[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Well, it is on the down-hill side of September 2021. I just finished sorting out and removing all the pile of crap that was on the back of on of my truck's in the big shed. Some parts went into a shipping container. Some parts went to a shelf in the shed the trucks are stored in. Some items went to the wheelie bin or are making up part of a load to the scrap metal yard.

I had previously arranged a layer of plastic pallets down on the REO Speed Wagon truck's bed. However, when I walked over the surface the plastic pallets flexed and felt a bit scary to stand on. To eliminate the flexing I cut a layer of particle board flooring and laid it on top of the pallets. The flooring feels secure and much better underfoot.

Earlier l had been directed by SWMBO to store some household items on the pallet shelving at the back of the shed. This was accompanied by some of our now adult children's storage after they left home. I consider this "stuff" as chewing up valuable space on the pallet shelving. So it was all relocated and neatly arranged on the back of the REO with its new floor.

The next challenge is to clear off all the goodies that are currently cluttering up the back of my ex-Army Chevrolet Holden 1940 General Service 30 CWT truck. The stuff will be sorted and some parts will be stored on their correct shelf one of the shipping containers. Some items will be stored in the truck shed.

Once the Chevy's tray is sorted out I will lay some particle board flooring over the timber pallets that I have laying on top of the truck bed's skeleton. Both trucks need new wooden beds. Only the main timber framing is still sound. I have added lengths of steel rectangular hollow section to strengthen both truck beds. I have then arranged either timber or plastic pallets on top of the steel supports.

The back of the Chevy is the last major item on my "Sorting out the Shed" list. One of the largest milestones has been reached already. All the items that are in front of my pallet rack and metal shelving are on wheels and can very easily be moved out of the way. I can see what is on any shelf and simply walk directly up to it and pretty much effortlessly wheel an obstruction away. The required item can then be grabbed and brought into action without having to play Rubik's Cube with layers of detritus, or without my having to risk life or limb in the process of fossicking through boxes in an attempt to find something.

I still have to sort through the previously loaded up shelves so things can be a bit better organised. This marks a shift from temporary home to permanent and easily accessible homes for different items. These will be stored where I know they are and their being arranged so they can be easily reached.

I have already reaped some benefits of this protracted clean-up. I now have a very high track record of wanting to use a tool and being able to walk directly up to where it is on the shelf. I can see where it is from a distance away. I have been able to frequently reach over wheeled items without having to move anything. Then I just grab the tool and start using it straight away. All done with no angst involved.

In the shipping container I went wild with a Dymo LetraTag vinyl labelling machine. I have shelves marked for parts for different vehicles. The smaller parts are bagged, labelled and stored on their correct shelf. I finally have some confidence that I can find tools and parts so I am much more confident and encouraged to get into some of my truck restoration projects. All being done in a safe and competent manner. At last. Well I am almost there.... just the load on the back of the Chevy to sort out.

Apologies to Jimmy Cliff .... I can see clearly now ...that most of the crap has gone out of my shed.

Kind regards
Lionel