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Work with a numbering system.....works much faster.....Electronics is Category 1, Woodworking 2 etc etc. It helps speed up the proces of retrieval. Dont use more than for example 8 categories. Write a big number 1 (visible from distance) on a box/drawer/whatever (with electronics) and then define the content of storage further?
Adam, buddy, switches are electrics are not electronics neither are battery holders. Those are electrical components yes but NOT electronics. Please mate, there is a difference and I would have assumed you were aware of that. #Dissapointed #Dissalusioned
That high ole wall in the background where your sanders are (end sequence) x2 story the storage facility on that wall with a movable ladder. Call in some pro help AS you deserve it. 👍👍
If I were to ever pitch a show, it would be "Savage Shop". Adam and his team go around to shops all over the US, organizing and talking about the cool tools the shop owners use. You'd get tool history, organization, and great stories all in one show.
Same. It's a 'technique' I use often. (Much like the 'I'll just put everything I'm using for a certain project in plain view, regardless if I'm actively pursuing the project'.. technique... (Method?.. Is it either...?...) Also, 'floorganisation' deserves a prize or accolade of some sort ;)
•>•) I even imagine that I got a "Expandable Drawer" that can change size when the things keep added up.. ._.) But then I just keep adding new cardboard boxes as new storage box and reorganizing it every month..
I've noticed something that I don't see talked about alot but I really love Adam's ability to do something that doesn't quite work, or to make a mistake and gently admonish himself by explaining in an informative way what would have been a better choice or path. He labeled the second drawer, didn't exactly like it, then talked practical graphic design rules. I really admire that.
It doesn't really matter how big the space is nor how much stuff or well designed it is either though. It happens in the smallest kitchen and it's obligatory bits and bobs draw, where you'll find things from that odd shaped "thing" you've no idea what it is but you're fairly sure it's something to do with one of the devices you have in the kitchen and is always stopping the draw from opening to batteries, elastic bands and basically everything in the whole house or flat that's small enough to fit in a draw, has no other real place to live but seems to important or "might be" useful at some point to be thrown away, plus anything you've found lying around and couldn't be bothered to put in it's correct spot and so has been in the draw since the last time you finally got annoyed enough with "all the crap" to go through the draw and sort it out when the things that belong in other places get put away properly, you realise where that thing you really needed the other day but couldn't find because despite the draw being the first place you think of when you need to put something you've found somewhere but you never think of when you're searching for something you need and can't find. Then once the things with real homes have been put away in their right places you return everything else back in to the draw because you're still sure you'll find a use for it someday...... Then there's the much larger version of basically the same thing you find in the huge manufacturing facility but it's usually a cabinet for the bits and bobs instead of a draw. That will be filled with things they used to use but haven't in ages, is so individual and different it has no where else to live and they're not even really sure what it is or even if it belongs to them, a few things that the new lad had forgotten the name of and where it belongs but doesn't want to look stupid and so doesn't ask someone so hides it, half finished jobs, nuts and bolts, screws, etc that have been found lying around and either aren't worth putting away in the right place, don't look like anything else you have like that or again you can't be bothered and it's easier to just put in the cabine and the half full opened by mistake glues, paint, solvents, wire, string, , spare hand roll etc, etc. Lastly there's the spare tea, coffee, sugar, bog role, ect and that bloody screw driver you've been searching for because it's the easiest to use and you've looked everywhere for accept the place where it's most likely to be and the pictures that the boss thinks you all want to see occasionally but they're really for him but he don't want them on the walls where everyone can see them or in his office where its obvious that they're his.
@@itarry4 ive been messy for so long that now as im trying to get organized and give things a place.. when im look for something i dont look there first... because im so used to thinking "im messy.. why the hell would i put it in the right place"
Reorganizing must feel like a giant weight has been lifted. I've been slowly reorganizing my 2-car garage that is stacked 5-7 feet high. This video gave me some useful ideas. In your reorganization, I noticed that one critical bin seemed to be missing--the garbage bin. I've found this one to be the most useful. There must be some items that realistically won't ever be used and can be gotten rid of. Or at least they may not be worth the storage space they are taking up, if after 20 years or so you haven't needed them. Thanks for all your great tips.
This is the content we love! Thanks Adam and the team. I graduated less than a year ago with an electronics engineering degree and I am starting to build up a comprehensive prototyping station. This will be such a valuable video.
Loved hearing you give yourself a "deadline" on when you expected to be done. I'm midway through your book and on the deadlines chapter and I can see in action how you just put that seemingly arbitrary deadline on your task. But I love that it also allows for time to work on and possibly complete a ODB. The book is changing how I view your videos in such a positive way. I've got a deadline of my own to finish your book before Silicon when I get to come meet you! But life likes to give me 30 minute chunks of time to read here and there and that means reviewing what I already read to remember the context.
As someone who struggles CONSTANTLY with organization and infrastructure in any space I have to work in (home office, kitchen, classroom, etc.), these are far and away my favorite videos on this channel.
Years ago, being a computer techish type person, I started putting all the parts of a single device into a large ziplock bag. If it was cables, all together in a bag(s) nothing sucks more than having a device, knowing it needs a power supply and having 100 all tangled together in a mass as they tried to make little power supplies with their closeness.
It's kind of funny that Adam's cave is pure chaos and some times he's like "I need to organize" and then he does and the chaos pretty much looks the same in the cave. ;)
This is going to be a good one! Haven't watched it yet but seeing "storage" in the title and the 40 min video length, I can safely this is going to be very enjoyable.
One thing I have an opinion on is organizing resistors. E6(or E12) values fit neatly into a grid. I use rows for the prefix, and columns for the order of magnitude. So the bottom row would be 1, 10, 100, 1k, 10k, 100k, 1M, and the left column would be 1, 1.5, 2.2, 3.3, 4.7, 6.8. So with a 7x6 grid I can get within about 20% of any value from 1 ohm to 6.8M. Can use more than one resistor if I need more precision. Though there are still a couple bins for things that don't fit the above organization.
