How to Store Tools in a Small Shed or Cupboard

Small space, big mess

It starts innocently enough with a hammer here and a spray bottle there, and then one day the cupboard door won't shut and somewhere in the middle of it all is the screwdriver you bought twice because you couldn't put your hand on the first one. That isn't untidiness, it's a layout problem, and it's fixable in an afternoon.

What the clutter actually costs you

Beyond the obvious half hour spent hunting for a spanner, gear stored badly costs you in ways that add up quietly.

• Double purchases. Buying what you already own but can't put your hand on.
• Damaged gear. Tools jammed in together, or left somewhere damp long enough to go rusty.
• Safety. Chemicals and sharp things stored where anybody can reach them.
• Lost motivation. Nothing kills a Sunday project quite like a twenty minute search for the gloves.

Use the vertical space

This is the single biggest win and it costs almost nothing. Wall hooks and screw hooks get your saws and garden tools up off the floor where you can see all of them at once, and even the back of the laundry door will take a small shelf for brushes. Anything hanging up is something you're not digging through a tub to find.

Self-adhesive hooks suit a rental or a painted surface where you don't want screw holes in the wall. In a shed with timber studs or a masonry wall, screw hooks or cup hooks into something solid will hold real weight for years.

Divide it up with clear containers

Clear tubs let you see what's in them without opening anything, and stackable ones use the height of a cupboard properly instead of wasting it. Label each one by category so you're reading rather than rummaging. Colour-coding the lids sounds fussy until the first time it saves you ten minutes.

Repurpose what you've already got

A toolbox is great, but so is an old esky or a tackle box you've stopped fishing with. Spice racks make surprisingly good homes for glues and touch-up pots. An unused broom cupboard turns into a decent vertical store with a couple of shelves in it. None of this is about buying more stuff.

Keep the chemicals separate, always

Cleaning products and tools don't belong together. Damp air around a mop bucket will rust steel faster than you'd believe, and anything corrosive sitting next to your power gear is asking for trouble, so give the cleaning supplies their own caddy well away from the tools.

If you can put a shelf up high for the chemicals, better again. That keeps them out of reach of kids and pets, which matters a good deal more than the tidiness does.

The best storage isn't pretty, it's predictable

Think of your shed like a well-run job site where every tool has a parking spot. It isn't about being a neat freak. When everything has a home you stop thinking about where things are and just grab what you need on the way past.

Get into the habit of resetting the space when you're finished. Wipe the tools down and put the caps back on properly. Anything that isn't going to earn its spot next time can go in the bin now rather than in six months, and five minutes of that saves you twenty later.

Ask yourself this

If I needed my hex keys in a hurry, could I get to them without shifting six buckets and swearing? If the answer is no, it's time to sort the storage out.

Shop related products

• Plastic Bucket with Lid 5L. A cheap lidded container for the awkward odds and ends.
• Standard Utility Knife with 4 Spare Blades. Worth a dedicated spot so it stops going missing.
• Toolking Power Bit Set 208pcs. A cased set keeps bits together instead of loose in a drawer.
• Uni-Pro Canvas Drop Cloth 1.5m x 3.6m. Handy for covering gear that lives in a dusty shed.

Did you know we also stock cup hooks, screw hooks, self-adhesive hooks and shouldered cup hooks in a fair range of sizes in the shop, along with work gloves. Those aren't all on the website, so give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what's on the shelf.

Where to go next

If the small stuff is the part beating you, this one goes into it properly:

• How to organise screws and nails so you can find them
• Essential Tools Every First Time Homeowner Should Have

There's a fair range of hand tools on the website if you find a gap once everything is finally visible.

My own shed is a work in progress and probably always will be, but the hooks went up years ago and they're the one bit I've never had to redo.

Cheers,
Candeece

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