3 of the Best Ways To Keep Your Home Workshop Organized

Keeping your workshop organized can be difficult, especially at home. Your workbench is clean one minute and being used for storage space the next. If your workspace is all clutter with no room to work, keep reading for three of the best ways to keep your home workshop organized. With these tips, you’ll be more efficient than ever before.

Take Inventory of Your Tools

The first thing you want to do is assess your tools and equipment. What materials do you need to keep, and what can you toss or donate? If you minimize clutter in the first place, finding homes and storage space for the rest of it will be easier. You can also keep tabs on which equipment is most important for your tasks. You’ll want to keep these tools nearby and within reach, while you can store away less important or more situational equipment for future use. Just make sure to label any boxes for reference when you do need those tools.

Build Upward

Speaking of storage, if your workshop is situated in the garage, the shed, or another confined space, you want to be as smart with your storage as possible. Decrease the use of your precious floor space and foot room by building your storage solutions upwards. Add storage options to the walls by installing shelves, hooks, racks, and pegboards. All of these options are great for organization purposes and for clearing clutter. Plus, you don’t have to sacrifice any of the minimal space you’re working with.

Tool Chest for the Essentials

If you don’t already own one, consider investing in a toolbox or chest to hold your smaller hand tools. Tool chests are great for organizing essential tools such as drill bits, screwdrivers, and measuring devices. Plus, you’ll likely need these items for many of your projects, so keeping them organized and easily accessible is ideal.

Now that you know three of the best ways to keep your home workshop organized, you’ll never have to go searching for a tool again. Clear that clutter and tackle organizing your workshop head on—you'll be glad you did when you see the results.

How to Protect the Pipes in Your Home During All Seasons

Domestic water pipes supply water to most facilities and need protection from adverse weather conditions. In most homes, pipe leaking and incidences of pipe burst occur during the winter due to the freezing of water inside the pipes. Warmer areas are also susceptible to pipe bursts due to insufficient water pipe insulation during frigid weather. A pipe burst can cause colossal damage to individual property. Therefore, homeowners should act once they detect a leak or pipe burst by shutting the gate valve. In addition, homeowners can implement the following tips to protect their pipes during all seasons.

Insulate

Homeowners can offer protection to domestic water pipes by insulating them. Homeowners should wrap insulation material around the line to maintain water temperature above its freezing point.

Repair Frozen Pipes

When the water inside the pipes freezes due to low temperatures, it expands and causes pressure to build up inside the lines, causing the pipe to burst. Therefore, homeowners should have provision for pipe repair to reduce water loss.

Keep the Cabinet Door Open

When the temperatures decrease, homeowners should leave the cabinet open to allow warm air to flow inside the cabinet to keep the water pipe warmer and prevent water from freezing inside the lines.

Detect Leaks

Pipe water leaks can destroy individual property such as carpets and electronics and cause cracking of floors. Therefore, homeowners should deploy technology that will assist in leak detection to correct the problem before it exacerbates.

Leave Your Faucet Running

During the cold period, homeowners should leave water faucets dripping a small volume of water. Although this could increase the utility bill, it helps ease the pressure inside the pipe when water freezes and prevents the line from bursting.

Check Home Temperatures

Homeowners should strive to maintain home temperature above those of the freezing point of water. Homeowners can install a thermostat in their homes to monitor the home temperature and provide a heating mechanism when the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pipes bursting is a common occurrence in most homes, and it occurs due to lack of adequate planning. During the development of new homes, the owners should seek a local company, like J&S Plumbing Inc to implement mechanisms to protect the water pipes from bursting. This will also enable early detection of leaks and provide repair services. In addition, the partnership will reduce the cost incurred due to bursts of water pipers arising from adverse weather conditions.

Guest Post - Working From Home? 5 Ways To Stop Procrastinating

Well, we all have been guilty of this at least once in a while. It is almost as if we have been cultured to this practice ever since we were students who instead of doing the homework right away would keep on toing and froing whether we should already start. They say the first step is always the hardest, that is true but is it really that bad to procrastinate until such time you are ready? From a dictionary’s perspective, procrastination is the trouble of convincing and persuading yourself to do the things you are supposed to do. As a result of this, however, you find yourself preoccupied with other trivial things and instead just let you veer away from your primary objectives. This makes it hard especially when you are committed to a goal but do not seem to have enough motivation to do it unmonitored.

