Most, if not all, industrial technology (IT) programs have laboratories or workshops. Often equipped with modern equipment, tools, materials, and measurement and test instruments, these facilities constitute a major investment for IT programs. Improper use or over use of program facilities may result in dirty lab equipment, lost or damaged tools, misplaced instruments, and improper management of these resources. This can create a chaotic and unsafe learning environment. One way to ensure order in such an environment involves proper organization and management of important resources. In this article, the author describes some steps they have taken at one of San Jose State University's (SJSU) manufacturing systems laboratories to improve lab management. They initiated a creative, systematic approach that involved five major steps: (1) Grouping and categorizing the laboratory's resources; (2) Developing a laboratory layout; (3) Generating a tool inventory and matching tools with proper cribs; (4) Training students and other instructors on system use; and (5) Proposing future improvement plans for a tool inventory control system. Laboratory resources are an important component of manufacturing systems programs. Students who major in this important program should learn about proper and responsible management of the key resources used in their technical field of study. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)