Find a Common Area In Your Building You Can Use

When the project gets too big for your workbench or you need tools that are too big, too loud, or too messy for your apartment, it's time to find another place to work. There's a point where you just won't be able to get around this—it's just a matter of how creatively you can adapt to the situation. I'd suggest finding a common area somewhere in your building that you can use as a "garage," so to speak. If you live in an apartment, see if there's a work area that's normally used by contractors or building maintenance that you could share from time to time. When an apartment gets renovated or major repairs are done, contractors have to have some place to work—why not share it? In my apartment building, we have a loading dock that's actually pretty roomy, and fair game if anyone needs a place to let paint or varnish dry, a larger space to assemble furniture, or a place to set up a workhorse or use larger, messier tools. With luck, your building has a space similar to that. If you live in a townhouse or a place with a shared outdoor space, maybe you can use the shared lawn (as long as it's in the daytime and doesn't annoy everyone around you) to get your DIY on, especially if it involves loud, large power tools. Check with your property manager or rental office. If you're on good terms with them, they'll likely clue you in to where their people have a little room to work, and as long as you're not in the way, they'll share space with you (or at least give you an option). If your building or community has a club room or party room, they may even allow you to use that space as long as you clean up afterward and don't damage the facilities.