photo by Christian Allinson Fischer
Your level of organization can either make or break the flow at which you work. Being disorganized in the office and in the field can add minutes to your day by causing you to go back and forth to grab items you forgot, which can eventually tack hours onto your work week. Plus, if you don’t keep track of your stock properly in the office and constantly interrupt your flow of movement while on the job, it exhausts your mind and body.
We’ve all had days like this when we feel bogged down by clutter and being mentally drained. However, creating systems and organizing your window cleaning gear can lead to more successful days. Your mind is clearer, your equipment is laid out in front of you, and you can start feeling good about what you do. As well, setting up your office, warehouse, and vehicle so that each item has a home are all things that will help you save time and conserve your energy while serving your customers.
That’s why this week, Window Cleaner University will talk about how to organize your window cleaning gear so every day can be successful.
Establishing “Homes” for Your Tools
There are so many ways to organize your gear in your office, warehouse, and vehicle to make work simpler. Giving each individual item a specific home will help you know exactly where to grab from. It can also be useful to your employees, as everything is clearly labeled for them to understand. Installing structures such as a shelving unit, deck drawer, or a system of plastic bins with smaller clear containers inside is a simple way to organize your workspace.
In the office or warehouse, providing a calendar for everyone to see, add to, and refer to can help organize the week. Clearly seeing where you and your team are headed allows you to pick out the exact gear you’ll need for the day. Set up your warehouse or office with a structured layout with everything neatly labeled and uniformly put away on shelves in clear plastic bins. Not only does this make equipment easy to access and simple to restock when you see it is running low, but provides a positive impression for your employees. They see that you take care of your equipment and account for each item meticulously and can take away that you want them to do the same.
Ensuring you have enough stock of rubber, such as the BlackDiamond Round Top or BlackDiamond Flat Top squeegee rubber, replacement squeegee channels like classic Ettore Master Brass channels, plenty of Dawn soap or other cleanser, and more will also make it easy for your employee to take what they need and inform you of exactly what they took.
When organizing equipment in your vehicle, label makers are absolute lifesavers. Labeling the bins your tools are inside of, color coding t-bars and squeegees in relation to their length with electrical tape, and hanging hand tools in size order can help you visually and save you from the burnout that comes from searching for what you need in a mess. It will also make it easier to keep track of your stock and what needs replacing in the vehicle, similarly to how it is in the office.
Many window cleaners utilize shelving units in their vans, and for great reason. Having the ample room of a van means you can take advantage of its vertical space. Organize your tools in labeled plastic bins on a shelf and use bungee cables to keep them from falling while you drive. Consider adding a partition between the seats and the shelf, so nothing falls on you or your passenger while you’re on the move. Partitions also allow you to hang things from them, as they have conveniently placed holes for hooks, bungee cables, and zip ties to secure items.
You can also try this inexpensive DIY method of hanging PVC pipe from the ceiling to store your extension poles. Installing straps, self-tapping screws, and ensuring you cut it to fit the length of your van with allowance for a brush or tip to hang outside of it will make great use of your space. Another way to store your poles is with a wall-mounted tool organizer with adjustable holders. You may have seen these holding brooms and dustpans in someone’s garage. Well, flip it the other way, and your poles have a durable home right on the horizontal section of your shelving unit.
If you have hoses you want to mount to the wall on a hook, try out the Wrap-It Easy-Carry Storage Strap. This 28-inch strap can keep your hose contained. Slip the handle onto a hook in your van, and save even more space.
If your main ride is a pickup truck, consider adding a deck-drawer system. This consists of adding another layer to your flatbed that securely fits drawers beneath that extend to fit the bed’s length. You can conveniently organize it by style and size of the tool in the drawers, all while being able to store items in bins on top. Don’t forget to use a label maker to establish where everything is. You’ll never be lost in a bucket full of random rubber pieces again!
If you drive a compact car or hatchback, using a system of plastic bins for everything is the way to go, since you don’t have much vertical space to use here. Lay down a water-proof moving blanket to protect your vehicle’s interior. To make it even more durable, add dual-sided velcro for laying on the back of the blanket on the seats, trunk, and bottom of the plastic bins to keep everything securely fastened. It will also make cleaning the interior of your car a breeze.
Keeping your Wet Gear Separate
When moving from job to job or after the day is done, it’s a good idea to have a separate place for your wet stripwashers, BOABs, and towels, so they don’t contaminate your clean materials. Many window cleaners simply dump out their buckets at the end of the day and carry their wet mops and towels inside to then throw them right into the washing machine at home. This method is the most straightforward and works well, especially if you have a lid for it, like the Gamma Seal Lid, which is the best for locking your liquids inside. But depending on your vehicle, the bucket could still slide around if it isn’t secured with something.
If you have a van and want to create a semi-permanent method for storing your wet items, you could drill a plastic bin on the inside of the back door. This will prevent the items from sloshing around during travel and establishes a firm home for wet items that are easily accessed from the back of your van. One way to do this is to get a piece of wood that is an inch or two longer than your bin, use a hand drill to attach it to the back door, then drill the bin to it, creating a permanent fixture for storing your wet tools.
If you have a pickup truck, keeping your wet items from your dry ones can be cumbersome. Since there is so much surface area on the back of a flatbed pickup, the bucket has the potential to slide around during travel and tip over, dumping out the materials and making a mess. Getting yourself some bungee cables to hook onto the lip of the bucket’s lid and then attaching it to the inside of your truck is one possible solution to this.
If you drive a compact car or hatchback, there is less space for wet items to move around, which means it is easier to keep things secure and clean. Getting yourself a set of matching plastic bins properly labeled for storing your items and placing them next to each other tightly will prevent their movement and allow you to easily access your gear. Dedicating one of those for wet items and placing it closest to the opening of the trunk will allow you to remove it to let it dry out. You can even purchase bins to be large enough to fit your wet bucket. Then, pop the lids on, and drive mess-free.
The Bottom Line
Not only can “cleaning up your act” by organizing your tools make every day easier, but it can lead to scaling your company. How can this be? Well, having organized systems for the way you travel, the way you store your tools, and the way you monitor their stock can be multiplied by however many subsets you would want to add. Plus, keeping a careful eye on what you have on hand makes budgeting a whole lot easier. With an organized system in place, you learn how to make more time for yourself, freeing up your thoughts and easing your mind. With cleanliness comes peace and more room to grow.
Still Have Questions?
Don’t sweat it! If there is anything you’re unsure about, want to learn more about, or need advice on, do not hesitate to reach out to us. Window Cleaning Resource is here for you 24/7, with the help of our super-friendly window cleaning experts.
Having owned their own window cleaning business, too, they have tons of information on window cleaning products, business tips, and more, even if you want to talk shop.
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