I have so much gratitude for your willingness and ability to share this side of things. I feel like I'm constantly fighting organisational entropy, my electronic components are in a state of chaos and I've been struggling to figure out how to start fixing it. This is serving as both emotional and practical inspiration.🙏🙇♂️
I love to see shops like this. It's when you realize that he didn't start with all this stuff. The amount of time, different projects, special experiences, and memories that have all contributed to a shop like this is awesome. It's a nice thing to have between my two ear holes.
I work for an airline and managed to get hold of an old metal food and beverage cart when they switched over to more light-weight plastic ones. They are AWESOME for storage like this! If you need a storage cart of some kind, try to get hold of one of these. They are great!
Thank You, Adam, for everything that you are. For all of the people who you inspired not only to create and become Makers, but for all of the people who you inspired to become better people, who were inspired to become better versions of themselves. Thank You
another way to label drawers and be specific is to glue one item on the front of the drawer.and in some cases that item becomes a handle for the drawer.. have fun with that.
One rarely realizes the anxiety that builds up from disorder, until you eventually organize and it suddenly goes away. Much like the relief I feel when you rescue your open sortimo cases from teetering precariously off the edge of the work bench. ;) Thanks for sharing time in the shop!
I'm soo happy you showed your disorganisation. I thought it was me (and had many arguments with my partner) but I know, this is what happens when you're passioned, impatient and yet eager to get things organised.
Electronics wise, i much prefer the waygo connectors to wire nuts/lugs, they dont damage the cables, dont need tape, are just as strong and you can remove and re connect the wires without damaging them. And you can get a variety of types for different sizes of wire. Perfect for both temporary, and permanent use. They also now have ones to replace the screw style passthrough terminals
These are my favorite types of video. Shop infrastructure and builds. Less funky camera stuff going on also when just Adam filming which doesn't hurt my head.
As a maker with a small space (corner of the basement) - organization is key. I feel like I reorganize things on an ongoing basis to maximize efficiency based on each project. It's great to see you rearranging your shop and also to hear the thought process that goes on to rationalize why you are doing what you do. Thanks for sharing!
Awww, SO satisfying! Thank you for bringing us along! No shame on the time it takes to get around to something you KNOW you gotta do... We all do it! So we gotta give others the space to do that too :)
I feel your pain. Thank you for sharing this. I have the same thoughts and beliefs about my space and my "collection." I always look at you and people like Tom Sachs and I am jealous of your apparent organization ability. And to see that you are as disorganized as I am makes me feel better about myself. This is more inspirational than you probably realize. Thank you again for posting this.
The more I watch people like Adam, Tom, or Van Neistat the more I am coming to believe that all of them are (or were) just as naturally disorganized as I am. The difference is they've put the time in to create systems that counteract the entropy that is human existence.
Literally spent a week bringing home more salvaged electronics, heavy wire, etc....this video is SOOOO well timed. Hope to learn something to make the SO happy with my "but i might need" stuff. LOL.
Geezer here.. Wow, no time for watching this now. Will do ASAP, when life allows. Thanks for what I am sure will be more than worth the watching. Gaming on.
these videos are always so inspiring to go and tackle at least a corner of my pile. ADHD thrives with a little bit of mess but it just as easily gets stymied by it, so it's nice to see other's solutions!
One of the most important concepts when reckoning ordered storage is to leave room for when you get more stuff! Neat, full boxes are satisfying until you have no room for new things and then end up with 5 miscellaneous boxes.
Can I say how much I enjoyed the music during the montages! Definitely had an 80s vibe to it and I easily could picture this as a show I would have watched growing up in that decade. Heck, if I squint hard enough I can even imagine the scan lines from the CRT. 😆
Adam, I have to thank you so much for creating such gloriuos t-shirt phrasings. „I just know enough about electronics to be dangerous“ is brilliant. Just one more of plenty. Please kerp kn your inspirational momentum.
Adam, I’m a huge fan of everything you do but I have to say your attention span reminds me of the dog in the movie UP. You were cleaning and came across the LED strips and had to check them out. The first thought in my mind was “SQUIRREL” lol. Keep up the awesome work.
No matter how well-organized your stuff is, your chosen sorting system will eventually require a complete redesign from the ground up. If this is not the case, your collection is neither growing nor shrinking and is probably not in use at all. (In which case, it should be considered either a curated museum or archival storage.) This is a true statement not only for Adam Savage, but for every maker, creator, tinkerer, professional, home hobbyist, curator, warehouse, artist, photographer, scientist, etc. In short, if you have enough things that you cannot conveniently lay them out on your kitchen table all at once, then you will need to do this several times in your lifetime. You might simply need well-labeled boxes or drawers, or require a database system to keep track of it all, but your particular sorting system will need periodic updating and/or overhauling. It is simply a fact of life.
This resonated with me at a core level 🤣 When Adam started showing off organization techniques and talking about his methodology it got me hooked, not only watching but starting my journey down the forever rabbit hole and entirely seperate hobby of garage organization 🤣 not just "Pinterest style - look pretty" organizing, but similar, First Order Retrieval style, automotive wiring organization has also been my BANE. I've come down to a rolling 5 drawer tool chest with sortimo bins to organize all my "inventory" (seperate sortimo cases if I need to bring parts with me for a project) I've recently put all of my electronic "tools" into the Milwaukee packout system, but still unsure if I love it.... Electronics seem to be a magical set of tools and items which sometimes have crossover uses, and each electrical job is so wildly different each cart seems to always have 90% more than is necessary. But it's all necessary at some point 🤣 I absolutely love the organization videos, I think they are my favorite, they get me giddy when they come up in my feed, hence the long winded reply!
