Tool management/ organization storage
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,256
From: CT
Tool management/ organization storage
As my shop/garage is progressing I am wondering how others organize their tools.
I am thinking the body tools in one area. Do you use pegboards for often used tools etc.
I will finally have the space to get organized. Do you separate metric from SAE in different boxes.
Let me know what works best for you.
I am thinking the body tools in one area. Do you use pegboards for often used tools etc.
I will finally have the space to get organized. Do you separate metric from SAE in different boxes.
Let me know what works best for you.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 5,171
From: St. Paul Minnesota
As my shop/garage is progressing I am wondering how others organize their tools.
I am thinking the body tools in one area. Do you use pegboards for often used tools etc.
I will finally have the space to get organized. Do you separate metric from SAE in different boxes.
Let me know what works best for you.
I am thinking the body tools in one area. Do you use pegboards for often used tools etc.
I will finally have the space to get organized. Do you separate metric from SAE in different boxes.
Let me know what works best for you.
2. I keep metric, inch and Whitworth tools in different drawers on opposite sides.
3. I also "color code" Metric and inch tools with different colors of reflective tape. I use a light color and a dark color to stand out against any background. A flashlight helps finds them all at the end of the night.
4. Depending on placement, pegboard can entice "people" traveling by to "come help themselves" or create curiosity whatever else "available".
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 2,831
From: Sarasota Florida
Drawers say metric on sockets and wrenches, same on SAE sockets and wrenches. Body tools,sandpaper etc in a separate tool box.. a couple upright wood cabinets for spray paints, cleaners, brake clean etc and power saws, drills and grinders.
Last edited by Andy; Apr 28, 2025 at 08:23 AM.
Registered User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,179
From: Northern California
Couple of weird tips:
1) it turns out that electrical conduit and neodymium magnets make a great tool rack to hang screwdrivers, nut drivers and maybe small wrenches. I get these super strong magnets that are about the size of a dime and they not only hold, but also eventually magnetize screwdrivers, which can be handy.
2) I use clear plastic jars, from ice cream to hold razor blades, electrical tape and x-acto blades on the under side of my upper cabinets. Screw the lids into the cabinet bottoms and thread the clear containers up into ‘em and presto - visible stuff containers.
3) I store sandpaper in many grits in an office paper organizer by grit level. It’s just a clear plastic thing with a few slots so I can find the grit level i need.
4) I use art supply clear boxes from Art bin and tackle boxes from Plano to create kits for electrical, vacuum, windows, etc. That way when I’m working on some car subsystem, I reach for my parts box and it generally has what I need. I have one art-bin box just for automotive light bulbs and another just for quadrajet parts.
5) I use clear plastic tubes for Tap Plastics to store long thing stainless steel & chrome trim parts. I put a paper note in / on each one so I know (or whoever follows me…) knows what the parts are that are inside.
6) I store bigger stuff in the typical plastic bins, but a year or 2 back I took all the parts out, organized them, took pictures and wrote notes on what’s in each box and numbered each so I know what I’ve got.
Hope that helps a little. Not perfect, but I’m spending a lot less time buying redundant parts and digging around in the “I Know I have it somwhere” mode.
Cheers
Chris
1) it turns out that electrical conduit and neodymium magnets make a great tool rack to hang screwdrivers, nut drivers and maybe small wrenches. I get these super strong magnets that are about the size of a dime and they not only hold, but also eventually magnetize screwdrivers, which can be handy.
2) I use clear plastic jars, from ice cream to hold razor blades, electrical tape and x-acto blades on the under side of my upper cabinets. Screw the lids into the cabinet bottoms and thread the clear containers up into ‘em and presto - visible stuff containers.
3) I store sandpaper in many grits in an office paper organizer by grit level. It’s just a clear plastic thing with a few slots so I can find the grit level i need.
4) I use art supply clear boxes from Art bin and tackle boxes from Plano to create kits for electrical, vacuum, windows, etc. That way when I’m working on some car subsystem, I reach for my parts box and it generally has what I need. I have one art-bin box just for automotive light bulbs and another just for quadrajet parts.
5) I use clear plastic tubes for Tap Plastics to store long thing stainless steel & chrome trim parts. I put a paper note in / on each one so I know (or whoever follows me…) knows what the parts are that are inside.
6) I store bigger stuff in the typical plastic bins, but a year or 2 back I took all the parts out, organized them, took pictures and wrote notes on what’s in each box and numbered each so I know what I’ve got.
Hope that helps a little. Not perfect, but I’m spending a lot less time buying redundant parts and digging around in the “I Know I have it somwhere” mode.
Cheers
Chris
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 18,133
From: Edmond, OK
I keep SAE and metric sockets in the same drawer with ratchets, extensions and wrenches. I have a few body tools that I keep with sandpaper in a cabinet. I have a few pegboards but they are used mostly for tools I use around the house (shovel, pruning shears, etc.).
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
