While we’d all love to keep an organized workspace, it’s easy to get bogged down by stuff, especially when it comes to power tools and hardware. Their odd, bulky shapes and small accessories make them tougher to store than, say, your winter clothes.
On top of that, not properly storing your tools and hardware could drastically lower their lifespan. And who wants to buy new tools prematurely? That’s right, no one.
Thankfully, the organizational gods invented the Swiss cheese of wood: pegboard.
Pegboard is the storage classic that made even Bob Villa wax poetic. It has a place in any garage, especially since it can be easily modified to accommodate various tools and spaces.
So make your garage smile. Gift it with any of these six DIY pegboard storage ideas that will organize all of your clutter in style:
1. The Old Standby Pegboard
Sometimes the classics just work. A pegboard panel mounted across your garage wall makes it easy to hang and display tools, keeping them off the workbench until you’re ready for them.
In fact, we like the idea of hanging your pegboard directly on top of a workstation or shelving unit so your hammers are right there when you need them. The right hardware really makes a difference here, too.
We recommend using metal hooks (rather than plastic hooks, which don’t hold up to your tools’ wear and tear as well), and investing in specialized hangers for hammers and screwdriver sets.
2. The All-Dolled-Up Pegboard
If your garage doubles as a living space or home gym, you need to set up a storage area for your tools that’s as easy on the eyes as it is functional.
Fortunately, adding pegboard is a home improvement project that can fit right into even the most sophisticated of home furnishings with a little paint and a mitered frame made from molding.
A word of advice:
Always buffer the space behind the board with furring strips. This will ensure there’s enough room in back for the hooks.
3. Pegboard Panels
Are you the proud owner of a serious tool collection?
This genius pegboard storage solution is like the next dimension in pegboard panels — and it only looks complicated.
What we like about this idea is how naturally it lends itself to categorization. You could designate one panel for wrenches, one for hammers, and so on.
The only catch is the size:
At 12 inches across, those larger circular blades might not make the cut.
4. Rolling Pegboard Cart
You already have the tools, so why not put them to use?
If you’re gunning to get out the saw, you can easily build a rolling tool caddy in one afternoon. It works especially well for the handyman/handywoman who hates shuffling from workbench to wall just to retrieve a different bit.
The basic idea here is pretty simple — four pieces of pegboard attached to a wooden frame fitted with casters.
Good with a welder?
Take this double-sided approach that might be a bit easier to maneuver through a crowded garage.
5. Sliding-Door Shop Cabinet
Looking to tackle an even larger project?
This sliding door shop cabinet plan looks promising. For starters, it features pegboard panels mounted along a sliding track that offers tons of support for heavy tools.
It also has plastic hardware bins, which means no more spilled nails (your feet will thank you) or lost washers (your screws will thank you).
6. Custom Pegboard Tool Holders
Over at Popular Mechanics, Senior Editor Roy Berendsohn points out a common problem. He loves pegboard but hates how easy it is to clutter up the panel with too many tools.
His solution:
A selection of handmade tool hangers that lets you double, or even triple, the efficiency of a single area. The tool hangers look nice, too. The hand-bent steel definitely says “serious builder at work.”
And actually, DIY pegboard hangers are a craft in their own right. We’ve seen tool holders made from cut PVC, a split garden hose used to store sharp blades, and way more hacks — all of which will keep your garage humming for a while.
Top image via Flickr/mtneer_man
This article was written by Erin Vaughan, a blogger, gardener, and aspiring homeowner. She currently lives in Austin, Texas where she writes full time for Modernize. Her goal: empowering homeowners with the expert guidance and educational tools they need to take on big home projects with confidence.
