Some people buy shoes. Some people buy jewelry. Me? I buy grooming tools. I am a total sucker for any new whiz-bang gadget that might make my job better, easier, or even more fun. But here is the truth: day in and day out, there are specific core tools that I reach for over and over on almost every pet.
No matter your workspace, I bet you have limited space to keep your hand tools. From where you sit or stand to work, there is most likely a relatively small radius of available surfaces for you to keep your combs, brushes, clippers, trimmers, and scissors.
When organizing these tools, focus on which you use the most. For me, it's my clipper, my 5-in-1 trimmer, a slicker brush, comb, nail trimmer, and, of course, my scissors. Once you have defined your most often reached-for tools, consider where to keep them so they are most easily accessible. Since easily accessible space is probably limited, I declare the quickest places to reach as "prime real estate." Only the tools I use most frequently get to stay in the prime real estate area.
I like vintage items, so my most frequently handled tools are stashed in funky old wooden boxesand carpenter's caddies. I find them at yard sales and antique stores. I line these wooden boxes with glass jars, then arrange my favorite few combs, brushes, and such in the jars, which keeps them upright, easy to see, and simple to reach for.
I know many groomers who store their grooming hand tools in drawers in modern caddies, tool chests, or furniture. Lining the drawers with rubberized shelf liners helps keep the tools where you put them, even when constantly opening and shutting the storage unit. Another good idea is to look for drawer organizers forsilverware or kitchen tools. These can be arranged to neatly control your gear and prevent itemsfrom getting all jumbled up.
Other groomers like to use the space on their grooming arm and affix a convenient tray device to corral their items while leaving the counter, shelf, and drawer space free for other things.
Once your prime real estate is organized, look at other tools that are frequently used but not forevery pet. Those tools should be stowed within easy reach but not in the way of the prime-usetools. Specialized tools that you want to keep and use in specific instances but not on most pets can be relegated to less convenient to access spaces. I use photo storage boxes. They are inexpensive, stack neatly in a cabinet, and have a place where I can clearly label the contents. I have one for spare parts, one for scissors not in the current rotation, one for extra brushes and combs, one for shedding tools, one for hand-stripping tools, and several other categories. When a pet requires these items, it is easy to grab the whole box and let it temporarily take up some prime real estate. Then, it is just as simple to sanitize those tools and tuck them away until they are needed again.
Keeping your most frequently used tools where they can be easily accessed will save you time hunting for the exact thing you are looking for and keep your workspace looking neat and organized.