It is even harder when you are distant from people who can help you overcome procrastination like in the work-from-home setup. Given that many of us were forced by the disruptions and changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority took telecommuting to their advantage. As such, employees were provided with the liberty of time and an opportunity to make a perfect work-life balance but on the other end of the rainbow, this only made procrastination even more possible. It is more difficult when you have formed it as a habit already and just like what we were taught in grade school, habits only stop when we avoid practicing them. You need to control yourself and start by learning how to say no to the temptations of doing other things that are subliminal in value. Opportunities do not always present themselves, you know. Here are a few ways on how to break this cycle:

1. It is all in the mind. If you stick with your plans as indicated on your to-do list, you will not have a hard time following through with what you need to finish because your mind will be conditioned that if you are done, you have all the time for yourself to enjoy. Mental conditioning is an important factor in performing any function as it will signal you and your body with what it is supposed to be doing. Focus on getting the task done, not avoiding it, and always think of the prize that awaits. Think of it like when you are living in a new apartment unable to determine who should be liable for mold because you started to be a couch potato while your backlogs are waiting. Perhaps you might want to skip Netflix for the night and make it your reward tomorrow.

2. Ponder on it. Upon receiving a task from your boss through your work chat app, act on it in small ways. You may not do it right away if it is not urgent but already get your mind to thinking how you can address it. As soon as a task arises, reflect on how you can go about it. Take it as an opportunity to examine and come up with possible ways to make it work. Consider innovating or finding steps in order to get it done fast but with accuracy. Research on some remote work hacks which can save you time and effort. There is always a way to do things around if you only spend enough time studying it. Do it now rather than pile it up for another day. Besides, you are still going to do it anyway.

3. Eat right to boost your productivity. Your motivation level can be affected by what you eat. A heavy meal after lunch can potentially ruin your workflow after some carb loading. When you feel heavy, you are more likely to slouch, lounge, and play around instead of working on something. If you eat right, your body will recognize the energy your meals give and this should be helpful with your performance. If you cannot skip the smorgasbord, recognize it as a reward when the day is over.

4. Mind what you say. Remember, the law of attraction. It believes that any positive or negative thoughts you tell yourself can bring positive or negative experiences into your life so if you keep saying it is hard, it will most likely be. Also, negative thoughts allow for disempowerment and can only make your willpower go spiraling down. 

5. Disconnect before it is too late. Ditch your phones, social media, and friends for a while. Timing is everything. If you keep on accepting their temptations and invites, you are derailing yourself from the plan. Distractions in your home office should be limited as well. Detach yourself from anything that can make you lose focus. Respect your time paid to work.

Analyze each task by looking at its meaning, significance, and relevance so you can, on your own, increase its value, and will be very easy for you to make a decision. All in all, it is only a matter of whether or not you can handle the consequences of procrastination. Make sure you are ready by then.

About the Author:

Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle, and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management, and traveling are translated into his works.

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10 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Office Furniture

Buying furniture is never an easy job, be it for the house or the office. There are so many factors that have to be considered across the board for things to fit; these factors range from the budget available, the space, the needs and the number of people who will be using the furniture. This is not a decision that you make overnight, and it is easy to make mistakes even with all things thought out thoroughly. But that shouldn’t be the case.

We will be looking at the most common mistakes that people make when purchasing furniture for their offices and provide some solutions and recommendations that should help you make the right choices. If you are planning to open an office anytime in the future, then this is for you.

Going for Looks over Comfort

Having an office that looks like a palace is all good, but that shouldn’t be the priority because looks don’t get the job done, but comfortable furniture will get you further. A good looking office chair will mean nothing if it inflicts back and neck pains on your employees. Consider going for a comfortable and ergonomic chair with a headrest that will make things easier for the people who use the office and the visitors who may drop by.

Consider going for a friendly and comfortable chair like the Soutien Ergonomic Office Chair that is built with all the features that provide comfort in the form of a reliable, ergonomic chair with lumbar support system, armrests, padded seats and the best part; it comes with an amazing design that will make your office look classy and refined.

Ignoring Budgeting

Having the funds to get any furniture you may want is not an excuse to go in blindly when purchasing furniture for the office because you may end up buying what you don’t need. Budgeting helps you go through several options, measuring the pros and cons of each potential buy to come with an exhaustive list that grants you the best value for money.

You have to understand that expensive does not always correspond with quality and vice versa. When you create a budget, you are able to make a mental evaluation of a piece of furniture even before the price is spelt out for you. A budget is simply a way for you to reign in on your spending so that you don't go overboard or end up with furniture that doesn't fit your needs.

