Editorial StaffHandy persons love adding new tools to their chest; that is something they can’t resist. However, if you haven’t properly organized your chest, it becomes a mess to a point where you always look for the right tool in the middle of your project. That’s why you’re here to learn how to organize a tool chest, for they have been struggling to find a tool they need in their toolbox drawers. Don’t worry; we are here to help you.
You know, choosing to stack your tools and accessories on the wood shelves is not a great idea if you want to increase productivity. Choosing to have an organized took chest makes your work quick, outstanding and effective. Most of us know the benefits of having an organized tool chest, but organizing takes time and is more difficult.
Some of us here feel it convenient to throw tools away into the box after a long day at work to relax; however, this is not very productive. This article will explain the steps you should take when organizing a tool chest and the reasons.
Advantages of an Organized Tool Chest
- When you organize your toolbox, you will enjoy the following advantages;
- you will find what you are looking for very quickly in every drawer and when the need arises
- You won’t get stuck in the middle of the project just because you can’t find the right tool
- You won’t always have to repair tools, and it’s easy to keep them clean
- You won’t but duplicate tools that might have just there in the drawer
A disorganized tool chest leads to wastage of time and deep frustrations, thereby causing the following disadvantages;
- Minimization of productivity; For a professional handyperson or any other person who uses tools to make a living, having a disorganized tool chest means that you will spend a lot of time trying to look for the right tool hence delaying the project’s completion time
- Duplicate tools; When you fail to spot a tool you need, you will likely use the wrong one for improvising or buy another one. Back-up tools are convenient and helpful when the original breaks or seizes to work; Though you should keep these spare tools in a separate tool chest.
- Lost tools; If you don’t organize your tools, you will find that you will lose some tools or, even worse, will be stolen. Remember that quality tools are very expensive, so any lost tool adds another dent in your budget. Workplaces view tools to control and inventory as a critical aspect of the business, ensuring that no tools will be misplaced.
Steps on How to Organize a Tool Chest
1. Empty every drawer and compartment
At the beginning of organizing your tool chest, you need to empty your drawer and compartment of their tools as well as equipment. Then lay them on a large surface like the floor. Consider lining the surface with an old newspaper if your tools are dirty or greasy.
After, start grouping your tools using the following ways,
- Power heavy-duty tools include the following; the drill, chainsaw, rotary tools
- Small tools include the following: pliers, hammers, screwdrivers, and hex keys
- Supplies include the following: duct tape, sandpaper, and copper wire
- Accessories include the following cutters, sockets, drill bits, and screws
- Measuring tools include the following measuring tape, calipers, and levels
Consider throwing away any tool that is beyond repair, and if you have tools that are not very practical but are in good condition, give them away for a donation to add some spice to your chest.
2. Clean the drawers in your tool chest
Now that you have selected the tools you want to keep, you can start cleaning your tools and equipment.
The cleaning process can become very tiring if your tool chest is filled with grease. However, heavy-duty wipes for cleaning will help ease the difficulty of the task. Ensure that you scrub your tools as well as the nook and cranny of your chest drawers, thereby keeping your tools and equipment in a better condition hence reducing costs of repairs.
Methods to Follow When Organizing Your Tool Chest
Once you’ve got the sorting and cleaning out of the way, it’s time for the main task of optimizing your tool storage. Did you know that tool organizers are very important for you, especially if you have different kinds of hammers and hand tools? The following are types of tool organizers, including:
a). Top to bottom
If you want a productive and effective tool organization, it will all depend on personal needs. Some people think it’s right when the center should contain the most regular items that you use for convenience. In contrast, others believe that one should consider sorting them according to their sizes and weight when organizing tools. Even though these systems are convenient according to different people, the following top-to-bottom method is the most on-point;
- Lower drawers- Consider keeping the heavier tools at the bottom of your tool drawer since its more stable to handle heavy-duty power tools like electric saw and powered jigsaw.
- Middle drawers- These include toolsets and Medium-sized tools like pliers and hand screwdrivers.
- Upper drawers- These include lighter equipment like copper coil, sandpaper, and sockets.
b). Compartments
Consider sorting all of your screws, nails, and nuts by type and size. Then place each of the tools in an individual container. Make sure that you label your small containers for convenience purposes; that is, a clear label makes it easier to select the right type of screw. In addition, label makers make you label these containers more effectively.
c). Same-tool sets
You will find that it’s more effective in keeping each toolset in one area, that is, the screwdrivers or drills, oscillating tools, and so on
Which Accessories Will You Need?
Did you know that you can find a few sets so that they will help you organize? You will find them with ease in the market. First, however, you need to understand which is perfect for your toolset.
