need. Labeling your tool containers will help you keep track of what’s in each one, making it easier to take them back out.
You don’t need any special tools or skills to do this job. The most important thing is a sound labeling system that makes sense and works for you. Here are some ways that you can label your bins.
- Stick on labels
These are ideal if you have lots of different sizes or types of bins because they can be easily changed as needed, but they won’t last forever, so they’re not ideal if you have just one kind of bin that needs labeling.
- Sticky notes
This method is cheap and easy, but again it isn’t permanent, so if it gets wet before you get around to changing them, they’ll come off too quickly!
Takeaway
One of the most important things to consider when starting a project is how you’ll store all of your building materials. Organizing your building materials can be challenging, but it’s worth the effort. You’ll have more room to work in your workshop and also save time by not having to search for that particular tool or piece of lumber.