Did this ever shine a light in my own electronics collection. I certainly learned a few things in this video and will be applying them to save some space and time walking back and forth to different places.
Adam I feel for you Since Electronics is my passion and was my trader for many years when I ran a Radio and Tv repair shop for years I have parts from Resistors and capacitors to tubes and Ic chips and everything in between .
I asked the universe, and Tested answered. I've been at near panicked breakdown for weeks trying to get a handle on my electronics organization and storage. I am watching this very, very keenly...
Dear Adam , this video you made changed the way I feel about my work space . and not having any controlle of all the the things that doubles up on me in all corners of the chop shop . thank you for lifting my day , and letting me realise even the notorious Adam Savage can also get stuck with this isseu. Goodluck Bro
Adam Savage talking graphic design text hierarchy? Hell yes! Sidenote: Adam, you should look into Aaron Draplin. Equally passionate about his craft. And like you, he is obsessed with the collection and organization of stuff.
I always label my wall warts on a piece of tape large enough to read with their voltage and current ratings, polarity, and if it's something particularly weird, I note what it was originally intended for. Also, any device that uses a wall wart, if it didn't come labeled with the V/A/polarity on it, I label the device as well. Then it becomes less important to keep things together.
One of my friends was over to the house and remarked that I am always cleaning. So, they took that as I am some sort of clean freak. I had to correct them as it's the opposite. I clean all the time, because I'm a first-class-24k-gold slob. Mega slob. But I like having a clean place. It's a rather frustrating combo, so in my own way I feel your pain.
For categorizing parts, don't reinvent the wheel, but start with a Digikey or Mouser catalog, and use the Product Index. Use as much of the tree as you need. For example, if you only have 5 switches, you only need a switches box. If you have 100 switches, you will need to use the subtypes of switches like toggle, rocker, push-button, whatever.
Years ago I was remodeling a house and I was constantly looking for my tools. I took a day off the project and went to my dad's shop and built 4 tool totes. They're built out of 3/4" plywood so you can stand on them or stack them and put a plank atop them to use as a makeshift workbench. They have compartmentalized drawers that hold just the tools they were meant to hold. One of them holds a basic carpentry tool kit. Another for electrical work. The third for plumbing and the last one for drywall and painting jobs. Now when I have to tackle a job, I just grab the appropriate box and I know I have the tools to get 90% there. I might need to bring some specific tools to add on as needed and I'm good to go! It's a game changer!!
Hey Adam! If you ever find yourself in Raleigh... In the lab I run I specialize in teaching Arduino to kids and adults that have never done coding before. Getting it to click with them and have fun with it is kind of my thing. It's magical and empowering the first time you do it!
I totally rebuilt electronics last winter and like yours mine needed it. Many changes have been made. I use a label maker to mark things now. Last winter I used up 5 rolls. I no longer buy builders boxes. I now 3d print them. My active parts became mainly out of date and tossed 2 gallons in parts. Using microcontrollers and that saves on so many parts.
It's so awesome how deeply you think about this stuff and everything you've shared with us. Anyone who is at the cusp of building and maintaining a shop would find this stuff a treasure trove of applied knowledge and insight gained the hard way. A shop infrastructure and organizing series play list would be a great resource if it doesn't exist already. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Wow! We are the same electronics person! I have been customizing methods of procrastination regarding the organisation of my electronics...stuff. This has been going on for WEEKS! Okay, maybe, months. Recently, I purchased a VERY large box of components. Someone had shut down their repair business, and well, I was so happy, until..... Anyways, love your videos, your legacy, and great ideas! Thank you!
Adam, it is so good to see your way of organizing and being organized makes successful projects. I have so much respect for your level of detail - thanks for sharing. And being a graphic designer, working on software all day, I have to agree 100% about categorizing and keeping the style consistent. Consistency is hard
From about 15:00-17:00, I hardly heard anything Adam said. I couldn't take my eyes off the big Swiss Army Knife in the background chuggin' away. Thanks, Adam! Organizing ANYTHING always takes longer than you think it will before you start. If you do it right, that is.
I completely feel your frustration. I've bought every old roller bearing drawer filing cabinet at every local thrift store. I've bought clothes racks for hanging cables and cords. Hanging cables is better for me because they are straight when I need them. Only one crease in the middle rather than a dozen creases to straighten.
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE watching organization videos.... even if they are a little unorganized lol! Your tidbit about graphic design is something I have not had many people at work agree with me on lol! moving brain power away from small tasks and onto the bigger picture is how you GET S**T DONE! you can't score a basket if you can't dribble the ball. Fundamentals first
Mr. Savage, You said in one of your videos, a quote that was along the lines of, something to do with people that use eggcorn nuts, plan ahead. I really liked that quote and understood it completely and would like to tell it to my son. But, I don't remember it exactly the way you said it and would like for you to tell it to me again. And I would like to get your permission to tell my son this quote. I really do love watching your videos, especially when you are trying to organize your workshop. It makes me feel so much better knowing that somebody is more on organized than I am, but in a organized way. Keep up the great work and have a great day.
Adam, this video sundenly inspired me to organize my work space while watching and listening to you. Thanks for the nudge of motivation that got me off my butt today. 👍
You know that sliding storage they use in achieves and museums? Well you can also set out work stations in them alongside general storage!! So you could turn the handle have your drill press come up, turn it again and your miter saw comes up all ready to use!! 👍👍👍
Hello Adam, One reason I watch is because you and I are very similar in several ways, (we've chatted before) so when I see you solving a problem I have hope that it'll help me solve mine too. 🙂 I keep thinking my main problem is not enough space, but you prove that much like an ideal gas, the bits/projects always expand to fill whatever space there is. So onto organization and weeding out of stuff - a very difficult thing to throw away "stuff". My question is what about the assemblies? You must have complete packages you have taken, like the laser assembly from a DVD player, or the gearing/motor assemblies from a printer or scanner, etc. How do you deal with those? I have bins, boxes, and bags of gears for instance, and the steel rods, drive belts, and don't even get me started on motors - but I also have the mechanical guts of a VCR or six because the mechanism is so clean and perfect I didn't want to tear it into components when it already works the way it was intended - but they are bulky and heavy; especially when you multiply that by scavenging radios, TVs, microwaves, scanners, DVD players, etc. for decades. So please, tell me...is there a solution other than a housefire or ebay? 😛
I like to let these longer videos play while I work on other stuff. When he walked off screen at 32:32 I must have paused it, because I kept waiting to hear him come back for 5 minutes and it never happened.
