Workspace of the Week: Garage wonderland
This week’s Workspace of the Week is Jake Loupe’s well-organized garage:
This week’s entry isn’t a workspace in the traditional sense, but I can only imagine that this area sees a lot of work. As per our site motto, there is a place for everything, and everything is in its place. Before the weather gets warm, you may want to take Jake’s lead and get your garage ready for summer use. Thank you, Jake, for creating such an inspiring space.
Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.
26 comments posted
Posted by Another Deb - 02/27/2009
I want to go to there!
I like that he hung the case for one of the tools right up there as well.
I have attached a “behind the door” wire rack on my pegboard that would normally hold jars or shampoo bottles. Now it holds spray cans, recycled plastic peanut butter jars for screws, etc. I also use binder clips to hang things from the rack and drape my safety glasses over its edge.
The only thing I would add would be a counter area. Under my counter area I have open shelves with shallow bins for holding more things. With an irrigation system, thre are always a few spare parts and the shallow bins help me locate items faster without digging.
Digging comes after the parts are located…. sigh…
Posted by Sherri (Serene Journey) - 02/27/2009
WOW! We are going to tackle my husbands work space this summer and I only hope it turns out as nice as this! I love that everything is up off the flat surfaces and that they all have a “home”.
Well done Jake, it must be such a joy to do any work in there!
Posted by ellis - 02/27/2009
i can’t believe this is a working garage?!! more evidence please.
Posted by Jacki Hollywood Brown - 02/27/2009
I’m in love….
Posted by Lori Paximadis - 02/27/2009
That is *awesome* and inspriational. While our garage overall is pretty organized, we still need to tackle the tools. I love that everything is right there and you can see what you need at a glance.
Posted by Rue - 02/27/2009
VERY nice. I’ve been wanting to do something like that to my mom’s garage for a long time now!
Posted by Peter (a different one) - 02/27/2009
*sniff* – I am brought to tears… It’s so beautiful!
Posted by Tam - 02/27/2009
I absolutely love this and can’t wait to show my husband! Very inspiring! Thanks for highlighting a different kind of workspace!!!
Posted by Felicia - 02/27/2009
This reminds me of my great grandfather. He had peg boards in his “shop”. He drew the outline of each tool on the peg board. If someone borrowed a tool, it had to be placed back in it’s spot. He was very particular about that. *LOL*
Posted by Tabitha (From Single to Married) - 02/27/2009
What a great space! I’m going to have to show my husband this. Of course that means he’ll want to do it for our garage!
Maybe that’s a good thing…
Posted by Suki - 02/27/2009
Just showed this to my husband–he swooned! LOL!
Posted by JC - 02/27/2009
We actually lived in our large garage (with our tools and two children) for two and one half years while we built our house. I don’t have fond memories of that time, especially when my husband decided that the top of the piano was a great “shelf” for tools. We will finally be finishing/ organizing the garage this summer. It’s about time as we’ve been in the house for almost four years now. Because we have the space we will be installing base cabinets and worktops along one wall with pegboard and some shelves above.
I am encouraged and inspired by this photo. Thank you so much for sharing.
Posted by Jacob - 02/27/2009
Thanks for the kind words everybody. This project actually wasn’t too hard. All I did was screw some vertical 1 x 2′s into the wall, then screwed the pegboard to the 1 x 2′s so they are set off the wall. Then you can get a set of pegboard hooks from Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. There are specialty hooks for drills, screwdrivers, and other tools.
We have a small two car garage and I really wanted to be able to park both vehicles in it. That coupled with my slight ocd, lead me to do this. One of my neighbors has an even better set up and he gave me some tips. Another big help is that this is our first house and we haven’t accumulated too much clutter.
It’s still kind of a work in progress. I still have some items that need a place and I would like to get a real work bench some day.
Posted by Pammyfay - 02/27/2009
Sure beats rooting around in a big Rubbermaid tub looking for that extra-small Phillips-head screwdriver!
Posted by Tania - 02/27/2009
that’s hot. i am envious, my garage has a L-O-N-G way to go. LOL
Posted by Sheryl - 02/27/2009
My husband did this in our basement, up above the work bench. I love it! It works great, when the tools actually find their way back there!
Posted by Sheryl - 02/27/2009
Felicia’s post reminded me…Julia Child did that in her kitchen (outlined her pots and pans w/ a marker on the pegboard.) Wish I had the wall space in mine to do it, too!
Posted by Maura - 02/27/2009
@Felicia — Did you Great-grandfather live in NJ? Our neighbor, where we used to live, also had an immaculate garage where every thing hung on pegboard was outlined in black marker.
Nice job, Jacob. If you have a wife I am sure she is thrilled
Posted by Felicia - 02/27/2009
@Maura – No. He lived in Kenner, LA. I was little, but I remember how special it was to be allowed into Papa James’ shop. He enjoyed working out there alone. I guess it was “his space” and it was very organized.
Posted by susan - 02/27/2009
Jacob, how did you mount the jars on the peg board?
Thanks for the visual inspiration. I bought 2 peg boards 6 months ago and have been begging my husband to hang it up for me ever since. You know, I never would have thought to mount it on the wood so that the hangers have room! Thanks!!
I just may need to bribe my Dad to come over to help me hang it….along with the recycle bin hooks and kitchen cabinets repurposed into the garage…all sitting for over a year on the floor in the garage. My husband is the handiest man in the world…..but only when he wants to be.
Posted by Rachel - 02/27/2009
This photo made my heart skip a beat. It gave me butterflies. I don’t even own power tools, or even have a garage–but this space is downright sexy. Kudos!
Posted by Jewels - 02/27/2009
Totally awesome!!! I’ll trade a hot pot of crawfish fettuccine for an organized garage.
Posted by Another Deb - 02/28/2009
This picture brings out the Tim Allen “woof woof woof” in all of us!
@ Susan, The jars are hung from the pegboard with special lids that have small plastic projections that fit into the pegboard holes. You can find these and other delightful pegboard accessories in the local hardware store.
My last home had a small workshop entirely lined with pegboard. Being girly, I painted it all a lovely soft green and did a lot of shopping for hangers.
One great idea turned out to be a recycled closet shoe organizer. It hung from the pegboard by double hanger hooks to keep it flat. I used it for sandpaper, glue tubes, gloves, seed packages, pencils and rulers.
Posted by D - 03/01/2009
How that is not a “traditional workspace” boggles the mind. pretty limited definition, if you ask me – that looks like a great workspace to me! And pegboard in the garage is decidedly traditional, in North America.
Posted by Gayle - 03/05/2009
I once saw a picture of one of Julia Child’s kitchens where she had all her pots and pans hung on a similar peg board.
Posted by Jill - 03/10/2010
Wow Jake that is great! It looks a lot like my dad’s garage, but he’s NEVER out there doing any sort of work lol.
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