How to organize your tools
Organizing tools is a great DIY task that can help you work faster, more efficiently, and with more satisfaction. How you organize your tools depends on your specific project, tool, and workspace. Some tool storage ideas include:
Shelves: Shelves are an effective way to organize your space. Shelves can be customized to fit the specific functions of your space, and they can be fixed or modular, depending on your needs. Shelving units can be made of wood, metal, or plastic and can be purchased at your local hardware store and assembled at home. Or, if you're good with working with wood or even metal, you could build your shelves from scratch or from scraps.
Pegboard: One of the classic storage solutions is the wall-mounted pegboard. Made from compressed fiber or wood, pegboards have evenly spaced holes that accept metal studs or hooks to support or hang your tools. Pegboard can help organize hand tools like pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, and saws; power tools like drills, chargers, and chainsaws; and woodworking tools like awls, planes, drills, saw blades, and chisels.
Magnetic strips: If you have the right equipment, magnetic strips can be a great solution. Just like the magnetic strips you use to store knives in your kitchen, you can use magnetic strips to hang metal tools that contain enough iron to be magnetized.
Drawers: Drawers are another option available for DIY home storage systems. Drawer sets come in a variety of sizes - you can use smaller drawers for screws and washers, or larger drawers for cordless power tools. You can place the drawers in a workbench, place the drawers on top of the workbench, or place a set of drawers on the floor. You can also place the drawers on casters so they can be moved throughout your workspace.
Storage bins: Storage bins tend to be better for long-term storage. If you have tools that you use occasionally, or are too large and bulky to hang on a wall or fit on a narrow shelf, putting them in a bin may be your best option. Storage containers like dumpsters come in all shapes and sizes, and many are made from heavy-duty plastic. A tool box is perhaps the best storage container, and its portability is a great asset.
Storage Cabinet: Typically, you'll want to store your tools somewhere nearby and protected. Tool cabinets can protect your tools from dust and moisture, as well as protect your space from corrosive, flammable, or other harmful substances and chemicals. Tools that involve paint or solvents, gasoline, or cleaning materials are best stored in secure metal cabinets.
3 Tips for Organizing Tools
An easy way to keep your workshop tidy is to organize your tools as you get them. Consider the following tips when organizing tools in your workspace:
1. Place similar items together. It's best to organize tools by function. If you're organizing gardening tools, try keeping hand tools like trowels and shovels in one space. Larger items like shovels, rakes, and even power tools like lawn mowers or weed eaters can be kept nearby but separate.
2. Color coordinates. For quick access, it can be helpful to color storage areas according to the tools they contain. You can use wall paint to demarcate work areas, or apply colored tape directly to your tools. For example, your woodworking tools can be one color, while your machine tools and accessories (such as wrenches, nuts, or sockets) can be another color.
3. Make use of vertical space. Whether you're working in a garage, woodshop, or basement, storing tools vertically can be beneficial. Surfaces are usually best kept clean for actual work to be done, while walls can feature shelves, pegboards, cubbies or other means of holding tools. Vertical storage of tools also allows you to scan tools and access them quickly with relative ease.