1. Tool foam
The accessories are important because they help you when you are sorting your tools; you can cut foam per the size of your tool chest and place them as padding. If you want your tools to be properly padded, buy a few pieces of padded foam, cut them to the size of your toolbox, and later you can store them.
Ensure that your compartments are differentiated according to boost the effectiveness of your work and productivity. For example, keep heavy-duty tools on the top with larger padding of tool foam. Moreover, ensure that you make a detailed layout plan before the process was easier.
2. Stack on
You will find that these plastic add-ons are an excellent lifesaver for your tool chest. This accessory gives you the capability to make more compartments inside your drawer; that’s why it’s great for sorting large tool kits. You can use this accessory to carry nuts when your work needs you to do so. When you have a tool chest with small compartments, it becomes an added benefit for you to carry small
3. Pegs
A lot of people consider this accessory as a lifesaver in most situations. The only thing you need to do is place the pegs inside and hang the tools inside the tool chest to keep them in position. In order to add you more benefit, these pegs are income in various sorts and sizes. Ensure that you place the pegs properly because if you don’t, your tool chest will be ineffective, leading to a wonky tool chest. In addition, you have to be certain that the pegs you have placed inside are properly drilled according to your needs.
Rules of Tool Organization
When organizing tools, the first thing you consider is the type of storage that you use. If you are a novice in tool organization and don’t have any storage for your tools, you need to decide on the best tool chest to meet your needs. Most handypersons can testify that a top chest and a roller cabinet are very common options for workshops and industrial settings because minimal need to move the tools offsite.
This setup offers many drawers that hold your whole collection. This proves to be highly effective but also comes with a high need for organization. In addition, professionals use a stackable case, canvas tote, and a portable box to carry their tools around and work offsite. Also, there is an excellent option for those who don’t have enough space to hold a rolling cabinet or lack enough tools to validate one.
The following are the basic principles of tool organization
- For easy access, ensure that you separate your tools and group them according to their type and function. Generally, roller cabinets and top chests have narrower drawers that you can use to group tools from the same category, like pliers and files.
- Label everything in your tool chest. A lot of tool storage chests give you a label holder. The importance of labeling is to provide you with a quicker visual guide of the location of the tool you need even before opening any drawer.
- Throw away any tool that is not safe anymore. When reorganizing your tools, please take it as a chance to inventory your tool collection and get rid of worn-out, missing parts or the ones that can no longer do the job it was designed to.
- Organize your storage according to their storage and your tools’ shape and don’t forget the frequency of use. Place heavy-duty tools at the bottom of the roller cabinet since it’s basically deeper. Group the tools that you frequently use to save more time due to easy accessibility.
- Ensure that you keep your tools in separate boxes because you may end up with duplicate tools. Keep these spare tools in a separate location and only use them when the original is not performing anymore.
Create an Alternative Plan
We all have alternative action plans and in this case, ensure that you got one, and if you got one, you have the best ways of organizing your tool chest. Hence you will have spotless tools, and you can restore them after your everyday shift. You will find that using magnetic trays at your worksite is the best idea for keeping your small tools like sockets and fasteners to minimize the risks of losing them. Moreover, these tiny bits roll down, and in a split second, you lose them in your buy moment.
Use magnetic backed hooks to drape wrenches on it. In addition, use long magnetic strips on the wall to have easy access to your tools to be productive ad effective. However, you will have to follow some rules when organizing your tools. Firstly, you need to organize handy tools, place them properly, and mark them numeric numbers. Remember to maintain an inventory system so that you know what’s available and what’s not available. When you decide to follow the tool chest organizer ideas, you will find that you will organize your tool chest In the best way, thus making your repair work simpler and productive.
Firstly, take all the tools away and put them in a line accordingly;
- Evaluate your tools and go ahead and rank them by how many times you use them.
- Next, you will clean your tools and the tool chest with a dry cloth.
- Also, ensure that you keep the tools that you frequently use
- Moreover, keep the tool that you don’t regularly use in the tool chest lower drawers.
- Lastly, arrange them in the tool tray and place the tray back in the toolbox. Organize them in the tool tray and put the tray back into the tool chest.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Organize a Tool Chest
1. What is required of me when my tools are broken?
Firstly, identify which tool is broken, then disengage it and remove it from your tool chest to add more space. Lastly, please leave the tools in the garage, or you can get rid of them immediately.
2. Can I use pegboards for wall control and hand tools?
Yes, since the pegboards are both eye-catching and versatile. Use wall control for offices, playrooms, and laundry room while you can. Use hand tools on your garage wall.
3. Is a magnetic tray useful for keeping sockets?
Yes. Magnetic trays are really helpful in making sure that the sockets don’t roll over straight from the trays since they are tiny tools, so best kept at magnetic trays.