I believe storage will be the first great victory of A.I. Just keep everything in randomly stuffed bins and let your A.I. robot assistant remember which bin you tossed something in and retrieve it for you :-).
If a person would stick to the system, you could organize storage like your computer hard drive organizes things. You would need a list, preferably digital, of where things are. Then you just go to the next open box, dump things in it, and log in the computer. When you want something, look it up on the computer and go right to it. I think this would work better for the medium and long term storage than the things you need everyday/week storage. If it's something you need once a year it can be in a box on the top shelf in the attic, as long as you can quickly find it. I've spent a lot of time looking for things that are in my workshop but that could be in one of a half dozen places. I have some storage boxes with a piece of paper taped to the outside with a list of what is in the box.
I love how you swing from NASA scientist to Sheldon Cooper in all about flags as if you are controlled by a adjustable rheostat. This is a compliment. That you have a favorite heat shrink makes you an outlier to the outliers.
Pro Tip: Move away from wire nuts to Wago lever connectors.They're more expensive, but for anything you know will be adjusted several times; it's a godsend.
Always good to get things organized so you can more easily find what you need. Adam, you mentioned bus bars in two places. You mentioned consistency but you didn't use a black tape label for the drawer with the soldering supplies. For the switches drawer I would have labelled it specifically as pushbutton switches vs toggle switches for the other drawer. I would put a label on the miscellaneous parts drawer to provide some indication of what is inside it or you won't look inside there very often for things. You may not feel the need to do so but it might help when you have someone in the shop with you to help out on a build.
My favorite projects are 'shop infrastructure'. I even call them the same as you. As a generalist myself we share a bunch of things, including electronics and our tenuous understanding of them. ~P
I enjoyed this episode sooo much. Adam’s stream of consciousness type episodes make me want to do more around my own space more than watching him build; although I like watching builds too
I loved this so much! Thank you for taking the time and chance with this style of video! Makes me feel like I am not alone in the way I think and process. 😁👍
I have my electronic bits sorted by what they do, then buy size/type. Wire, Connectors(nuts, clamp,....), Input (batteries, power plugs), Inline (fuse, switches...), Output (servos, lights, speakers), finally Big 5#!+ (bread boards, buss bars,...) I don't have many of any thing. Just helps with the mental process when working a problem.
My standard operating procedure in these situations is to freak out about the overwhelming amount of stuff I have, then digging through it all and setting aside the things I use most and really need, and then start throwing everything else away. Then, I spend several weeks to months (or years, in some instances) regretting it. Sure looks clean for a while though lol
Adam Savage I'm watching this episode it happened to notice the Swiss Army knife that you got around to fixing I'm glad to see it still running in the background of the shop awesome
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Work with a numbering system.....works much faster.....Electronics is Category 1, Woodworking 2 etc etc. It helps speed up the proces of retrieval. Dont use more than for example 8 categories. Write a big number 1 (visible from distance) on a box/drawer/whatever (with electronics) and then define the content of storage further?
Adam, buddy, switches are electrics are not electronics neither are battery holders. Those are electrical components yes but NOT electronics.
Please mate, there is a difference and I would have assumed you were aware of that. #Dissapointed #Dissalusioned
@adam why aren't you on Netflix yet?
ua-cam.com/video/FzjEaS4al-o/v-deo.html
That high ole wall in the background where your sanders are (end sequence) x2 story the storage facility on that wall with a movable ladder.
Call in some pro help AS you deserve it.
👍👍
If I were to ever pitch a show, it would be "Savage Shop". Adam and his team go around to shops all over the US, organizing and talking about the cool tools the shop owners use. You'd get tool history, organization, and great stories all in one show.
This is genius. I'd watch the hell out of it.
Would so watch that.
Lol, pimp my shop
Like Kitchen Nightmares, but wholesome
I'd be behind seeing others shops, but I wouldn't want someone else organizing my things. Everyone does it differently.
You know it's so validating to see someone as highly regarded and skilled as Adam... also using the "drawer on the floor" storage method lol
Floorganisation?
Same. It's a 'technique' I use often.
(Much like the 'I'll just put everything I'm using for a certain project in plain view, regardless if I'm actively pursuing the project'.. technique... (Method?.. Is it either...?...)
Also, 'floorganisation' deserves a prize or accolade of some sort ;)
•>•) I even imagine that I got a "Expandable Drawer" that can change size when the things keep added up..
._.) But then I just keep adding new cardboard boxes as new storage box and reorganizing it every month..
All flat surfaces are storage. Its a rule!
I just realized i have a small pile of electronics on the floor next to my bed. All other places are already full of "stuff".
I've noticed something that I don't see talked about alot but I really love Adam's ability to do something that doesn't quite work, or to make a mistake and gently admonish himself by explaining in an informative way what would have been a better choice or path. He labeled the second drawer, didn't exactly like it, then talked practical graphic design rules. I really admire that.
"Feral" is the perfect word for that self-taught well enough to get something done level of skills! That one's going on the pile :D
I'm a feral cyclist. Better than the feral person I once was.
I feel like workshop organization is a fluid thing that changes after each project of mine. This is so satisfying to watch!
I like his organizers, I use them same type of bins... amazon cardboard boxes.
