If your shop sometimes (or all the time) reaches a point where you can't do anything without first removing all the hand tools, glue, paint or stain containers, scraps of wood, and other small items which may clutter your horizontal work surfaces, consider this as a simple and time saving way to minimize this problem:
Buy, build, or beg several trays that you can put on your work bench(s). By placing the would-be clutter on these trays, when you need a clear workspace, just move the trays, rather than having to pick up each and every little item. My better half gave me some used retangular cookie sheets, which work quite well for this. Discarded cafeteria trays or those custom made of 1/4" plywood can serve just as well. I built a wall rack that I can slide my trays into when I need to free up space on top of my work bench. This keeps the tools, etc. close at hand but out of the way.
Buy, build, or beg several trays that you can put on your work bench(s). By placing the would-be clutter on these trays, when you need a clear workspace, just move the trays, rather than having to pick up each and every little item. My better half gave me some used retangular cookie sheets, which work quite well for this. Discarded cafeteria trays or those custom made of 1/4" plywood can serve just as well. I built a wall rack that I can slide my trays into when I need to free up space on top of my work bench. This keeps the tools, etc. close at hand but out of the way.