I have 3 young children (ages 2, 7, 10) and a fairly demanding job (pastor and only fulltime staff member of a church of 150), so I move in spurts. I’ve been building for 3 years, 3 months. I finished basic benchwork in 6 months. Then my youngest was born and did nothing for 6 months. I started laying track about 18 months ago, finished the main body of my primary yard pretty quickly, but just finished the main a couple of days ago. I tend to get a lot done in January-February because things are slow then. I tend to get next to nothing done June-December except an OCCASIONAL Saturday morning.
I am somewhat the same way, and try as I might, organizing can be somewhat painful – and even then it doesn’t last. I will end up with tools strung all over hither and yon.
So here’s a couple of things I’m doing that make a huge difference.
First some people are global thinkers and others are analytical thinkers (Learning Styles inventory). Global people, like ourselves, have no problem with things spread hither and yon, while analytical thinkers are linear, and generally far more deliberate with how they do things.
Globals generally deal with things all over just fine, but analytics go nuts unless it’s all organized. So work with your bent, don’t fight it. First, get a large mobile toolbox so you can carry your tools to the project. For inexpensive tools like pliers and screwdrivers, get several. Chances are something will be available if you do that. For pricey tools (like a NWSL Chopper), they are usual large enough they can’t get lost nearly as easily. I figure the time I save by not having to look for tools is worth the cost of having extras.
Also, every month or so I will declare a “down day” on some evening and just spend the whole time gathering up all
I think it depends on how ‘bullet proof’ you want to make it.
Also acquiring the ‘right’ tools has a lot going for it. My first layout I used only a hand saw. and large screwdriver. Now I have a 10" Table saw and Sears powered screwdriver.
EXAMPLE: I like to power rout my turnouts (I’m using Caboose SPDT 220S ground throws). After hand-filing the first round hole to make it oblong, I bought a Roto Zip.