Agreed, when he does his organisation videos those are my favourite :D
●>●) Becareful when you store Lithium Batteries or other similar "Fire Hazard" objects.. Keep them safe enough
I love the fact that any storage system with a zillion catagories always has an odd & sod's bin at the end where someone's patience has run out!
It doesn't really matter how big the space is nor how much stuff or well designed it is either though. It happens in the smallest kitchen and it's obligatory bits and bobs draw, where you'll find things from that odd shaped "thing" you've no idea what it is but you're fairly sure it's something to do with one of the devices you have in the kitchen and is always stopping the draw from opening to batteries, elastic bands and basically everything in the whole house or flat that's small enough to fit in a draw, has no other real place to live but seems to important or "might be" useful at some point to be thrown away, plus anything you've found lying around and couldn't be bothered to put in it's correct spot and so has been in the draw since the last time you finally got annoyed enough with "all the crap" to go through the draw and sort it out when the things that belong in other places get put away properly, you realise where that thing you really needed the other day but couldn't find because despite the draw being the first place you think of when you need to put something you've found somewhere but you never think of when you're searching for something you need and can't find. Then once the things with real homes have been put away in their right places you return everything else back in to the draw because you're still sure you'll find a use for it someday......
Then there's the much larger version of basically the same thing you find in the huge manufacturing facility but it's usually a cabinet for the bits and bobs instead of a draw. That will be filled with things they used to use but haven't in ages, is so individual and different it has no where else to live and they're not even really sure what it is or even if it belongs to them, a few things that the new lad had forgotten the name of and where it belongs but doesn't want to look stupid and so doesn't ask someone so hides it, half finished jobs, nuts and bolts, screws, etc that have been found lying around and either aren't worth putting away in the right place, don't look like anything else you have like that or again you can't be bothered and it's easier to just put in the cabine and the half full opened by mistake glues, paint, solvents, wire, string, , spare hand roll etc, etc. Lastly there's the spare tea, coffee, sugar, bog role, ect and that bloody screw driver you've been searching for because it's the easiest to use and you've looked everywhere for accept the place where it's most likely to be and the pictures that the boss thinks you all want to see occasionally but they're really for him but he don't want them on the walls where everyone can see them or in his office where its obvious that they're his.
@@itarry4 ive been messy for so long that now as im trying to get organized and give things a place.. when im look for something i dont look there first... because im so used to thinking "im messy.. why the hell would i put it in the right place"
Reorganizing must feel like a giant weight has been lifted.
I've been slowly reorganizing my 2-car garage that is stacked 5-7 feet high. This video gave me some useful ideas.
In your reorganization, I noticed that one critical bin seemed to be missing--the garbage bin. I've found this one to be the most useful. There must be some items that realistically won't ever be used and can be gotten rid of. Or at least they may not be worth the storage space they are taking up, if after 20 years or so you haven't needed them.
Thanks for all your great tips.
But i always need that bit 5 minutes after the garbage truck has picked it up
There are several garbage bins on floor - you can seem them through the video just not much goes in them 😃
This is the content we love! Thanks Adam and the team. I graduated less than a year ago with an electronics engineering degree and I am starting to build up a comprehensive prototyping station. This will be such a valuable video.
Loved hearing you give yourself a "deadline" on when you expected to be done. I'm midway through your book and on the deadlines chapter and I can see in action how you just put that seemingly arbitrary deadline on your task. But I love that it also allows for time to work on and possibly complete a ODB. The book is changing how I view your videos in such a positive way. I've got a deadline of my own to finish your book before Silicon when I get to come meet you! But life likes to give me 30 minute chunks of time to read here and there and that means reviewing what I already read to remember the context.
@Ryan. I like the way you think. Good on you. 🥳
In software (possibly elsewhere too) we call this "timeboxing". Ok if this task is not done by x, I'll do y
deadlines help cleave the decision tree.
As someone who struggles CONSTANTLY with organization and infrastructure in any space I have to work in (home office, kitchen, classroom, etc.), these are far and away my favorite videos on this channel.
This is what a working shop looks like. Perfect chaos. Adam knows where everything is.. lol
I'd hate owning it, but I love seeing it 😆
Ahem to, “this is what a working shop looks like”!
No you dumb phone, AHMEN, not ahem…,mumble grumble phone…
Years ago, being a computer techish type person, I started putting all the parts of a single device into a large ziplock bag. If it was cables, all together in a bag(s) nothing sucks more than having a device, knowing it needs a power supply and having 100 all tangled together in a mass as they tried to make little power supplies with their closeness.
It's kind of funny that Adam's cave is pure chaos and some times he's like "I need to organize" and then he does and the chaos pretty much looks the same in the cave. ;)
It's a form of chaotic Feng Shui.
This is going to be a good one! Haven't watched it yet but seeing "storage" in the title and the 40 min video length, I can safely this is going to be very enjoyable.
My thought exactly.
You know it!
OMG !I thought it was just me
"I know just enough about electronics to be dangerous," is now my favorite modern Adam Savage quote
And said with a hair looking like he just got electrocuted😂
I've seen that phrase used a lot actually, IDK where it's from originally. There is even a website Know enough.... To be dangerous
One thing I have an opinion on is organizing resistors. E6(or E12) values fit neatly into a grid. I use rows for the prefix, and columns for the order of magnitude. So the bottom row would be 1, 10, 100, 1k, 10k, 100k, 1M, and the left column would be 1, 1.5, 2.2, 3.3, 4.7, 6.8. So with a 7x6 grid I can get within about 20% of any value from 1 ohm to 6.8M. Can use more than one resistor if I need more precision. Though there are still a couple bins for things that don't fit the above organization.
I have so much gratitude for your willingness and ability to share this side of things. I feel like I'm constantly fighting organisational entropy, my electronic components are in a state of chaos and I've been struggling to figure out how to start fixing it. This is serving as both emotional and practical inspiration.🙏🙇♂️
Go for it Justin. You got this 👍
Epic way with words!
