If you’re hoping to start upcycling furniture, woodworking, renovating your house, or taking care of your own basic home improvements, you’re going to need a home workshop. Having a designated spot in your home where you can work on any projects means that you’ll have all your tools readily available and you won’t have to worry about sawdust contaminating your living space.
Here are six ways to start setting up shop around your house!
Choose a good location
You’re going to want to choose a space that has plenty of space for tools and working, but you also want to make sure the space has good lighting and ventilation. Garages, basements, and outdoor sheds are all great locations for a workshop. These areas are often large, separate from the rest of the house, and can be locked when you’re not using them.
It is also easy to add lighting and ventilation systems to these areas if needed. You can add track lighting for overhead lighting, but you should also invest in a good work table lamp. Table lamps are helpful for when you are leaning over a project.
Get all the tools you need
If you want a great workshop, it is time to upgrade your toolbox. You’re going to want a good set of hand tools (wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, etc), a good set of power tools (drillers, compressors, saw, etc) and some stand-alone equipment like the best shop vac for your heavy duty needs.
Some larger tools to consider buying are a drill press, table saw, and belt sander. A drill press can be used on wood, metal, and other materials to drill holes with precision and efficiency. This tool makes accurate drilling extremely easy. You can find a comparison of different types of drill presses in this article. A table saw can be used to precisely cut large sheet goods, such as plywood. A belt sander can be used to sand down large pieces of flat wood. All of these larger tools can help make home renovations and other woodworking projects easier to complete.
Organize your tools
The great thing about having a separate space to work is that you can organize all your tools. There are many different ways to get creative with the organization of your tools. For example, maybe you want to put shelving all around your work area to have a space to store tools and other materials when you’re not using them.
You’ll also want to invest in a large, rolling tool chest. Tool chests help you organize your handtools and other gadgets. They’re also lockable, which is useful if you have children running around your house or if you’re worried about your tools getting stolen.
Make sure your space is safe
Organizing your tools and regular cleaning are a great way to ensure your space is safe. You don’t want to leave tools and other equipment all over the floor of your workspace because you could experience a serious injury. Cleaning your space regularly also helps to ensure that you have enough room to complete whatever project you’re working on. And if you have trash all over your workbench, there is a possibility that you’ll lose nails, bolts, and other small equipment within the trash. You don’t want to be in the middle of a project and not be able to find what you need!
Have enough electrical outlets
Electrical outlets are a necessity in your workspace. You’ll need them to operate large equipment, charge the batteries of power tools, and run any additional lighting you choose to install. You’ll also need them if you want to use a fan or heater in your space. The more electrical outlets you have in your space, the better! If needed, you can work with an electrician to plan out how to add more outlets.
Make it fun
While there are many logistical reasons to have a workshop, it also provides you with your own space within the house. You can decorate your workshop however you would like so that it is a place you enjoy working in. If you enjoy listening to music while you work, consider adding some sort of audio system. You can go for a radio or find something you can hook your smartphone up to. Some folks even install a television in their workshop.
Final thoughts
If you have a good location for a home workshop, there is no reason to delay setting one up! You’ll have your own space that is separate from the rest of the house to work on any home improvement projects.