Buying Furniture Without Warranty

When making big purchases that will affect the health of your business, it is only sensible that you go for products that come with warranties. You must have the freedom to return the products and get your refund without any issue coming up if they don’t align with your needs.

You must also get the full information on the after-sales care that the company handling the furniture sale plans to offer you. Do they cover repairs and maintenance in the first 12 months? Can they provide spare parts when the need for them arises? Office furniture is a lifetime investment, and you have to do everything in your power to ensure that you get the best deal out of the buy.

Ignoring Space Limitations

The office space available is a foremost factor that people consider first before deciding on the furniture they need. The bottom line is that you can only fit what the space allows, so you can’t go around buying furniture that is twice as big as the office space available. Before walking into any furniture dealership, make sure you have the measurement details of your office space.

Going in blindly without that information will only lead to you spending money on the wrong furniture, and if they don’t come with warranties, you will be forced to resize them, which is another added cost. Save yourself the headache by getting furniture that can fit. Consider empty space, too as that is also part of the office setting.

Mismatching Furniture

When it comes to buying furniture, the common practice is to source everything from one dealer; this, way; you ensure that uniformity is adhered to and you get the same quality of furniture for the entire office. But there are moments when someone ends up getting furniture from more than one place leading to imbalances in the office.

Picking different furniture pieces from different suppliers will only end with your office looking like a jumbled mess of different products, and that would not be a good look. You need to get all your furniture from a single source to enjoy the full benefits of warranties, repairs and maintenance services, among many other after-sale perks.

Buying Without Physical Checks

We live in an area where purchases can be made online and the items shipped to the buyer without both parties even coming into contact with each other. That has brought a level of convenience never seen before, but it has also opened a Pandora's box as far as delivering what was bought is concerned. 

Many furniture shops have online stores and websites where they display beautiful photos of their products. Buying the furniture based on the images you see is not recommended. A serious office furniture buyer visits the dealership physically to inspect what they want to ensure they are getting value for their money. Therefore, when furnishing your office, go to the shops personally to check everything out first.

Buying Fixed Furniture

Fixed furniture is the type that cannot be adjusted; you use it the way it arrived. This has its perks; for starters, you have the benefit of using solid furniture that is constructed to last without any moveable parts. On the other hand, you lack the flexibility to switch positions when working, something that is quickly becoming very important in the modern working space. So what’s the best way forward?

You will be better served by adjustable office furniture. The type that allows you to change the height, adjust the desktop and even switch from sitting to standing. In this regard, the best option for you would be a sit-stand desk, and currently, there is none that comes close to what a Vici Duplex Standing Desk has to offer. It is a two-tier height adjustable standing desk that comes with a control panel for switching between sitting and standing on top of being pressure sensitive when weight is applied to it.

Going for Cheap instead of Good

Setting up an office is hard and costly work. You have to handle the rent and pay the goodwill months in advance, and you have to splurge on computers, printers and other machines necessary for work to be done. By the time you sit down to budget for the furniture, you are stretched beyond your limits, forcing you to go for the cheapest furniture you can get. That’s a mistake that will be costly down the road.

The problem with cheap furniture is that it is never designed with any purpose in mind; they are made to simply fulfil the basic need of workers sitting down and doing their work. Very little ergonomics of comfort, style and functionality is incorporated. They don't last long either. It will not be long before you find yourself in the market again shopping for new furniture. 

Don’t compromise on office furniture. Get the best by all means and close that chapter for good to concentrate on other things that may need your attention.

Thinking Short-Term

Anyone who starts a business of any kind always wishes to see it grow at some point down the line, and they do everything in their power to ensure that this comes to pass. When choosing furniture for your new office, you have to think long term with your choices. How soon do you see yourself expanding? Do you have the space for adding more furniture as more workers join the setup? 

You need to operate with the mentality that your business will be growing every six months. With this in mind, you need to go for furniture that will accommodate this growth without any need for extra spending. Think about the space available, where new employees will fit in and use that to make prior arrangements. Thinking short-term will only stunt your progress; self-confidence is everything and that should be reflected in your office furniture choices.

Conclusion

Every accomplishment in life begins with a small step, and the same applies to office furniture. At some point in the future, the business will grow, and you may require a bigger space and more furniture. However, the one thing that remains constant all through is the thought process that goes into selecting and purchasing office furniture. Take your time to avoid ending up with the wrong furniture. Cover all the bases for the best results.