“Mine is a *feral kind* of electronics knowledge…”
I love to see shops like this. It's when you realize that he didn't start with all this stuff. The amount of time, different projects, special experiences, and memories that have all contributed to a shop like this is awesome. It's a nice thing to have between my two ear holes.
I work for an airline and managed to get hold of an old metal food and beverage cart when they switched over to more light-weight plastic ones. They are AWESOME for storage like this! If you need a storage cart of some kind, try to get hold of one of these. They are great!
Thank You, Adam, for everything that you are. For all of the people who you inspired not only to create and become Makers, but for all of the people who you inspired to become better people, who were inspired to become better versions of themselves.
Thank You
Loving that high angle while you work around, it gives really good perspective of the space you move around in.
another way to label drawers and be specific is to glue one item on the front of the drawer.and in some cases that item becomes a handle for the drawer.. have fun with that.
For screws/fasteners use two. One to see the head type the second to have the thread exposed to quickly test for fit of odd items.
One rarely realizes the anxiety that builds up from disorder, until you eventually organize and it suddenly goes away. Much like the relief I feel when you rescue your open sortimo cases from teetering precariously off the edge of the work bench. ;) Thanks for sharing time in the shop!
A pleasure to watch your mind working, Adam. These shop infrastructure videos are perhaps my favourite. And anything with a dodecahedron in it.
I'm soo happy you showed your disorganisation. I thought it was me (and had many arguments with my partner) but I know, this is what happens when you're passioned, impatient and yet eager to get things organised.
Electronics wise, i much prefer the waygo connectors to wire nuts/lugs, they dont damage the cables, dont need tape, are just as strong and you can remove and re connect the wires without damaging them. And you can get a variety of types for different sizes of wire. Perfect for both temporary, and permanent use. They also now have ones to replace the screw style passthrough terminals
These are my favorite types of video. Shop infrastructure and builds. Less funky camera stuff going on also when just Adam filming which doesn't hurt my head.
As a maker with a small space (corner of the basement) - organization is key. I feel like I reorganize things on an ongoing basis to maximize efficiency based on each project. It's great to see you rearranging your shop and also to hear the thought process that goes on to rationalize why you are doing what you do. Thanks for sharing!
Awww, SO satisfying! Thank you for bringing us along! No shame on the time it takes to get around to something you KNOW you gotta do... We all do it! So we gotta give others the space to do that too :)
I feel your pain. Thank you for sharing this. I have the same thoughts and beliefs about my space and my "collection." I always look at you and people like Tom Sachs and I am jealous of your apparent organization ability. And to see that you are as disorganized as I am makes me feel better about myself. This is more inspirational than you probably realize. Thank you again for posting this.
The more I watch people like Adam, Tom, or Van Neistat the more I am coming to believe that all of them are (or were) just as naturally disorganized as I am. The difference is they've put the time in to create systems that counteract the entropy that is human existence.
Literally spent a week bringing home more salvaged electronics, heavy wire, etc....this video is SOOOO well timed. Hope to learn something to make the SO happy with my "but i might need" stuff. LOL.
Geezer here..
Wow, no time for watching this now. Will do ASAP, when life allows.
Thanks for what I am sure will be more than worth the watching.
Gaming on.
these videos are always so inspiring to go and tackle at least a corner of my pile. ADHD thrives with a little bit of mess but it just as easily gets stymied by it, so it's nice to see other's solutions!
One of the most important concepts when reckoning ordered storage is to leave room for when you get more stuff! Neat, full boxes are satisfying until you have no room for new things and then end up with 5 miscellaneous boxes.
Can I say how much I enjoyed the music during the montages! Definitely had an 80s vibe to it and I easily could picture this as a show I would have watched growing up in that decade. Heck, if I squint hard enough I can even imagine the scan lines from the CRT. 😆
Us gear heads love these types of videos. No apology needed.
Only at 18:20 but the Sortimo on the edge of the table is the best thriller to come out in years! LOL :)
I love that you have a junk drawer! Everyone in the Midwest is proud.
I love doing organization and re-discovering things i ordered for an incomplete project 5 years ago.
I think black Gaffers tape and a silver paint Sharpie are the most important tools for organizing your life.
Adam, I have to thank you so much for creating such gloriuos t-shirt phrasings. „I just know enough about electronics to be dangerous“ is brilliant. Just one more of plenty. Please kerp kn your inspirational momentum.
Adam, I’m a huge fan of everything you do but I have to say your attention span reminds me of the dog in the movie UP. You were cleaning and came across the LED strips and had to check them out. The first thought in my mind was “SQUIRREL” lol. Keep up the awesome work.
No matter how well-organized your stuff is, your chosen sorting system will eventually require a complete redesign from the ground up. If this is not the case, your collection is neither growing nor shrinking and is probably not in use at all. (In which case, it should be considered either a curated museum or archival storage.) This is a true statement not only for Adam Savage, but for every maker, creator, tinkerer, professional, home hobbyist, curator, warehouse, artist, photographer, scientist, etc. In short, if you have enough things that you cannot conveniently lay them out on your kitchen table all at once, then you will need to do this several times in your lifetime. You might simply need well-labeled boxes or drawers, or require a database system to keep track of it all, but your particular sorting system will need periodic updating and/or overhauling. It is simply a fact of life.
