Tool organisation can be quite a personal activity as it will depend on what tools you use regularly, your preference for certain tools for certain projects and the space you have to store your tools.
Ideas for tool storage in your shed or garage are peg boards, wall panelling or floating shelves to make the most of wall space, a workstation with drawers, swivel containers and rotating carousels for easy access and pedestals or french cleats will keep your power tools in good working order.
There are many efficient options for tool storage, whether it’s your hand tools, power tools, large tools or a small space you’re working with, we have some ideas to inspire you to make your shed a place you want to spend time on projects, not a place you’ll spend time searching for your tools.
How Do I Store My Tools?
The first step to efficiently storing all of your tools is to do a thorough inventory of every tool you own. If you can purge duplicates, especially ones you didn’t know you had or don’t use then go ahead and take that weight off of your shoulders and your tool shed. This will make it easier to effectively store all the tools you need.
Once you have an idea of the tools you have and will use you can sort them into categories or zones, this can be based on jobs, tool types, power tools and hand held tools, depending on what will work best for you.
Tool Storage Ideas
Peg boards or wall paneling
Most DIYers work with their hands and are likely visual people. For this reason you may prefer to be able to see the tools you use on a regular basis so you can decide which implement is the most appropriate for the job. Creating a wall of peg boards or wall paneling that you can easily add hooks and baskets to will create quick and easy access to all your tools.
French cleats
The French cleat system helps you to create custom holders for each individual power tool using smart interlocking joints with 45 degree angles. This European invention makes for a sleek, satisfying and easy to use design for storing your tools.
Foam boards
Foam boards can be attached to your walls or custom fitted into drawers to organise all of your tiny tools, rotary bits and other tiny components by size, colour or usage. These small parts can be a terror to organise and we all know it’s easy to waste many a day searching for them. Foam boards are the epitome of freeing up time and making your DIY storage as efficient as possible.
Pedestals
Horizontal platforms and individual custom wall mounted boxes for each of your power tools can make for an impressive looking storage system. They’re easy to find and if kept in place will increase the longevity of your power tools. You can add extra shelving or hooks for smaller handheld tools, sandpaper and rotating blades.
Magnetic Strips
This simple and quick solution to metal tool storage might be the answer to your garden shed prayers. You can rearrange them whenever you feel like it, add and take away what you please and easily throw them back on the strip when you’re done with them (but not too hard!)
Floating shelves
If you’d rather use wall space than floor space then floating shelves, whether above your workbench or around the shed are a practical and easy to use storage addition. You can add compartmented clear plastic storage boxes to help separate tools for different jobs and label them so you can easily see and locate them.
Wooden bench bins
Wooden bench bins are a great storage option for all the small items such as nails, screws and bolts. It’s simple to create using some repurposed wood that you may have lying around and creating the same pattern as many times as required for all your small item storage needs.
Workshop cart
A workshop cart on wheels is ideal for the certain tools you use all the time. You can roll them with you to the work site along with a selection of all the other components you’ll likely need for the job. They can then sit back in a dedicated slot when not in use.
Rotating carousel
Dedicate a small compact corner to a rotating carousel that fits more easily accessible items than you could ever imagine. The rotating device means you can easily see everything and you’ll never lose your tools in the bottom of a cupboard or drawer.
How Do You Organise Tools in a Small Space?
If you only have a small space to store your tools then hopefully you have some wall space. Wall space for tool storage can go a really long way with a well organised peg board, some floating shelves, magnetic strips and some french cleats.
The best way to utilise a small space for tool storage is to build your own custom workbench and cabinets. That way you can make the most of every single inch you have and ensure all your tools have a home. When you’re creating your custom storage tool space keep in mind these hacks to make the most of your space:
- Use a peg board on all of your surfaces and cupboard doors so you have extra room to hang your tools.
- Create a wall mounted storage rack that can swivel out and sit back in its compact space when you’re finished with it.
- Line your walls with magnetic strips for all of your metal tools to attach to for easy use.
- Maximise the space under your workbench with rotating carousels and pull out drawers.
