Organizing Your Workshop

We all have our own way of keeping track of tools, whether we do simple home repairs or build our own furniture. Sometimes, if we’ve lost a bit of vision, our system doesn’t work as well as it used to. The good news is there are plenty of ways to set up your workshop to help you find the tool you need when you need it—no matter your level of vision.

Good lighting can really help. Try using an adjustable light that clamps onto the workbench or an adjustable light on wheels that can be moved to different areas as needed.

For cords you’re not using—coil them up and store them in empty paper towel or toilet paper tubes. Label the outside of the tubes with large print, audio, or braille labels and store them in a box or drawer. Then they’ll be out of the way and your paths will be clear. Check out our labeling series for more ideas on creating labels.

It can help to put each tool back right where you found it every time. This saves you a 20-minute search for that hammer you need!

Safety glasses can help protect your eyes, so it’s a good idea to wear them when working on any project, big or small. Keep a pair of safety glasses handy in a drawer or on a shelf where they won't get dirty or scratched. We all know a busy workshop can get noisy and dusty. Have a small container for holding earplugs and another for storing dust masks. This way, you can easily grab protection for your hearing when using loud power tools and protection for your lungs when working around sawdust, plaster, or other dust and debris.

It can help to streamline your storage by putting the same types of tools together in a group. For example, keep all flat or slotted screwdrivers together, all Phillips screwdrivers together, and all hammers together.

And how about using a pegboard or Slatwall Panels to mount tools like a set of wrenches? Sort them in order of their size. You can cut different lengths of PVC pipe and slide them onto hooks on the pegboard or Slatwall Panels. Store small items like zip ties or blades in the pipes.

And here’s another handy tip. Try wrapping the handles of tools with brightly colored tape to make them easier to find when you lay them down. You can use a different color of tape for different types of tools.

And put any items you use a lot, such as measuring devices, in a nearby drawer or plastic container to make them easy to find when you need them. See our workshop on measuring for different options for measuring devices. How about using small storage drawers or a tackle box to keep nuts, bolts, nails, screws, and other small items separated? That way, you don’t have to fish around to find what you need. You can also reuse butter dishes, small jars, or coffee cans as containers. To easily tell what's inside your storage containers, use large print on brightly colored tape or write on an index card and attach it to the container with a rubber band. You’ll know exactly where everything is located at a glance.

Here’s another easy and thrifty option to identify what’s in each container. Glue a sample of the screw or nail to the outside of the container or lid so you'll know what's inside.

Also, what about keeping a magnet in your tool supplies? Use it to sweep over the work area to pick up any dropped nails or screws. Now that’s convenient!

Now when working on a project, start by gathering all the items you'll need. Wear a carpenter's apron or tool belt to hold the items until you need them. Or, put all the tools you'll need in a box. Then you don’t have to stop working just to look for a tool!

To keep small items from rolling onto the floor, put them on a tray. Magnetic trays are great for holding screws and nails securely. It can help to put tools back in the box, apron, or belt when you're done using them and put them back in their usual storage place when you're finished working. This way, you can keep track of tools and keep your work area easy to use and clutter-free.

Finally, check out our other workshops in our home repair series for tips for using hand and power tools. With a few small changes to your system, it can be just as enjoyable to work in your shop as it always was. I bet you’re up for tackling that new bookcase now! Contact your Hadley Learning expert to learn more about organizing a workshop or if you have your own tips to share. Of course, as with anything new, give yourself time, patience, and practice and you’ll get there.