The Best Products to Keep Your Tools Organized
Stop rooting around in the bottom of your toolbox, and get organized with products like socket organizers, customizable foam trays, holders for oddly-shaped tools and more.
Keeping your tools organized may not seem that important, but once you start amassing a sizable tool collection, you start to realize how crucial good tool organization is. Cordless drills, socket sets and laser levels are invaluable tools, but only if you know where they are when you need them.
To help you organize your tools, we’ve listed the best tool-organizing products, from bit holders to storage rail systems to customizable foam inserts, and everything in between.
These heavy-duty tool storage pouches are the tool organization product we never knew we needed, but now we can't live without them. This pack of six gives you more than enough room for your wrenches, sockets, hardware, screwdrivers and anything else you can think of. They're perfect for holding smaller items in a larger tool bag without risking them getting lost at the bottom.
If you're tired of digging through your toolbox for the right hex bit, get ready for an organization game-changer. This magnetic hex bit holder has 37 holes to keep every bit organized and easily accessible. Plus, the magnetic base holds it tight to metal surfaces, so it doesn't slide around in your toolbox.
From power tools to lawn tools to extension cords and everything in between, Rubbermaid's FastTrack storage rail system is the ultimate garage organization tool. Simply mount the rail and slide your hooks of choice in place to maximize your space's tool storage.
Every DIYer knows that hardware really begins to pile up after you knock out a few projects. To keep it organized so it's readily available when you need it, these wall-mounted hardware bins are a must-have. They're great for quick access while you're working at your workbench, but you can quickly remove a bin and take it with you if you need to work on a project elsewhere.
Wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers and the like belong in your grab-and-go toolbox, but what do you do with the specialty tools like pocket-hole jigs, doorknob-cutting jigs and other things you rarely use, but want to keep organized and protected? These plastic stackable storage bins are the perfect solution. Best of all, they're clear, so you can always see exactly what's inside them.
Nothing beats having a specific home for your tools, and pick-and-pluck foam is the best way to make a custom insert for them. It's excellent for oddly shaped tools like drills and precision tools like laser levels, stud finders or electrical testers. Measure a block of foam to fit your tool drawer, trace your tool's outline on the foam, then pick the foam out, and it will leave a nearly perfect indentation for your tools to rest. Use it to line your toolbox drawers or turn any storage box into a protective toolbox.
The non-slip drawer liner is probably the first thing anyone should do when they start organizing a toolbox. A liner will put a stop to your tools sliding around every time you open a drawer or move your box around the shop. In addition to keeping your tools from rattling around, liners make it easier to clean dust, dirt and grime out of your toolbox. Just remove the liner, shake it out or wipe it down and toss it right back in.
Toolbox drawer inserts are the quickest and least expensive way to bring some order to your tools. You can even leave one on top of your toolbox or workbench as a place to collect tools as you finish with them. Inserts come in a wide variety of widths and compartments, so make sure to measure your drawer dimensions before you choose one.
Your most frequently used hand tool is probably a screwdriver. Almost nothing gets put together without a screwdriver at some point, so it's to your advantage to keep it handy. A magnetic screwdriver rack is ideal for keeping your drivers flat and neat inside your toolbox. If you're super organized, you can have one for Philips and one for flat drivers. Bonus points if you can keep them separated for more than a week.
The worst thing about digging through a toolbox? Fifty wrenches all jumbled up like your parents' Christmas lights. A few wrench organizers will bring order to the chaos in the wrench drawer. And if you screw them down to some removable plywood trays, you can lift the whole set out when needed. Buy separate colors for metric and SAE wrenches so you can quickly tell them apart.
Sockets come in three different drive sizes, two different lengths and can be either metric or SAE measurements. That's a complicated way of saying that your sockets are probably all over the place and finding the one you need isn't always easy. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of great organizers out there to help you get your sockets straightened out. This socket organizer rail stands upright for maximum flexibility.
Shortly after prehistoric people invented the hammer, humans began longing for a more precise tool for prying, bending or cutting things. Thus began the tidal wave of zillions of different pliers for every job in the known world. It's highly likely you have a few pairs lying around yourself, so treat them to a nice, magnetic organizer. Place a drawer liner underneath for any pliers that don't fit, and you'll end up with a neat home for your entire collection.
Small plastic organizers are great for sorting tool parts or for putting drill bits all in one container. They're perfect for Allen wrenches or anything else that's small and easily lost in the bottom of your toolbox.
Sometimes things just won't fit inside the toolbox, or they're so handy that you use them all the time. Those are usually great opportunities to employ a magnetic tool strip. You can stick two of them outside your toolbox, and they're strong enough to hold nearly anything you can throw at them. You can even mount them to the wall next to your toolbox, that way if you don't have time to return something to its proper place, you can hold it out for later.