My brother owns an automotive shop. When I’m not busy with my family or my own job, I often help him clean up and organize around his shop. No, I’m not crazy, but it is a HUGE job!
As you can imagine, things are dirty and greasy, and a lot of the parts often can’t find their homes. This happens because my brother and his staff like to have things easily accessible, so they can grab them when they need them. Problem is, they also don’t always have the time to put all those little pieces back where they belong. Everything is really difficult to wash, too, both for my brother, when he needs to clean off a part, and for me, when I’m just trying to give the shop its needed bath.
So, I was brainstorming about storage options the other night and was coming up empty. There are those plastic bins that come in all shapes and sizes, but they inevitably get so dirty so quickly and are often so flimsy that they really aren’t an option. I was trying to think of what other type of material would work for storage, when it hit me–Metal! Metal is durable, strong, and easy to clean up. So, I set about trying to find some type of stainless steel basket system.
When I talked to my brother about my idea, he thought that we would definitely need to use custom wire baskets. This way, he said, we could just wash everything off at once. If the baskets were made of wire, all the water would drain out of the basket, allowing the contents and the basket to be cleaned and dried as one…definitely a great idea and something to look for!
So, I knew I was looking for stainless steel wire baskets, but what else would I need to factor into this whole plan? Well, I know we have some very oddly-sized parts for which we need to make room, so I would likely have to find some customized wire baskets. I also had a thought about some of the parts my brother works with, that they may need some protection, especially if they were being sprayed down with the pressure washer. I was thinking maybe having at least one wire basket with nylon coating would be a good idea.
A few days later, I was finally able to get a solid estimate of what I’d need, along with some pricing options. My brother was excited to find out it was cheaper than he had thought it would be. Plus, once we got everything situated and in its own place, the following month, my hours for him were decreased substantially, so the basket system will soon pay for itself! There is just less work, now that things are more apt to be in their place and everything is easier to clean! Before this process, I would never have dreamed I’d ever say this, but wire baskets saved the day!