7 Tips for Organizing your Lab Bench

Scientists often spend many hours at their lab bench daily. Keeping your lab bench organized and uncluttered with tools and reagents easily accessible will boost your lab efficiency. Experts at our dermatology pathology lab service in Dallas, TX, offer the following tips for organizing your lab bench.

Keep tips and pipettes within reach

It can be helpful to keep pipettes on a stand on the side of your dominant hand and keep boxes of tips within arm’s reach on the back of the bench on the same side. Only keep your immediate needs on your work surface and store extra boxes elsewhere. Keep trash cans on the same side as your dominant hand to eject tips conveniently.

Strategic solution storage

Keep solutions you use every day on your non-dominant side. Store solutions you use less often and stock solutions on your upper shelves. You should aliquote stock reagents to lower the chance of contaminating the source. Be sure to label everything with contents, the date it was aliquoted or opened, and the expiration date when applicable.

Keep lab notebooks off your central workspace.

Keep lab notebooks away from your primary workspace to avoid damage from spills.

Create designated spaces for general supplies

Establish dedicated space within the lab to keep general supplies, so you always know where to locate items like scissors, calculators, wipes, markers, and other needs. Order several rolls of different colored tape to keep with your supplies for color-coding bottles and tubes.

Organize lab supplies based on use

Keep commonly used tubes and racks in easily accessible locations like on the shelf directly facing you or in the center back part of your bench. Store miscellaneous items that you use less than daily on shelves or the outside areas of your central workspace. Group them according to experiment type, so you can easily access everything you need when it is time to use them.

Label, label, label

Once you have determined the best storage space for your needs, label your cupboards and shelves so you and your lab partners know precisely where tools and supplies should go. Then make a concerted effort to put everything back in its place once you have disinfected it properly.

Perform regular audits

Perform an audit of your lab bench every few months for best results. Then, stock up on any needed supplies and move supplies to shelves or higher up on shelving if you have not used them in the last six months. This will help you make room for materials you use more often and keep your lab bench area more convenient and practical.

The physical arrangement of your lab bench can have a substantial effect on your efficiency in the lab. Every extra step and few seconds of time will really add up. Use these tips for organizing your lab bench to help boost your efficiency. Contact us today if you need dermatology pathology lab service in Dallas, TX. We are here to make the world a better place, one test at a time!