Have you ever
needed a hand or power tool unexpectedly and it’s not where you thought you put
it? It can be frustrating when you have to stop right in the middle of a
project and start a search for something. If only your tools were
organized…
For some
people, it may be as easy as putting a hammer, pliers and two screwdrivers in a
drawer. DIY (do it yourself) fans and most homeowners, have a large collection
of hand tools, power tools, nails, screws, nuts and bolts, saws, a variety of
pliers, the list goes on and on. So, is there a good strategy for organizing
everything? Of course there is!
A lot of
people like using a pegboard to organize hand tools. In the end, they are all
hanging, with enough space between them to easily remove one tool without
knocking a bunch of other tools off the wall. The best part of this system is
that you can see everything. In a matter of seconds, you can grab a hand saw,
hammer and whatever else you might need for a project.
Power tools
come in their own carrying cases and can be organized on shelves or under the
workbench. If it doesn’t have a carrying case and doesn’t fit easily on the
pegboard, you can get a plastic container for it. Most power tools have
attachments, bits, blades or other things that should be kept with the item,
which is why the cases are so nice. If it is hard to tell at a glance what case
holds which tool, mark the containers with a Sharpie (they come in metallic
colors that can write on dark containers) or put a piece of masking tape on the container and write on the tape.
Screws, nuts,
bolts and other hardware should be organized into plastic containers or
specially made cabinets that have tiny drawers to hold whatever you have. The
little cabinets are great, but can be expensive. Sometimes they are sold with
the hardware already inside. You can end up buying a lot of little tiny screws
that you may never need.
A more
reasonable solution is a plastic 3-drawer container for about $15-20or craft storage bins. You can keep the hardware either in the containers they
came in or in disposable Gladware containers. Gladware or Rubbermaid conveniently make containers in a variety of sizes. Get clear
containers so you can see what is inside. If you are a recycler, some deli
meats come in plastic containers that can be reused for storing little items.
Baby food jars are another favorite for organizing small hardware. Place
whatever containers you use by type and/or size in the drawers, and later they
can be found when needed.
A toolbox is
another matter entirely.
Things tend to get thrown in a toolbox as a project
progresses and left in there for all eternity. After a project is completely
finished, the hardware and project specific items should go back in the drawers
or on the pegboard. Yes, the toolbox should be organized at the end of
every project. Only keep basic items like a hammer, a few screwdrivers, pliers,
a tape measure, pencil, flashlight and other things you use regularly in the
toolbox. If you put too much in there, it will either be so heavy you can
barely lift it or you won’t be able to close it.
OK — now for
THE TALK — I would be remiss if I didn’t make mention of those of you with
more tools than you potentially will ever need or use. If you have every hammer
that your father, grandfather and dear uncle used, along with all the ones
you’ve gotten at flea markets and hardware stores along the years... it might
be time to downsize your hammers. Be gentle, but be honest with yourself. I am
guessing that you likely use 20% of your tools, 80% of the time. See if you can
possibly part with at least the rusty/broken/need-to-repair tools first. Then
you can look at selecting your top 2-3 favorite screwdrivers (or top 5-8
maybe?) and continue with the process for all of your duplicate tools. When you
downsize tools, you have a much better chance of fitting them in whatever containers
you have waiting patiently to be filled.
Enjoy the DIY
craze of fixing or building things on your own. You will be amazed at the added
enjoyment you will have if you can keep that basement, garage, shed or wherever
you keep your tools organized so you know what you have and where it is. I
promise, with everything where you can find it, the DIY experience will be
better.
