Author Topic: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?  (Read 3686 times)

allspiritseve

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 10
(Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« on: October 29, 2013, 10:15:03 AM »
Ever since I moved into my current apartment, I have kept a box in the basement containing my drill, bits, wrenches, saw, and miscellaneous hardware (screws, nuts, washers, etc). I'm sick of rooting through it every time I need something, and would love some ideas for inexpensive ways to organize my tools.

I'm renting, and don't have a ton of space, so I can't exactly set up a dedicated workshop.

I've looked at toolboxes, but they seem kind of expensive.

As a side note, any suggestions on what hardware to keep and what to throw out? I tend to be pretty frugal so I keep everything, but rarely ever use any of it.

tfordon

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 60
Re: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2013, 10:24:20 AM »
I like bucket organizers like this: http://www.amazon.com/Custom-Leathercraft-1118-Outside-Organizer/dp/B000FK422W/ref=sr_1_8.  Not too expensive and you can group your tools by task.

I haven't tried to make my own, but there are plans online: http://www.instructables.com/id/Garden-Tool-Bucket-Caddy/ if you want to be more mustashian.

netskyblue

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 637
  • Location: Midwest USA
Re: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2013, 10:27:43 AM »
Hanging on a pegboard over a work bench (or old desk) can look attractive, if you have a dedicated workspace.

Lans Holman

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 276
  • Location: North by Northwest
Re: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2013, 10:31:31 AM »
A great cheap trick someone had done in the garage of our house before we moved in is to take peanut butter jars or something similar with screw top metal lids and screw the lids onto the bottom of a shelf or bench, facing down.  Then you sort your screws, nails, washers, etc., into the matching jars and just attach them to the lids.  Everything's visible and it saves space.
You could get a small bookshelf, do that coming down from the top, have nails in the back to hang wrenches from, maybe drill holes in a shelf to sort screwdrivers and such into. 

Miss Growing Green

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 99
  • Age: 39
  • Location: Tucson, AZ
Re: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2013, 01:10:43 PM »
I have a method that is so cheap it's free, but you do sacrifice some in the accessibility department:

We don't have a garage, and I too got tired of sifting through giant boxes of tools, so I divided everything up into smaller, labeled boxes.  I made some specific boxes, like "plumbing tools" "electrical" and "landscaping".  I also have a box for general hand tools, and a large tupperware bin for handheld power tools.  It sounds kind of silly to have it all in boxes, but it prevents that cluttered look you get when all your tools are out, and make finding stuff so much easier.

capital

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 454
Re: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2013, 06:56:54 PM »
A tool roll takes care of wrenches nicely.

Greg

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1448
  • Location: Olympia, WA, USA
Re: (Inexpensive) suggestions for organizing my tools?
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2013, 09:04:01 PM »
I use fairly affordable stackable tool boxes, they are about 18" long and about 10" square on the end. I have different colors for different things, like one is for my electrical stuff, one is for nails and screws and related finish carpentry stuff, one is fo plumbing stuff.   They have one removable tray on top and lots of space, they have lasted years, and did I mention stackable?  Mine live in my garage but if needed they could live in the back of a closet.  IIRC, they were less than $20 each, from the big orange box store.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!