Tool Storage Ideas for Garage
There are so many reasons to keep your tools organised in one place: it’s easier to find what you need when you need it, you can free up other storage areas, and you can secure the storage spot to keep your tools safe and sound.
If you’re looking for garage tool storage ideas and inspiration, this post has you covered. We’ll round up a handful of simple and effective solutions you can use to keep your tools organised.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Tool cabinets and chests
- Wall-mounted tool racks
- Pegboards and magnetic tool holders
- Tool shelving units
- Toolboxes, bins & carts
- Modular tool organisation systems
Let’s get started.
Tool Cabinets and Chests
What is it? Tool cabinets and chests are dedicated storage systems for tools, varying in size according to your needs and often featuring drawers, hooks, and other options to keep your tools organised.
Why is it helpful? A tool cabinet or tool chest is helpful because it is designed specifically for storing tools and keeping them out of harm’s way when they’re not in use. And with plenty of options available, it’s easy to find something suited to your space and tool collection.
What to look for:
- If you’re looking for storage for a particular spot, make sure the cabinet or chest is the right size. Some have handles on the side to facilitate movement, so these should be factored in.
- Also consider whether or not you want your storage to have wheels. If so, then a rolling cabinet is probably the better choice: these are great when you need the option to move your tools between jobs.
If you need a hand choosing the right tool chest, check out our guide: Which Tool Chest do I Need?
Wall-Mounted Tool Racks
What is it? A wall-mounted tool rack is a purpose-built storage unit you mount on a garage wall, ideal for keeping tools organised and out of the way of work areas.
Why is it helpful? A wall-mounted rack is great if you need easy access to tools: much easier than rummaging around in a chest. They’re also great if space is limited and you can’t fit storage on the floors or surfaces of your garage.
What to look for:
- Check that the rack is designed to accommodate the tools you’re looking to store. For instance, the one in the image above is for power tools and the storage area is shaped accordingly.
- Do you need secure storage? Some wall-mounted tool racks feature lockable storage cupboards: great if you have expensive accessories that you want to keep safe and secure.
- Do you need power? Both wall-mounted tool racks we’ve featured so far have charging capability, with power sockets and USB charging ports available for charging tools. If you’re not storing power tools this probably won’t be necessary.
Pegboards and Magnetic Tool Holders
What is it? Pegboards and magnetic tool holders are another tool storage solution, often wall-mounted, utilising a surface designed to hang tools. With pegboards, a grid of holes is used to hold tools with hooks or in trays. With magnetic tool holders the concept is the same, except magnets are used to adhere the tools to the surface rather than hooks.
Why is it helpful? Pegboards and magnetic tool holders are very versatile, thanks to their simple design and the range of options they present. Whether it’s on a workbench or a wall, a pegboard or magnetic tool holder lets you store whatever combination of tools you wish, in any configuration you like - much less limiting than the bays in the wall-mounted tool racks above.
What to look for:
- Make sure the pegboard or magnetic storage you get is the right size for your space. Pegboard is often easy to cut down to size with a saw or similar tool, but magnetic storage might be trickier. And in either case, it’s easiest to start with the size you need in the first place.
- Find out what type of hooks and storage solutions you can use with the pegboard. There’s an array of hook shapes and sizes to choose from, as well as storage trays and more.
- When mounting a pegboard on a wall make sure you leave space behind the pegboard for the end of the hooks to go through, otherwise you might find yourself stuck in a position where the holes can’t be used. Pegboard kits usually have chocks to help you do this, but it’s still worth keeping in mind.
Tool Shelving Units
What is it? A vertical unit with a number of shelves, free for you to store whatever you need. Sometimes good old fashioned shelves are the best solution for your tool storage!
Why is it helpful? A shelving unit offers you a lot of space with very few restrictions on what you can store there: you’re not limited to certain types of tool, and you aren’t limited to what can fit in drawers or on hooks. Instead, you have full control over the space available: great if your tool collection is in flux, or if you want to swap a bit of organisation for a lot of accessibility.
What to look for:
- Make sure your tool shelves are heavy duty: tools are heavy and can be fragile, meaning you want full assurance that the shelves can adequately hold their weight.
- When storing stuff on your shelves, check that you don’t exceed the weight limit of each individual shelf. Doing so can reduce structural integrity and increase the risk of damage.
- Check the shelves fit the space you have to work with, bearing in mind that storage above the top shelf won’t be factored into the product dimensions.
- Also check whether the shelves need to be secured to the wall: shelving units tipping forward can be very dangerous, as they present a crushing hazard. Your product instructions will give information on whether this is required and, if so, how to do it safely.
Toolboxes, Bins & Carts
What is it? The quintessential tool storage system, a toolbox is portable, versatile, and ideal for storage in your garage between jobs.
Why is it helpful? Everyone can benefit from a toolbox, from the professional handyperson through to the DIY amateur. It’s a simple, convenient space to store a selection of tools you need frequent access to, portable enough to carry with you for use on any job. Tucked away easily in the garage, then slipped into the car boot or carried to where you need it, a toolbox brings convenience and ease of use to your work.
What to look for:
- Check the toolbox is big enough: there are many toolboxes available, with differing sizes and internal configurations. Some will just be a single space enclosed by the box, while others will have trays and separated sections to give you even more organisation options - take time to find the box (or boxes!) that fit your needs.
- Does it lock? Some toolboxes, like the one above, clamp shut but do not have locks. If you’re likely to need to leave your tools somewhere they might be at risk, you may want to opt for a lockable box.
Modular Tool Organisation Systems
What is it? A modular tool organisation system is a specially designed solution where multiple compatible storage units can be joined together for storage and transport purposes.
Why is it helpful? Sometimes you need to take a lot of tools out on a job, and a single toolbox just isn’t enough to transport the tools stored in your nifty, static garage storage. A modular solution is perfect here: you can load the tools you need into different sections and join them together for easy transport.
What to look for:
- Modular systems offer neat solutions for keeping tools safe during transit: check whether yours has what it needs before buying.
- Find out what sections you can buy and decide whether these are suitable for your needs.
- Bear in mind that you’ll be limited to other sections made by the same manufacturer, meaning that modular storage locks you into a brand.
Storage Options SGS Engineering
There are plenty of tool storage options available for your garage. Whether you go for a simple chest for all your tools, or a fully bespoke combination of cabinets, racks, and toolboxes.
Whatever storage you decide to go for, we can help. Our extensive range of garage tool storage has solutions for everyone, from professional tradespeople through to budding DIY enthusiasts. Take a look today or get in touch with our team: we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.