This resonated with me at a core level 🤣
When Adam started showing off organization techniques and talking about his methodology it got me hooked, not only watching but starting my journey down the forever rabbit hole and entirely seperate hobby of garage organization 🤣 not just "Pinterest style - look pretty" organizing, but similar, First Order Retrieval style, automotive wiring organization has also been my BANE. I've come down to a rolling 5 drawer tool chest with sortimo bins to organize all my "inventory" (seperate sortimo cases if I need to bring parts with me for a project) I've recently put all of my electronic "tools" into the Milwaukee packout system, but still unsure if I love it.... Electronics seem to be a magical set of tools and items which sometimes have crossover uses, and each electrical job is so wildly different each cart seems to always have 90% more than is necessary. But it's all necessary at some point 🤣 I absolutely love the organization videos, I think they are my favorite, they get me giddy when they come up in my feed, hence the long winded reply!
Did this ever shine a light in my own electronics collection. I certainly learned a few things in this video and will be applying them to save some space and time walking back and forth to different places.
Adam I feel for you Since Electronics is my passion and was my trader for many years when I ran a Radio and Tv repair shop for years I have parts from Resistors and capacitors to tubes and Ic chips and everything in between .
I asked the universe, and Tested answered. I've been at near panicked breakdown for weeks trying to get a handle on my electronics organization and storage. I am watching this very, very keenly...
Dear Adam , this video you made changed the way I feel about my work space . and not having any controlle of all the the things that doubles up on me in all corners of the chop shop . thank you for lifting my day , and letting me realise even the notorious Adam Savage can also get stuck with this isseu. Goodluck Bro
Adam Savage talking graphic design text hierarchy? Hell yes!
Sidenote: Adam, you should look into Aaron Draplin. Equally passionate about his craft. And like you, he is obsessed with the collection and organization of stuff.
Wow! you nailed the 2nd verse of "Feeling Groovy". Everyone messes that line up.
I always label my wall warts on a piece of tape large enough to read with their voltage and current ratings, polarity, and if it's something particularly weird, I note what it was originally intended for.
Also, any device that uses a wall wart, if it didn't come labeled with the V/A/polarity on it, I label the device as well. Then it becomes less important to keep things together.
One of my friends was over to the house and remarked that I am always cleaning. So, they took that as I am some sort of clean freak. I had to correct them as it's the opposite. I clean all the time, because I'm a first-class-24k-gold slob. Mega slob. But I like having a clean place.
It's a rather frustrating combo, so in my own way I feel your pain.
For categorizing parts, don't reinvent the wheel, but start with a Digikey or Mouser catalog, and use the Product Index. Use as much of the tree as you need. For example, if you only have 5 switches, you only need a switches box. If you have 100 switches, you will need to use the subtypes of switches like toggle, rocker, push-button, whatever.
I ❤️ YOUR SHOP!
😎👍
A CLUTTERED SHOP, IS A BUSY, PRODUCTIVE SHOP! ☺️👍
"a little organization is always a good thing!" 😊
Years ago I was remodeling a house and I was constantly looking for my tools. I took a day off the project and went to my dad's shop and built 4 tool totes. They're built out of 3/4" plywood so you can stand on them or stack them and put a plank atop them to use as a makeshift workbench. They have compartmentalized drawers that hold just the tools they were meant to hold. One of them holds a basic carpentry tool kit. Another for electrical work. The third for plumbing and the last one for drywall and painting jobs. Now when I have to tackle a job, I just grab the appropriate box and I know I have the tools to get 90% there. I might need to bring some specific tools to add on as needed and I'm good to go! It's a game changer!!
Hey Adam! If you ever find yourself in Raleigh... In the lab I run I specialize in teaching Arduino to kids and adults that have never done coding before. Getting it to click with them and have fun with it is kind of my thing. It's magical and empowering the first time you do it!
I totally rebuilt electronics last winter and like yours mine needed it. Many changes have been made. I use a label maker to mark things now. Last winter I used up 5 rolls. I no longer buy builders boxes. I now 3d print them. My active parts became mainly out of date and tossed 2 gallons in parts. Using microcontrollers and that saves on so many parts.
59th Street Bridge Song unlocked some kind of core memory in me. Something I loved that I had entirely forgotten existed.
It's so awesome how deeply you think about this stuff and everything you've shared with us. Anyone who is at the cusp of building and maintaining a shop would find this stuff a treasure trove of applied knowledge and insight gained the hard way. A shop infrastructure and organizing series play list would be a great resource if it doesn't exist already. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Loved the 80’s retro music. It reminded me of “How It’s Made” tv show! Love ya Adam
Wow!
We are the same electronics person!
I have been customizing methods of procrastination regarding the organisation of my electronics...stuff.
This has been going on for WEEKS!
Okay, maybe, months.
Recently, I purchased a VERY large box of components. Someone had shut down their repair business, and well, I was so happy, until.....
Anyways, love your videos, your legacy, and great ideas!
Thank you!
Gotta love it when you can spend a day or few organizing & step back to see what you accomplished & it doesn't even look like you did anything at all.
Adam, it is so good to see your way of organizing and being organized makes successful projects. I have so much respect for your level of detail - thanks for sharing. And being a graphic designer, working on software all day, I have to agree 100% about categorizing and keeping the style consistent. Consistency is hard
From about 15:00-17:00, I hardly heard anything Adam said. I couldn't take my eyes off the big Swiss Army Knife in the background chuggin' away. Thanks, Adam! Organizing ANYTHING always takes longer than you think it will before you start. If you do it right, that is.
My five year old wanted to draw while watching a video of "the guy with a black t-shirt and hair that goes up like this". We love you, Mr. Savage!
It is cool to watch you work. Tinkering with everything!
I completely feel your frustration. I've bought every old roller bearing drawer filing cabinet at every local thrift store. I've bought clothes racks for hanging cables and cords. Hanging cables is better for me because they are straight when I need them. Only one crease in the middle rather than a dozen creases to straighten.
I absolutely love your organization videos. watch multiple times.
