N Gauge Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Phoenix on August 31, 2021, 04:37:18 PM

Title: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: Phoenix on August 31, 2021, 04:37:18 PM
Hi All,

Hope you had a good Bank Holiday. It was a bit cloudy down here, so I finished a big tidy up  :angel:

I have been using these food containers to store my bits and pieces in.

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160305-1133001853.jpeg)

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160307-1133011616.jpeg)

They are 3 for a pound at ASDA, and I have been stacking them up on the floor. However they do keep falling down and like Jenga, it is difficult to get the one you want out. I needed a better idea  :hmmm:

As I had some laminated flooring left over from fitting a floor ages ago, I used it to make a shelf unit to hang on the wall

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160308-1133022154.jpeg)

Flippin' 'ek was it heavy though  :o

I also got some drawer knobs to go on the front if the containers, although after fitting all 40, found they weren't really necessary. :doh:

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160311-1133032380.jpeg)

Here it is hung on the wall and fully stocked  :thumbsup:

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160314-1133051483.jpeg)

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160312-1133041577.jpeg)

I also treated myself to a tool box, from the same company I get my layout cases from  :D

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160314-1133051357.jpeg)

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160316-1133071301.jpeg)

Fantastic ..... I don't now have to sit surrounded by junk while I play with my trains, and I have space for a drink or 2  :claphappy:  :D :claphappy:

All best wishes

Kevin

:beers:

Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: crewearpley40 on August 31, 2021, 04:46:13 PM
Sounds like a few bargains. Neat and tidy
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: Phoenix on August 31, 2021, 04:57:52 PM
Cheers Chris,

Now instead of this  :( :( :(

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/99/5755-270920201941-99798768.jpeg)

I have this  :D :D :D

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821165624-1133081720.jpeg)

All best wishes

Kevin

:beers:
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: ntpntpntp on August 31, 2021, 05:59:17 PM
Nice shelving :) 

I do similar but with takeaway tubs, and have stacks of them for spares and scenery etc. A great excuse to keep having Indian or Chinese  :D
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: crewearpley40 on August 31, 2021, 06:10:31 PM
At least you can find items Kevin.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/3894-310821180959.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=113323)  I invested in boxes  I noticed going cheap in my local DIY store

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/3894-310821181353.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=113324)
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: TrevL on August 31, 2021, 06:45:34 PM
Quote from: Phoenix on August 31, 2021, 04:37:18 PM

I also treated myself to a tool box, from the same company I get my layout cases from  :D

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160314-1133051357.jpeg)

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-310821160316-1133071301.jpeg)


Like the toolbox Kevin, do you have a link to where you got it from please?
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: Phoenix on August 31, 2021, 07:34:45 PM
Hi Trev,

I thought I got the case from where I got my layout cases from, which is here

https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/ (https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/)

They have all sorts of cases in all shapes and sizes, and also do extras like castors and extra handles etc.

But was wrong, I got it from these guys .....

https://www.jwewgroups.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=513232 (https://www.jwewgroups.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=513232)

It was £24.99, is lockable, has a shoulder strap and dividers for the inside.

Hope that info is useful

All best wishes

Kevin

:beers:
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: keithbythe sea on September 01, 2021, 07:21:44 AM
Great solution Kevin, very tidy. Bet you can't find anything now.  :D

Thank you for the links, very interesting.
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: Bealman on September 01, 2021, 08:46:02 AM
How good is that. I hope it all stays as tidy as it looks!

And I reckon the knobs on the takeaway containers look cool by the way.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: Bigmac on September 01, 2021, 10:39:15 AM
i like the coal scuttle! Should keep your tenders and bunkers replenished for a long time.
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: Phoenix on September 01, 2021, 08:57:12 PM
Hi All,

I do like the look of the knobs on the containers, so thank you for that George, and thanks also for the great pics on your layout thread .... I really like what you are doing there  :D

Lovely to see others storage solutions, and glad the links to the cases sites are useful. I am so glad I got the tool box. Before that I kept everything in one plastic box, and was fed up with getting stabbed with all sorts of pointy things while looking for one pair of tweezers right at the bottom of the box  >:(

The coal scuttle needs a bit of a clean up and is an acquisition from Mum and Dads old house  :thumbsup:

Incidentally the larger containers are these

(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/113/5755-010921204106-113343721.jpeg)

They are a bit more expensive than the others, but come with free cakes in  :D :D :D

All best wishes

Kevin

:beers:
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: LASteve on September 01, 2021, 09:30:14 PM
Pay attention @emjaybee (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=5604)
Title: Re: A bit of a tidy up, and a storage solution
Post by: emjaybee on September 01, 2021, 10:43:28 PM
Quote from: LASteve on September 01, 2021, 09:30:14 PM
Pay attention @emjaybee (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=5604)

Harumph!    >:(

Don't know what you mean.    :P

When I worked in Facilities Management we used to have a sign by our (mine and the guy I worked with) desk that said...

..."A tidy desk is the sign of a sick mind."

Our two, back-to-back, desk were large. Project folders were just manilla card folders (think A3 folded in half), every 'project', however small, went in one of these folders. Graham and I both had a ring of these folders around the circumference of our desk of varying heights, as we were both constantly dipping in and out of around 20+ projects at a time. Everything from purchasing a new hand held sander (£20) for one gang to purchasing a new NDT tester for coach, EMU and bogie springs (circa £500k). These folders came off the rim of the desk volcano into the crater in the middle to be worked on and were then returned to the rim. Both of us knew exactly what was where.

We were both exceptionally pleased when someone discovered that some University bod at Loughborough (I think) succesfully wrote a dissertation on cluttered desks and had identified the 'Volcano Filing System' to be one of the most efficient methods of filing. Along the lines of:

Unimportant stuff moved further away from the centre of the volcano.
Important stuff stayed in easy reach.
Items could be readily found by reference to other items; their proximity to the centre; and the depth at which they were e.g. I was working on it a few days ago when I was looking at this other thing, so it must be nearby in this pile.

I seem to recall they argued that this method is more efficient as that it's this kind of way that the human brain works.

Later, after privatisation, we had some new senior management that decreed we had a 'clean desk policy' at the end of the working day. It was a choice of 40-50mins of filing at the end of the day, and similar for retrieval in the morning, or just dump each pile on the floor under the desk. The latter worked for us. The policy was quickly dropped when our office made a point of filing major projects after every interaction to make our point to senior management. It's amazing how you can slow down a process whan you want to.

I have very little time available for modelling, I'm not going to waste that on tidying up!

:D