Organizing the Equipment Barn Supply Closet
Lots of organizing projects are underway here at my Bedford, New York farm.
During winter, when temperatures dip into the single digits, or when snow and ice prevent the grounds crew from completing outdoor tasks, everyone keeps busy with indoor jobs. Last week, this included organizing the closet inside my Equipment Barn, where we store lots of small tools and supplies. For this clean-up, the shelves were emptied and wiped-down, old and unusable pieces were discarded, like items were grouped together, and finally everything was placed in appropriately labeled containers where they could be found easily and quickly. It's a tedious chore, but it’s always rewarding to see the end result.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- My Equipment Barn is quite large – about 40 by 120 feet, with a substantial amount of height. It is located just off a carriage road near my hay barn and greenhouses.
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- On one side, I store mowers, blowers, tractors, and other pieces of machinery. If you look closely on the right, you can see The Martha by Mail truck – this was a postal delivery truck from the 80s which I bought years ago and had painted green.
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- Against this wall, we store rakes, shovels, spades and other hand tools.
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- And across the room, we have a closet filled with plastic bins of bolts, screws, nails, clamps, etc. These bins may look very tidy, but over the months, they have become very disorganized, making things difficult to find when needed.
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- Some bins sat empty, while others lacked labels, making it impossible to know what is inside without opening the container.
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- And many items were placed in random bins – it was definitely time to give this closet a thorough cleaning.
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- The first step was to remove every bin from the shelves.
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- With everything out of the closet, it is easier to visualize and plan how the space can be re-organized and what supplies are needed to complete the job.
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- My property director, Fred Jacobsen, and Fernando Ferrari from my outdoor grounds crew, take a full inventory of everything that was inside the closet.
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- Meanwhile, Carlos cleans each shelf – removing any dust and dirt that may have accumulated over the months.
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- When cleaning, it is also a good idea to check for any structural damage, such as broken shelves, mold or rotting wood. Carlos wipes everything down from top to bottom and back to front – first with a damp rag and then with a dry one.
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- Carlos also cleans away any sticky substances or stains. These shelves run across the entire length of the space and are extremely strong, allowing for lots of storage.
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- Next, Fernando removes all the cans of paint, primer, stain and varnish that were stored and inspects the condition of each one. Remember to always dispose of these products properly – oil-based paints should be taken to proper hazardous waste facilities. And never ever pour any paints into storm drains, onto the ground, or into creeks, streams or rivers.
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- This can of leftover Bedford Gray paint is still good, and will be covered properly and saved for later use.
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- Every bin is opened, and one by one every piece returned to its proper container.
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- We use these shelf trays for various small parts and components such as screws, nails, washers, nuts, etc.
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- We placed all like items together in separate compartments.
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- And then placed those into larger plastic containers. This makes it easy to find necessary supplies and cuts down on buying more of what we already have.
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- Bolt fasteners and other large screws are placed in larger containers.
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- Using transparent storage containers makes it easy to see what is in each one.
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- Here is Fernando identifying and organizing the items in each bin. This process takes several hours to complete, but doing this on a regular basis is always worth the effort.
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- As items are properly stored, the containers are labeled and stacked ready to be returned to the closet. Labels are inexpensive and easy to affix and remove from each bin whenever needed. Ideally, use boxes and containers which are not only sturdy but stackable.
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- Slowly, bins are returned to the closet. If possible, arrange things by task – all plumbing supplies on one side, electrical supplies on the other.
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- This is also a good time to check the expiration dates of products to be sure they are still viable for use.
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- Smaller bins are placed on higher shelves, and larger ones on lower shelves. If possible, keep items off the floor, so it is easier to walk about the space.
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- For convenience, we hung a step ladder on the side of the closet, so there is no time wasted when reaching for something on a high shelf.
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- And aim to clean out storage areas like this at least once a year. This will prevent the build of unnecessary items taking up valuable space. Hammer, nails, and other tools are easier to find when everything is kept in its proper place. What organization projects are you doing this season? Share your comments and tips below.
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