You might remember a little while ago we told you that 75% of tradespeople regularly have trouble finding tools and equipment in their vehicles (you probably don’t need reminding, since chances are you’re one of them!). All of that time spent rooting around for stuff you know is in there somewhere adds up to £1,530 a year in lost revenue.

So it’s time to get organised! We’ve put together our top organisational tips to save you time and stress.

1. Store frequently used items near the doors

Make the things you use the most often the easiest to get to. It sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked. So many of us end up having to go right inside the van multiple times a day for something that’s stored in the least convenient location. You’d be amazed how much time you could save if you could just open the door, grab it, and get on with your day.

2. Hang up your wet weather gear

You can always rely on the great British weather to be totally unreliable. Put up coat hooks for wet weather gear so your cab stays dry, and your wet gear can dry out too – you don’t want to be putting on damp clothing tomorrow morning. Keep a spare pair of shoes and socks in the cab so you don’t have to drive home with wet feet.

3. Keep your hi-vis visible

If you need health and safety gear like hi-vis vests, goggles, hard hats, masks and the like, have hooks for these so they can all be stored neatly and easy to find, and don’t end up in a muddle on the floor or hidden in a corner somewhere.

4. Make a note

Save your sanity when you have lots of things to remember by attaching a whiteboard to the inside of your door. You can use this to make notes of anything you don’t want to forget – items you need to order, codes for access gates, important phone numbers, or anything else that crops up during the day. Put a bit of Velcro round the whiteboard pen and attach a square to the side of the board so that when you’re done writing you can attach your pen to the board and you won’t lose it.

5. Double up on troublesome items

We are forever losing tape measures. Can’t keep hold of them, we don’t know why. Pencils also always seem to go missing. So we always make sure we have several tape measures and a lot of pencils. With anything that you lose regularly, have a designated place that it’s stored and make sure you always put it back when you’re done with it so you can keep it from escaping.

 6. Collect up fiddly bits

Small items, like screws, can be hard to keep organised. Small boxes or containers are great for collecting all those fiddly little bits together so you can find them easily – the plastic containers that your takeaway comes in are ideal for this. Stick a label on them before you put them in the van so you don’t forget what’s in there.

7. Look around for a storage solution that suits you

There are lots of different ways to store tools – some you can make yourself, and there are plenty you can buy. Look around at all the different options out there and find what works for your individual vehicle, business and personality. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, we might just be able to make it for you!

If you want to get your vehicle more organised, a Get Stowed unit will give everything a place. Browse our range of tailor-made solutions, or get in touch to discuss how we can design a bespoke unit to your specific requirements.