- If you have space up high in your storage shed, create pull down mechanisms to utilise the extra space for storage.
What is The Ideal Storage Place For Tools?
You may think we’re biased but there isn’t a better place for storing your tools than one of our tool sheds. We don’t just say that because we designed them, we say that because we designed them with the ultimate tool storing requirements in mind.
Not only are our tool sheds seriously strong and easy to assemble with two people, they are also made with high quality timber framing and Zincalume and Colorsteel roof cladding. Our strong timber framing makes it easy to nail in shelves or screw in hooks compared to steel sheds. They can be easily relocated, by lifting onto a truck or dragged short distances for site positioning.
The different options for Outpost Buildings tool sheds include:
- Backyard Tool Shed 3.6M X 1.9M X 2.5M HIGH
- Compact Tool Shed 1.5M X 1.9M X 2.5M HIGH
- Or check out our other sheds and storage buildings to make your tool storage customisable.
We also have ready made tool racks made from timber in 10 peg and 8 peg sizes to add to your tool shed for easy organisation. Suitable for your small garden tools or hanging hoses, ropes and other equipment.
How Do You Organise Tools When You Don't Have a Garage?
If your property does not come with a garage, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to keep your car out of the elements. Not only that, garage space is ideal for everyday household storage as well as an extra space for DIY, gym equipment and seasonal items.
Outpost buildings offer a substantial range of storage options that are even more efficient than a garage that comes with your house, especially for storing your tools and DIY equipment. There are so many advantages to owning an Outpost storage shed: you can choose the positioning of your building, add custom add ons, create multiple purposes at different times of the year and bring it with you to your next home.
Reach out to us today for your New Zealand made kitset with free delivery
How Do You Store Tools Without a Tool Box?
A tool box is the perfect apparatus for transporting your tools but not the perfect solution for long term tool storage. Your tools are likely to get lost and muddled in a tool box and the likelihood of your tool collection expanding beyond the size of a toolbox is inevitable.
Why not invest in an Outpost tool storage shed where you can not only store all your tools in an efficient manner with easy access, you can also use your shed to work on your DIY projects away from the elements.
How Do I Group Tools In My Garage?
We wonder how many households have a perfectly organised garage with all their tools in alphabetical order. How much easier would our DIY projects be if we didn’t have to spend hours searching for that specific tool that will do that specific job we need to do. How lovely would it be to free up space in the garage to park our car and work on a project at the same time.
Garages end up being storage spaces for many household and seasonal items as well as our vehicles and tools. If you run out of space in the garage, the best thing you can do is to invest in a garden shed or storage building to spread out your storage space. When you have more space you can organise more efficiently.
We have some tips to make the most out of your space in the garage so hear us out:
- Make a plan and a design for your ideal garage layout
- Eliminate extra items taking up valuable space
- Consider how often you use each tool and if you have duplicates
- Group together tools used for certain activities such as sanding, cutting, gardening and car tools
Grouping your tools into categories will give you an idea of how many tools you have in each group and how much space you’ll need to allocate for them. For example if you have a large amount of gardening tools you might decide you need to allocate a larger area or a separate shed to store these tools. This will also help you to eliminate the duplicate tools you have and free up space.
How Do You Arrange Tools on a Pegboard?
The best way to organise your peg board will depend largely on the tools you prefer to use more often. However, if you don’t know where to start then the safest option is to organise your peg board tools by size.
Start by hanging your heaviest power tools such as sanders and electric drills on the bottom of your peg board. This makes your tool shed safer as you won’t want any of your heavy tools falling from the top of your peg board.
Group similar sized tools together such as a hammer and a mallet or screwdrivers and wrenches. That way you’ll create an efficient grid like wall of tools that will be pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate.
Use pegboard hooks and baskets to place your tools on your pegboard. Remember, tools that you use more often should be in a convenient location on your peg board. The great thing about a peg board for organising your tools is that you can change it around at any time.
Interested in adding a new storage shed to your home? Contact Outpost Buildings today
