I think about shop organization more than I think about the projects for which the shop is presumably used. An organized shop can feel very much like an organized mindset. Everything is easy to get to, and the creativity can flow. The more work it takes to get the tool or material you need, the less likely it is that you’ll take the time to get that tool. I’ve found myself subconsciously choosing the wrong tool and taking ten more minutes to complete my task because the right tool took an extra ten seconds to retrieve.
Here’s what works in our shop:
Tool Drawers
Organizing tools is one of my favorite hobbies. I’ve tried metal tool boxes, tool chests, drawer systems, bags, pegboards, and shelves. I only like one of those things.
Tool organizers should be easy to stack, but not require you to unstack them if you need to access them. They must be deep enough not to snag the tool when opened, but not so deep that they become black holes. Their moving parts must be metal, not plastic. They should have a mechanism that keeps them from opening on their own. Unlike a pegboard, the tools should not easily fall off and the hooks holding them on should not be so easily removed.
I’ve worked in shops that use the six foot tall metal tool chests that weigh two hundred pounds. If you have the space and the budget, go for it. But in my shop, I have limits. And if you had X-ray vision you would see that those tool chests are mostly air. Tool storage must hold enough stuff that it’s useful, but not so much stuff that moving them becomes a two person task.
Milwaukee makes a perfect drawer set that meets these criteria.
If I could have a wall of these drawer sets, I would. My only gripe is that they’re red. I’d prefer black. Maybe one day I’ll spray paint the ones I have. Until then, I’ll keep building my wall.
These drawers come in two, three, and four drawer versions. They’re all great, I use a variety and they all fit together perfectly.
Pegboard
Just kidding, don’t bother.
Here’s why: Being a 2D surface, a pegboard doesn’t actually hold that many useful items. I’ve never been able to get enough stuff on a pegboard for it to be more efficient than a drawer, box, bucket, or bin. And, unless you secure each one, the hooks will fall off when you remove a tool. And if you secure the hooks, it becomes more arduous to rearrange the pegboard (as you inevitably will) when new tools make their way into your inventory. As someone who invested heavily in beautiful black steel pegboards, I can say that I rarely use them at all. They look great in a picture though.
If you still want them, here’s what I recommend: black (so it doesn’t look dirty), steel (so it doesn’t deform with humidity and use like MDF pegboards do), and small (so they can be easily rearranged in different spaces).
Random parts
Do you save these? Why? You shouldn’t store food in them. Use them for mixing epoxy, storing screws, organizing your model kit parts, corralling legos. If you don’t like it, recycle them like you would anyways in six months. I’m not sure if you can actually recycle these anyways.
Toolbox
For all the tools you don’t want to leave in the shed. Toyo Steel toolboxes are beautiful, reliable, and timeless. Your grandchildren will agree.
Desk tools
I keep one of these next to my laptop for pens, rulers, knives, and small tools.
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