Making sure that you know where all your tools are whenever you are working on a project can save you time. Organizing your tools can also improve your efficiency when working. If you’re that kind of person who believes in “organized chaos,” trust us when we say leaving your tools all over the place is not the way to go. Imagine working on a project, but you fumble over your workstation thinking where you placed a specific tool. It can get a little frustrating, right?
There are many sources online for these. However, since you’re already here, we’ve collected a few ideas on our own just for you. Here are some tips that you should consider when arranging your workspace.
A Storage Space That has Different Compartments For Your Tools
If you have been searching for tool storage ideas, then you came to the right place. You can first make a list. Collect all of your tools and group them into categories. These groups can then be placed on specific shelf spaces, or drawers, depending on the type of organization you did for this kind of storage.
This method can help in making sure you get the tool you need at the moment when you need it in one specific place. You can use a drawer-type cabinet if you have a lot of tools that vary in size.
A Pegboard
Pegboards are cool and neat things that help in creating multiple versions of places where you could hang your tools. You can get them from your local hardware store and pick from wood, metal, or plastic. In this case, it might be best to choose a sturdier material like metal. You will be able to maximize the vertical space in your work area. This type of storage is easy to install.
An Incorporated Storage Space On the Workbench Itself
Whenever you work, the most used space will most likely be the workbench. For efficiency, you can incorporate the storage shelves and tool containers themselves on that very same workbench. This tip also becomes the easiest choice if ever you don’t have enough space to create tool storages on walls or to even place in cabinets.
Clear Jars for Nuts and Bolts
If you’re also the kind that collects random nuts, bolts, screws, and even washers along with every project that goes through your hands, you will know for a fact that there is now a giant pile of these things everywhere. You can use old mason jars to store them in groups. Bolts go on a particular jar, screws on another, and so on. The same goes for every kind of washer and hex bolt.
A good bonus tip here is to mount these jars on the wall. If you have a blank wall that you can use as a storage space for these jars, you can use a board and bolt the cap of each jar underneath. So whenever you need a bolt you can screw them off to get one.
Tool Organization
Now that you have in front of you a few of the most creative ways to store your tools, the next question that you may ask yourself is “how do I organize my tools?” It’s all quite simple. Here are a few tips for that.
First of all, you can try to group the different kinds of tools you have with you at the moment. This tip will always be the first step in organizing anything.
Next, group them into the types of tools they are mostly. Are they hand tools, power tools, tool accessories, etc.
For Hand Tools
To the common folks, they would most likely have several small hand tools. A few good examples of these include screwdrivers, hammers, and pliers.
These tools are small enough and tough enough to be thrown or be misplaced. And these things get misplaced very easily. To prevent that, you need to do some organization.
Most times, getting a toolbox to help in organizing all these things is the first thing that happens. Now you are one step ahead because you already have a more creative set of ideas to store your organized tools. You can pick out the desired type of storage style for those hand tools in the first part of this article above.
The Power Tools
Now, these are the types of tools that are noticeably larger than the usual hand tools. These things require batteries or a power source like the mains of the house to be operational. Although these things won’t be easily lost anytime soon, leaving them out in the open in a workplace will leave them exposed to dust, elements, and corrosion.
Organizing power tools depends mostly on how many kinds you have at the moment, how much space is available in your workspace, and how often these power tools are used.
Let’s say that you have only a few of these things. Like a belt sander, a circular saw, or just a drill. You can use a large storage space or drawers for these things. If these drawers are sealed enough to a certain point, these things will be safe from dust or debris that might be flying all-around your workshop most of the time. For tools that are a bit bigger, the same thing would apply. Sometimes, however, it is also advisable to keep them off the ground. Besides the fact that dust and debris can be found all over the ground, hitting your toe on one of these oversized saws isn’t going to end well. That’s why most of the larger power tools are on tabletops.
Much like organizing the smaller tools depending on the usage, the same would also apply for these larger power tools. All of the ones that you use for cutting or slicing large objects and logs of wood, for example, should all be in one place. It also helps in keeping the debris all in one place. Grinding tools? Same thing. It organizes them all in one spot so that when working, you won’t be having to run all over the workshop to do one thing.
The Tool Accessories
The big mistake here is that since these are smaller bits of a larger machine or tool, these things will be kept in a storage space that is for smaller objects in the workshop. Like for example, in the section where nuts and bolts are. It would be better if the specific accessory for each of your machines or power tool is stored near the power tool itself.
Near the large power tools, you can designate a space or small compartment that’s out of the way but also easily accessible. This will also help in keeping you from running all over the workshop when working on things. Organizing anything seems to be tedious work from a certain point. But once you get the ball rolling, having things all organized will help you be more efficient in the work you do.
