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Spring Cleaning in My Hobby Room, and Other Thoughts on Minimalism Journals/Blogs
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Active Member 64 posts okiebogs Active Member 64 posts
okiebogs

I think model railroading is best enjoyed in a clean, organized space, and I decided to do some spring cleaning in my hobby room, on my work bench, and in my collection in general to better align with that belief.

Here's how the room looks now:

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I went through my HO scale collection, which had filled the closet completely, and did some thinning out.  Some locomotives didn't fit with my current goals and aims, and are being sold or given to friends.  Some Blue Box kits that I used as weathering experiments are being thrown away.  Some other rolling stock will be offered to a local club.  Getting rid of stuff can be hard sometimes, but I think its important to have focus in a collection.  I had a bad habit of buying older Atlas Classic locomotives for "someday" projects, but I barely have time to enjoy my current slice of the hobby as it is, these locomotives have now sat for a year or two waiting on decoders, etc.  

 

I also decided against expanding the layout this year. As much as I wanted to, we are thinking about moving in less than a year.  So, I decided to direct my hobby funds towards an airbrush, compressor, paint booth, and expanding my workbench and supplies.  Next, I'll focus my funds on upgrading more locomotives in my collection with sound decoders, and having some of my more pricy stuff custom weathered.  Not as "exciting" as expanding the layout, but I think it will pay off in the end.

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Here's the layout as it sits in the space, with newly purchased crates for organizing parts of my collection and supplies.  Other parts of the collection now reside in a much more organized closet:

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Now, here's an idea I took from a blog post by the great Lance Mindheim on his website a while back.  A "bullpen" for cars not currently on the layout; I went with a rolling cart from The Container Store.  It sits nicely under the staging cassette.  

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Minimalism can be tough to practice sometimes, but I think if you're willing to practice discipline and make some difficult choices, it makes the hobby so much more enjoyable.  Now I can crack a cold one and get back to weathering rolling stock and butchering Pikestuff kitbashes and running trains in a very nice, clean, and organized space.

 

Alex Bogaski

"I've never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma"
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dwilliam1963 Prolific poster 1,074 posts
dwilliam1963

Don't throw it away....

Sell or donate, never just throw it away. The parts alone have value and stuff is not being made anymore needs to be given a chance. I agree about the simplification, but the old cliche is one mans junk is another one's treasure!

Peace, Bill
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okiebogs Active Member 64 posts
okiebogs

I Actually Think I Disagree

I have some Blue Box kits that are well maintained and weathered, and they're important parts of my collection.  Others are little more than battered shells, and I think the time it would take to find them a new home isn't worth it.  I remember at my old club we'd have people dump off boxes of old stuff from a relative's basement or attic.  We'd sort through it and salvage a piece or two, but it was almost always junk.  Maybe someone would find some of the pieces worth while, but I don't want the clutter in the meantime.  Bear in mind, we're talking about the tossing of maybe 7 or 8 used boxcars and hoppers, and a caboose with almost every part possible broken off.  Trucks, screws, and metal wheels will be salvaged of course.

Alex Bogaski

"I've never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma"
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,782 posts
David Husman dave1905

Restraint

Such focus and restraint is admirable.  Most people I know have basements better stocked than many hobby shops.  One fellow I knew had 100-150 storage boxes of kits.

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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Rick Sutton Prolific poster 4,357 posts
Rick Sutton

Actual walls, a window and clean floors

That's amazing. It would take a skip loader followed by a clean up crew to even start on my little hole in the wall!

Excellent job and and very inspirational. It would be great to actually walk around in my room without tripping on "project debris".

Enjoy it while you can.........oh, the spray booth looks pretty sweet too.
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Marty McGuirk Regular poster 464 posts
Marty McGuirk

One of the wisest things I've ever heard a model railroader say

when asked where he kept leftover wood from the benchwork:

 "Any and all leftovers are gone. I have a great place to store any lumber I might need in the future - it's called "Home Depot."  

I went through a serious purging before we moved a year ago. (I still have too much stuff, but that's a different story!). 

I lugged boxes of stuff to train shows, notified the local clubs/operating groups, etc...this was a mostly futile effort. In the end bags and boxes of the stuff I knew I'd never use went to the curb. It was liberating. 

Marty

 

 

 

 

Marty McGuirk, Gainesville, VA

http://www.centralvermontrailway.blogspot.com

 
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dwilliam1963 Prolific poster 1,074 posts
dwilliam1963

@Alex...

Sorry if I came on a bit stong, just posting without thinking it through, I guess I'm jealous of your organization skills!  Have fun and disregard my big mouth!

Peace, Bill
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Matt Forcum Regular poster 411 posts
Matt Forcum

Absolutely Agree

One of the first things I've done in preparation for starting my new layout was to go through everything in my hobby room, purge old projects I knew I'd never finish, clean, organize, and store everything away.  Cleanliness and organization are key for me. If I have to spend half my time hunting for something because it is buried under a pile of useless junk, I'm not having fun.

Great looking room!

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The Metaline Falls Railroad Blog

The Metaline Falls Railroad Youtube Channel
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Lancaster Central RR Frequent poster 574 posts
Lancaster Central RR

Focus can be a good feeling.

Focus can be a good feeling. Telling friends  they can come when the train room is organized is actually admitting defeat. I tend to buy stuff and now I try to focus on hands on instead. It feels easier to procrastinate, until you recognize that you are also postponing the enjoyment of getting stuff done.

Lancaster Central Railroad &

Philadelphia & Baltimore Central RR &

Lancaster, Oxford & Southern Transportation Co. 

Shawn H. , modeling 1980 in Lancaster county, PA - alternative history of local  railroads. 
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Marty McGuirk Regular poster 464 posts
Marty McGuirk

Just for fun...

One of the most popular posts (and one of the oddest comments I've ever received in more than a decade of blogging!) all-time on my Central Vermont Railway blog is titled "Hoarding," "Collecting," or "Savvy Buying??"

If you're looking to waste a few minutes, here's a link: 

https://centralvermontrailway.blogspot.com/2013/11/hoarding-collecting-or-savvy-buying.html

 

 

Marty McGuirk, Gainesville, VA

http://www.centralvermontrailway.blogspot.com

 
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Kritter Active Member 32 posts
Kritter

Alex,You're proof that less

Alex,

You're proof that less can be more. Cluttered spaces = cluttered minds. You have a really great layout and a well thought out room that invites creativity. As I get back into the hobby, I hope to have the same. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

~J~
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