How to Organize Tools In a Garage
A garage is often a place where we store things that we do not want to keep in the house– or do not have the space for. This can include extra food, landscaping equipment, and of course, your vehicle. Garages are also the perfect place to set up your workshop. Due to all of this, your garage can become crowded or cluttered, too.
If you are dealing with a messy garage, you will want to do a bit of an overhaul and really make sure everything is organized properly! There are plenty of great ways for you to organize the tools in your garage or garage workshop to make sure that they do not take up too much space but also are still easy to access. Read on to learn more.
Tips For Organizing Tools In Your Garage
Below, we will go over some of the top tips for organizing the tools in your garage workshop. Implementing these tips will make your space less stressful and overwhelming, and will make staying organized much easier for you!
Take An Inventory
One of the most important things that you can do when organizing your tools is to take an inventory. This is a tip that you can implement with other kinds of organizational projects, too. Go through everything to make sure you actually want to keep all of the tools that you have! Some may be damaged, so you may decide to throw them away, or others may simply be tools you never use and would like to donate. This can be a great time to do an overhaul and get rid of what you actually do not need or want.
Organize Your Tools Into Categories
Next, you should look at the tools that you are keeping, and organize them into different categories or zones. This can look like power tools being put together, hand tools being grouped together, and so on. These categories should stay together when you put the tools back into the garage. Of course, this will make it easier to find what you need when you are hard at work in your garage workshop– no more sorting through things to find a specific part or tool!
Install a Workbench
Many garages, especially if you use it as a workspace, will have a workbench already. However, if your garage does not have one, installing a workbench is an important step to take in organizing your space. Plus, it helps you utilize the space better for your needs as well! You can either buy a workbench from a hardware store, or you could build your own workbench if you prefer. This choice mainly depends on how much time and money you want to spend on this step. Building it is cheaper than buying it, of course, but it is also more time-consuming.
Set Up Slatwall Racks
Slatwall racks are another great fixture, like a workbench, that can help you to keep your garage organized. These are similar to pegboards, which you may see often in garage spaces– they allow for you to arrange and hang baskets and hooks however you would like, for storage purposes. They are a great tool if you want to opt for an open-concept storage system– they also make it easier for you to access your tools when you need them, rather than digging through boxes or cabinets for what you need. Plus, they add a better visual to the space!
Use Your Overhead Storage!
Overhead storage is something that often gets overlooked when people are trying to organize their garage space. Usually, the issue is that it simply is forgotten. However, the ceiling of your garage is a great place for additional storage, especially when it comes to flat items such as ladders or extra wood. Of course, you will need to ensure that what you choose for your overhead storage is able to accommodate the weight of whatever you plan to store up there. It should also not be something that will interfere with the operation of your garage door.
Use Magnetic Tool Organizers
Another great way that you can organize your garage tools is to utilize magnetic tool organizers. A good amount of the tools that you will be using will be magnetic and will be easy for you to hang on these aforementioned magnetic tool organizers– the magnetic factor will help to keep your tools hanging securely! The organizers are also easy and straightforward when you are installing them.
Organize Nails By Size
When it comes to nails or other small parts like screws and nuts, it can be very helpful to organize them by size. It can be easy to do this if you grab a shelving rack where you have bins and can label them by the size number of the parts. You can even use one of the nails, screws, or nuts and attach them to the front of each bin for a visual of size.
A visual can be a quicker and easier way to look at what is being stored in each bin and can help you to stay more organized! Another thing to do is to keep a sizing gauge nearby to accurately measure the parts you come into contact with.
Use Clear Jars For Nails and Screws
If you are trying to store nails, screws, or nuts, and do not want to use a shelving bin rack, you could also opt for a system of clear, labelled jars. There are plenty of options for clear jarks, like Mason jars, that you can use for this storage! Choose whatever works best for you– for example, if you already have extra jam jars at home, these may be your best options. You can label these jars according to size and type of part, and it is easy to see what is being stored inside, as they are see-through.
Create a Battery Recharging Station
Another thing you can do to organize your space is to build yourself– or set up– a docking station where you can keep your cordless tools, like drills, and your batteries. You can even add a power strip to the docking station so that you can easily recharge these batteries! Add whatever other features will help to enhance this docking station, depending on your own individual needs. Another great addition is to add a drawer for all of your drill bits if you have cordless drills that you are storing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I group tools in my garage?
There are plenty of great ways that you can organize tools in a garage to keep your space nice and tidy. For instance, you can get organizers such as racks or storage bins– which can often be stacked, too. These make it easy to separate and compartmentalize all of the things that you store in your garage, including your tools! Of course, if you are using the stackable bin option, you will want to be sure to store all of the tools that you use the most often closest to the top.
What are the 5 steps to organizing a garage?
If you are planning to organize your garage, there are definitely certain considerations you should take into account. There are 5 main steps that you should take in order to organize your space and make it work better for you. Step number 1 is to have a plan in mind for what you want to achieve. Step 2 is to clear the floor of your garage so that the space is less cluttered and you have fewer tripping hazards! Step 3 is to organize the garage into zones, and then step 4 is to plan your garage storage. The last step, step 5, is to maintain your garage organization.
How do I organize my garage workshop?
Garage workshops can get pretty messy and disorganized! It’s important to stay organized so that your garage workshop can still serve the function that it needs to. If you need to organize your garage workshop, there are plenty of ways to do this. You should be sure to use the overhead space smartly and use vertical organization products, too. When it comes to storage, open shelving is often better for a garage workshop than closed cabinets can be.
How do I organize my nails and screws in the garage?
Nails, screws, and other small pieces and parts can be easily lost or found underfoot in your garage. This can be frustrating when you need them and cannot find them, and it can be dangerous, too– after all, nobody wants to step on a nail! You should be sure to keep these organized in your garage workshop. A great tip for doing this is to use old prescription bottles to separate and hold these pieces. They can be kept on your workbench for easy access, and the lids will ensure that there are no spills if you happen to knock a bottle off of the tool bench.
