Help me with van tidy ideas....

[Phoenix]

Trying to sort the Van out a bit before I go back to work, now I;m well known as a clutter bug, but I seem to end up in a right state, nothing seems to have a proper home, I end up with Boxes or bags that contained bits for completed jobs, that still have a few bits in after jobs done, left in and everything seems to then all fall to the bottom. I always end up picking up stuff that I probably have already because I can never find anything. Its terrible I don't like being dis-organised but I always seem to be!

I am normally on a mix of testing and reactive maintence, so dont use huge amounts of materials, but never know what I am going to need. I've bought some of those stanley fat max organising boxes and I've now got a couple of them that contain most types of wiring accessory that I'll come across in differnt comparments, I've filled another with Selv stuff TV aerial points, network points, phone jellies, F connectors, AA batteries for testers , 9V for  smoke detectors and C for door guards, etc

I was just posting on here any smart ideas any of you lot for organising, I've already done the DIN rail on the inside of the back doors thing, so I was fishing for any more clever ideas that anyone might have....

I think part of my thing is I struggle to chuck stuff away, I found two shower units that had been kept because once upon a time I needed a part off one to fix another on a callout, so now I cant chuck them because I might need them......

 

[Murdoch]

Have you got racking in your van?

 

[Phoenix]

Yes, but It just seems to be more of a place for me to dump dis-organised bags of materials

(Yes, the problem is me, lol)

 

[Sharpend]

What size van?

 

[Murdoch]

For things I don’t use much I have about 8 really useful stacking boxes .... each with parts in, like trucking connectors, back boxes etc 

these are handy because they stack in the van, then go back on racks in the garage.

I have a vw transporter kombi, twin door with sortimo racking in the rear so I can re fit the 2 + 1 rear seats if I need them. 

 

[binky]

I used to have open top plastic boxes in the back of my van, being open topped meant you could chuck stuff in them as a very quick way of organising stuff. I tend to use more toolboxes these days, but when you are in a hurry it always seems tedious to open and insert stuff into them, so I have started using plastic shopping baskets (acquired from my FiLs garage). This I find useful, as occasionally I have to clear the back of my van out to fit a pallet of solar panels. It's easy to grab them by the handles and remove from / replace in the van.

To be frank, you will never be organised as you are a horder (I am also prone to this). You need to have a word with yourself and classify what is really worth keeping. I kind of catergorise stuff by these rough terms:-

1/ items used on a regular basis, like back boxs, sockets, cable, switch plates, blank plates - always got a couple of these items to hand, but no more than a couple of each.

2/ less frequently used items, like non-maintenance junction boxes / small IP box - keep a few spares, 2 max. 

3/ things that might get used within 6 months - keep if obtained for free, otherwise it's buy as needed.

4/ things that might come in handy once a year - if the van isn't a mess, keep if it's hard to get or expensive, if it's neither of those and can be bought from Screwfix or B&Q who are open all hours bin it, it's just clutter. Remember, no one is paying you to be a wholesaler on wheels.

5/ on the odd occasion I tidy the van out, anything I can't definetly use within 6 months gets binned. I've always found stuff in the van tends to get scuffed and battered anyway, so can't really be used after 6 months. 

The other thing I do have is a bit of drain tube strapped to the inside of the van that I keep short lengths of conduit and trunking in - sometimes you just need a 12" peice. 

The other thing I don't do is bulk buy items when on special offer - it just clutters up the van. I use the simple principal of buyng what I need when I need it. This also saves tieing up lots of money in parts and materials, which then costs you money in fuel, tyres and brakes dragging all that weight around. 

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

IMHO what items, and how much of each thing you keep, all depends on your typical travel distances between; Home & Suppliers & Customers....

If you are banging up a lot of miles between jobs..

It's no good arriving with only 5 widgets when you need 8, and two of the one's you have are left-handed when you needed right handed...

BUT.. 

If 90%+ of the time you are only a short distance between work/supplier/home..

there is very little point carrying much, except for a few key essentials for that day (or possibly tomorrows job)..

There seems to be an abundance of little trading estates around here which have various combinations of three or four of the following within walking distance of each other;

Screwfix / Toolstation / CEF / Wickes / Denmans / B&Q / Other small private wholesaler,  etc...

Many with click & collect options off a phone App..  and open early or late for collecting to or from jobs..

So really not much point in hoarding loads of "Dead-Money" in the back of your motor..

(Or spending loads on boxes just to store dead money)..

on the chance "you may use it today and get the cash back from it"...

Bottom line I work to is how quickly can I convert these materials back into cash..

Only carry stuff that can speed-up your cash-flow..

As its cash-flow that makes or breaks a business!

Guinness

 

[Andy™]

There seems to be an abundance of little trading estates around here which have various combinations of three or four of the following within walking distance of each other;

Screwfix / Toolstation / CEF / Wickes / Denmans / B&Q / Other small private wholesaler,  etc...

Guinness

depends what work you do too... i do mostly breakdowns... and many items i use you cant just go pick up from almost anywhere so having items in stock is essential

also, i buy most stuff in bulk. no point going to the wholesalers every few days for what you need for those few days work. usually order in bulk once month or so and odd stuff between as required. shop around and buy whatever from the cheapest supplier...

for most commonly used items i have a small stock in the van. anything taken is written down and replaced every few days. usually this works well for smaller jobs, dont really need to plan what meterials ill be needing, just use whats in the van. for larger jobs or what i dont keep in the van, then that gets loaded either the evening before or on the morning. whats then not used is taken out and back onto the shelves in the store room