Simple but clever ways to store and organise tools.
Don’t let your garage be the junk drawer of your home. Here are a few inexpensive, easy ways to organise your tools so that you never have to frantically search for items again.
Glass jars for bits and bobs
Don’t recycle your glass jars just yet. Stick the lids of the jars under a shelf, fill the jar with bolts, screws, or any other loose items you have, then screw the jar back on its lid. This leaves the top of your shelf free for other items.
Top tip: Don’t mix different size screws and bolts together in one jar – separate them and label the jars with what’s inside.
Toilet rolls for cables
We all have a box filled with cables tangled around each other. Tackle this with toilet rolls. Take the cardboard roll left after a roll of toilet paper is finished and place them in a cardboard box vertically. Each of your cables can be folded and put in one of the cardboard rolls.
Stab some styrofoam
For an inexpensive way to store pencils and screwdrivers, stick a piece of Styrofoam on your wall and simply stab your items in the foam.
Top tip: Stick the Styrofoam above you next to your work bench so that your tools are well within reach.
Magnetise
For metal tools, add a magnetic strip above your work bench. Your tools will be spread out right in front of you, and easy to grab when you are working, while still being out of your way.
Create a charging station
One of the most frustrating things is finding one of your tools you need to use, only to discover that it needs charging before you can use it. Avoid this by setting up a dedicated charging station in your garage.
Add an extension cord with enough outlets to leave your tools on charge. Drill holes in an old cabinet to run the cables through and keep them out of the way. Keep your tools in place to keep them off the floor and packed away until you need them.
PVC pipes into drill holders
Cut a PVC pipe into sections. Glue them underneath a floating shelf and simply slot your drills into them for easy storage that takes up almost no space.
Door pockets
Material shoe racks that hang behind doors can store so much more than just shoes. Add one to your garage door to store everything from glue and paintbrushes, to torches and hammers.
Cutlery tray for tool organisation
Add a cutlery tray to the drawers in your garage to organise your tools. The tray will keep the tools separate so you can easily spot the ones you’re looking for when opening the drawer.
Keep your tool tray tidy
While metal tool chests are great for tool storage, the inside of the drawers can easily get cluttered. Add some carpet to the bottom of each tray in your tool chest to keep your tools organised. The carpet will stop the tools from getting mixed up every time you close the drawer.
Top tip: Keep like tools together in the same draw.
Keep safe from sharp objects
Saws can be dangerous if not handled correctly. Avoid an unpleasant trip to the emergency room by taking a piece of old garden hose, cutting it horizontally and placing it over the blade of your saws when storing them.
Use these tips and tricks for organising your tools so that you never have to wade through clutter in your garage again.
If you need to move some of the stuff you have in your garage to make space for a project, contact us at XtraSpace. We offer clean, secure self-storage units that are ideal for storing your possessions until you’re ready to move them back to your premises. Contact us for more information or browse to find a branch near you.