Whether it’s a ute, van, or something in between, how you organise your work vehicle can have a major impact on your productivity at work. It might come as a bit of a surprise, those old food wrappers on the passenger seat aren’t helping!

Organising may not be your strong suit, but a tidy setup goes beyond increasing productivity. The absence of clutter makes you appear more professional while simultaneously decreasing your risk of slips, trips, and falls.

Here are our top tips on how to organise your work vehicle for the best productivity.

1.      Declutter your vehicle

The best way to organise your work vehicle is to start from scratch. Especially if your vehicle is cluttered or disorganised, taking everything out will help you to decipher what’s rubbish, as well as uncover tools you may have thought you’d lost! Decluttering also means you won’t be wasting space with unnecessary tools you don’t use. Without a clean vehicle, it will be difficult to see all of the available space and plan how you can best use the area for your storage needs.

2.      Take inventory

While you’re in the process of decluttering, it’s the perfect time to take an inventory of the contents. Not only will it help you to get organised, but it will become clear what you have and what you might need. Writing a physical inventory means you can add to it continuously. This is also a great idea in case your work vehicle gets broken into, and things need to be replaced.

3.      Lay a solid foundation

You’d never build a house without a solid foundation – the same should apply to your car! Although you may not be dealing with bricks and cement, laying a solid, secure foundation will ensure everything is safe. These foundations may include large, heavy items, paint tins, or heavy materials. Having large or heavy items near the top of your storage system adds the risk of damage to itself and other things if they were to fall. This could be something as simple as a tin of paint falling onto something more fragile or knocking something off the shelf on its way down.

4.      Think storage solutions

Think Tetris, but in the back of your vehicle! With so many bits and pieces, it’s easy to fall back into old habits of throwing things wherever. Having organised storage solutions will ensure everything is kept in its place and that you know where everything is. On top of this, be sure to clearly label every container or storage solution, so things never risk being put back in the wrong place. It’s also a good idea to label an empty spot for miscellaneous or loose items so they don’t clutter up the floor. There are so many storage options available, depending on your vehicle's setup. These include:

·       Storage containers

·       Consoles

·       Cab organisers

·       Overhead racks

Overhead racks are a great option for those who carry around a lot of bulky equipment, such as ladders. They also help free up space in the vehicle, allowing for more room for other equipment. Just be sure to secure all heavy items before heading off!

All electronics and paperwork should be kept in the cab with you. There are plenty of storage options you can use to organise this. Easy access is one of the benefits of this, as you are often required to carry a range of paperwork, such as an invoice from a client. Having your paperwork riding shotgun also lessens the risk of it becoming dirty from your equipment in the back. Electronics such as phones, tablets or laptops should be kept here, too, to risk being damaged by the heavy-duty items in the back. It’s also a more secure option if you have to pop out of your vehicle and leave valuables in your car.

5.      Load from bottom to top

Going back to the point of foundations, you need to ensure you have a solid base. Once you do, you can begin to load your tools in from the bottom up. Like the base, you’ll want to ensure you keep the heavier, bulkier items towards the bottom and the lighter, smaller items at the top. You’ll also want to ensure you stack the items on the side of the walls first, instead of having everything pushed to the back. This will help you reach things more quickly.

6.      Organise based on usage and task

If you use specific tools or items more frequently than others, organise your vehicle, so they’re in easy to access spots. Organising based on the task is also a good way to go about your day. If you have specific jobs that you do regularly – such as patching drywall – group the tools you use for that task together.

For items you frequently use - such as tape measures or utility knives – add multiples of these in different sections of your vehicle so that you can access them easily from whatever access point you’re in.

7.      Add some lights

The hours of a tradie usually mean there are some early mornings and sometimes even late nights where you might be working in low or no light. In winter, overcast or low-light days also make things more difficult. Adding something like LED strip lighting along the roof is an inexpensive, effective way to eliminate some safety risks of working in the dark. You might also choose to have custom lighting installed or have a lantern hanging up if you’re not after anything permanent.

8.      Utilise the space you have

Think outside the box when it comes to storage solutions in your work vehicle. We know you probably wish you had more room, but sometimes you just need to work with what you’ve got. Utilise door storage compartments, seat pockets, and under seats to store smaller items. Getting creative with all the spaces in your vehicle will allow you to get the most out of it.

Having an organised work vehicle increases productivity throughout the day for tradies. Knowing where everything is and being able to easily access what you’re after for a particular job is crucial – just like it is onsite.

This applies to your work gear too, get yourself items that include handy storage when on the job. Just like your work vehicle, making use of the storage spaces available will help to boost your productivity. Our range of quality workwear features pockets, loops, and other storage solutions to help you get the most out of your day. Head to your closest stockist to see what Syzmik gear works best for your role.