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE watching organization videos.... even if they are a little unorganized lol! Your tidbit about graphic design is something I have not had many people at work agree with me on lol! moving brain power away from small tasks and onto the bigger picture is how you GET S**T DONE! you can't score a basket if you can't dribble the ball. Fundamentals first
Mr. Savage, You said in one of your videos, a quote that was along the lines of, something to do with people that use eggcorn nuts, plan ahead. I really liked that quote and understood it completely and would like to tell it to my son. But, I don't remember it exactly the way you said it and would like for you to tell it to me again. And I would like to get your permission to tell my son this quote. I really do love watching your videos, especially when you are trying to organize your workshop. It makes me feel so much better knowing that somebody is more on organized than I am, but in a organized way. Keep up the great work and have a great day.
Adam, this video sundenly inspired me to organize my work space while watching and listening to you. Thanks for the nudge of motivation that got me off my butt today. 👍
The more dancing Adam has us do with him in the shop at the beginning of a vid, the more hectic you know its going to be. Love it!
You know that sliding storage they use in achieves and museums?
Well you can also set out work stations in them alongside general storage!!
So you could turn the handle have your drill press come up, turn it again and your miter saw comes up all ready to use!!
👍👍👍
I love the visceral joy at the lack of meetings.
I both envy and pity the moment when Adam will program his first Arduino board. It's like a magical rabbit hole that has no ending.
Hello Adam,
One reason I watch is because you and I are very similar in several ways, (we've chatted before) so when I see you solving a problem I have hope that it'll help me solve mine too. 🙂
I keep thinking my main problem is not enough space, but you prove that much like an ideal gas, the bits/projects always expand to fill whatever space there is. So onto organization and weeding out of stuff - a very difficult thing to throw away "stuff".
My question is what about the assemblies? You must have complete packages you have taken, like the laser assembly from a DVD player, or the gearing/motor assemblies from a printer or scanner, etc. How do you deal with those?
I have bins, boxes, and bags of gears for instance, and the steel rods, drive belts, and don't even get me started on motors - but I also have the mechanical guts of a VCR or six because the mechanism is so clean and perfect I didn't want to tear it into components when it already works the way it was intended - but they are bulky and heavy; especially when you multiply that by scavenging radios, TVs, microwaves, scanners, DVD players, etc. for decades.
So please, tell me...is there a solution other than a housefire or ebay? 😛
When I saw the word "Reckoning" I knew this would be fun. I was not disappointed.
I like to let these longer videos play while I work on other stuff. When he walked off screen at 32:32 I must have paused it, because I kept waiting to hear him come back for 5 minutes and it never happened.
Ha!
For some of us that are learning you are the expert. I would love to see you go over switches.
I believe storage will be the first great victory of A.I. Just keep everything in randomly stuffed bins and let your A.I. robot assistant remember which bin you tossed something in and retrieve it for you :-).
If a person would stick to the system, you could organize storage like your computer hard drive organizes things. You would need a list, preferably digital, of where things are. Then you just go to the next open box, dump things in it, and log in the computer. When you want something, look it up on the computer and go right to it. I think this would work better for the medium and long term storage than the things you need everyday/week storage. If it's something you need once a year it can be in a box on the top shelf in the attic, as long as you can quickly find it. I've spent a lot of time looking for things that are in my workshop but that could be in one of a half dozen places. I have some storage boxes with a piece of paper taped to the outside with a list of what is in the box.
I love how you swing from NASA scientist to Sheldon Cooper in all about flags as if you are controlled by a adjustable rheostat. This is a compliment.
That you have a favorite heat shrink makes you an outlier to the outliers.
Pro Tip: Move away from wire nuts to Wago lever connectors.They're more expensive, but for anything you know will be adjusted several times; it's a godsend.
Always good to get things organized so you can more easily find what you need. Adam, you mentioned bus bars in two places. You mentioned consistency but you didn't use a black tape label for the drawer with the soldering supplies. For the switches drawer I would have labelled it specifically as pushbutton switches vs toggle switches for the other drawer. I would put a label on the miscellaneous parts drawer to provide some indication of what is inside it or you won't look inside there very often for things. You may not feel the need to do so but it might help when you have someone in the shop with you to help out on a build.
My favorite projects are 'shop infrastructure'. I even call them the same as you. As a generalist myself we share a bunch of things, including electronics and our tenuous understanding of them. ~P
I enjoyed this episode sooo much. Adam’s stream of consciousness type episodes make me want to do more around my own space more than watching him build; although I like watching builds too
Making something organised out of all the chaos always makes me happy... thanks for this one Adam :D
I like these style of shoots, off the cuff, can learn a lot from them
I loved this so much! Thank you for taking the time and chance with this style of video! Makes me feel like I am not alone in the way I think and process. 😁👍
Adam Savage = Hours of wonderful entertainment on how and why to do stuff. *Bandsaw noises*
Adam: That's where I've been storing it for weeks!...Weeks!...Weeks!!!
Vizzini: Inconceivable!
Yup. Exactly.
I'm definitely calling our next garage organization The Reckoning 😁
Did I just watch Adam tidy up? What a world we live in :)
I have my electronic bits sorted by what they do, then buy size/type. Wire, Connectors(nuts, clamp,....), Input (batteries, power plugs), Inline (fuse, switches...), Output (servos, lights, speakers), finally Big 5#!+ (bread boards, buss bars,...) I don't have many of any thing. Just helps with the mental process when working a problem.
Adam did a wonderful job of a simple explanation of graphic design, even touched on how a designer/artist will break the rules to fit the design.
12:00 All of those open sortamos hanging1/4 the way off the edge of the tables is very comforting.
My standard operating procedure in these situations is to freak out about the overwhelming amount of stuff I have, then digging through it all and setting aside the things I use most and really need, and then start throwing everything else away. Then, I spend several weeks to months (or years, in some instances) regretting it. Sure looks clean for a while though lol
Adam Savage I'm watching this episode it happened to notice the Swiss Army knife that you got around to fixing I'm glad to see it still running in the background of the shop awesome
I enjoy seeing you structure and organize the shop so much!