Don't get me wrong, I am not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but I usually clean at the conclusion of a project and start with a clean shop for the next. I just finished a cedar chest and had to clean before the finish process because the shop was covered with sawdust. Makes for a speckled finish. Everything got cleaned and put away so I could spray. I'll do several little jobs without cleaning, but tools are always put away at the end of the day. I want to be able to just reach for what I need, I get frustrated when I have to look around for them.