Organizing your tools on shelves helps you keep your workshop, tool shed, or closet tidy and easy to get around. There are a ton of easy DIY hacks to keep your tools organized, and many are super affordable, too. Keep reading for the best ways to organize your tools on shelves.

This article is based on an interview with our closet organizer and fashion stylist, Caitlin Jaymes. Check out the full interview here.

1

Take an inventory of your tools before you start.

  1. Gather all the tools you have and get rid of ones you no longer use. This way you won't have to organize items that just take up valuable shelf space. As you make your inventory, try to list the items by groups like hand tools, power tools, and accessories. This will make sorting easier, and you'll be able to see which groups require the most shelf space.[1]
    • Hand tools include wrenches, hammers, clamps, and screwdrivers.
    • Power tools include drills, circular saws, miter saws, and nail guns.
    • Tool accessories include drill bits, batteries, battery chargers, and saw blades.
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2

Group tools on the shelves by type.

  1. Create zones on the shelves based on what you use the tools for. Think about the tools you use the most and store them together for the easiest access. You might put hand tools on a middle shelf for instance. Then, create zones for tools you use for projects. You could have woodworking tools on one shelf and painting tools in another zone.[2]
    • Categories or zones could be household tools, yard and gardening tools, or workshop tools. Refer back to your inventory to decide what zones work for you.
    • Store heavier tools on the lower shelves to prevent accidents in case they fall.
    • There's no right or wrong way to group your tools—tailor your organization to your personal use.
4

Store your small tools in bins on shelves.

6

Install a pegboard above the shelves.

  1. Hang tools on a pegboard to maximize your storage space. Measure the area above the shelf to determine the length of pegboard that you need and get a pegboard in that length. To attach the pegboard to the wall, use furring strips that match the dimensions of the pegboard. Fasten the strips to the wall with screws, then attach the pegboard to the strips with screws.[6]
    • Fasten hooks to the holes of the pegboard to hang your tools.[7]
    • Since you can find specialized hooks, you can hang pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, and even additional shelving.
    • If you need to customize the length of your pegboard, cut it with a circular saw.
9

Store bulky items in totes on the shelves.

  1. Organize awkward tools in large bins, so they're not in the way. You might have tools that roll off shelves or tools that you don't use very often, so it doesn't make sense to display them. Group these items by their use or material type and put them into large plastic totes. Set them on low shelves under your workspace.
    • To make it easier to remember what's inside, label the outside of the tote that faces outward.
    • If you've got several totes, store them on a vertical shelving unit, so they take up less space and won't topple over.
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11

Build customized shelving to suit your needs.

About This Article

Caitlin Jaymes
Written by:
Closet Organizer & Fashion Stylist
This article was written by Caitlin Jaymes and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Caitlin Jaymes is a Closet Organizer and Fashion Stylist based in Los Angeles, California. With a background in Fashion PR and Fashion Design, she specializes in creating wardrobes for her clients with pieces they already own. She has experience working with celebrities, editorial shoots, and men and women of all ages. Caitlin uses fashion and organization to help instill and influence confidence, ambition, and stress-free lifestyles for all her clients. She runs her business by two guiding principles: “fashion has no rules, only guidance on how to look and feel your best” and “life has too many stressors, don’t let clutter be one of them.” Caitlin’s work has been featured on HGTV, The Rachael Ray Show, VoyageLA, Liverpool Los Angeles, and the Brother Snapchat Channel. This article has been viewed 6,580 times.
19 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: June 13, 2022
Views: 6,580
Categories: DIY
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