Workshop revival

Winter has settled in across the country, bringing do-it-yourselfers inside to handle smaller tasks or just leave all the projects alone until spring. So, what to do during this long, quiet lull between battening down the hatches and opening them up again? Prepare for the next home-improvement season, of course.

This is a great time to head to the garage, basement or attic and look over your workshop area. What needs to be cleaned up? What tools need to be out and ready for the spring thaw? What can you do to get one step closer to your dream workshop? Take out a notepad and pencil, and start writing down ideas.

Take an inventory of everything in the shop, from the largest power tool to the smallest nail. Then, make a list of steps needed to clean and organize the area.

Here’s how I get my workshop in shape for the new year.

•The first step should be a sort-and-toss session. Gather everything and sort it by general types: fasteners, like nuts and bolts and nails, go in one pile; hand tools are stacked in another; power tools are gathered at one corner of the room; and so on. Once the items are classified, go through each pile and discard old, unused or broken items. If your larger tools are unused but still work — or can be repaired — donate them to a charity that accepts these items.

•Now, take a look at your worktable and shop area. Does the current configuration work for you? Is there enough storage for all the items in your inventory? What would you most like to change about it? Shift things around and add storage boxes, shelves or drawers as needed. If you don’t have a good-sized sheet of pegboard above or near your worktable, purchase one — it’s a great storage area for hand tools and small boxes.

•As you place each tool in its storage space, clean it thoroughly to remove rust and debris. Coat the metal parts with an all-purpose oil, and rub a small amount of linseed oil onto wooden handles to protect them from damp, cold air and fluctuations in temperature.

•Finally, decide what your first project will be this year — whether it’s yard work, outside repairs or new shelves — and prepare the worktable and the necessary tools for it. When the weather finally warms up and the home-improvement bug hits you, you’ll be ready to start hammering away as soon as possible.