Alright, let’s talk about this “fire red 5s” thing I’ve been messing with. So, I started by, like, actually figuring out what I wanted to do. Wasn’t just about cleaning, it was about making things efficient, ya know?
First, I Sorted everything. Seriously, EVERYTHING. I went through my workspace, drawers, even the stuff I usually just ignore. Grouped similar things together – tools with tools, documents with documents. It was a mess before, but now it was an ORGANIZED mess.
Next up, Straighten. This wasn’t just putting stuff back; it was about finding a home for everything. A place where it made sense. I grabbed some cheap organizers from a dollar store, labeled ’em all up, and put everything in its spot. Made sure it was easy to reach and see. No more digging for hours!
Then, I Shined the whole damn place. Gave everything a good cleaning. Dusted, wiped, even polished some surfaces. It’s amazing how much better you feel working in a clean space. Kinda like a mental reset button.
Standardize was the next beast. This was about making sure the first three steps STAYED that way. I took photos of how things should look after each clean-up. Made a simple checklist for daily and weekly tidying. The goal was to make it so anyone could walk in and know where everything belonged. No guesswork!
Finally, Sustain. This is the hardest part, let me tell ya. It’s about making the 5S system a HABIT. Set reminders for those daily and weekly checklists. Review the system every month or so to see if it’s still working. Gotta tweak things as needed, ya know? It’s not a one-and-done deal.
Did it work? Hell yeah! I can find stuff way faster now, and the whole workspace is just less stressful. Plus, it’s easier to spot when something is missing or out of place. Definitely worth the effort. Now, if I can just keep it up…