How to Organize Tools with Tool Chest and More

Some days back, I organized my shop, cleaned everything up, and showed you ways to save space with a bunch of ideas and hacks for my tools. Today, we’re going to organize our tool chest using some accessories and hacks from online and Harbor Freight to clean it up a bit because a messy tool chest is a hassle, as I know personally.

1. Magnetic Plier Holders

Firstly, one of the most handy things I’ve added to my tool chest is the magnetic plier holders. I bought these about five years ago. Before that, my pliers were just thrown in there, creating a mess. Now, because I’ve bought more pliers in the last five years, it’s starting to pile up again. So, I picked up some plier racks from Harbor Freight. They offer various kinds, including a metal rack that’s similar to a bent closet shelf. I chose one that looks decent, with an aluminum bottom and adjustable dividers, so you can fit any pliers or wrenches. We’ll try them out and see if we can make this drawer better.

2. Sockets

Secondly, sockets are probably the most organized tools out there, with many ways to organize them. However, not all organization products that come with them are good; they can be hard to get in and out or don’t fit in your drawer well. Harbor Freight has several socket organization accessories, like metal clips which I like for Allen sockets or sockets I don’t use a lot. They also have plastic trays, which are not the best, but when you have many sockets, they’re more affordable than other options. They make them for standard and metric sockets in quarter, 3/8, and half-inch drives.

3. Wrench Holders

Thirdly, many of us are familiar with wrench holders. There’s nothing wrong with them, and some even have holes to hang up. But, taking wrenches out is like a jigsaw puzzle, which is why I prefer the type with a magnetic bottom that sticks to the drawer. When organizing, make a ‘V’ because big wrenches are longer than short ones. Magnetic wrench holders allow you to easily pick up and return wrenches, instantly noticing if one is missing.

4. Screwdriver Racks

Fourth, screwdriver racks are really handy. The one I have holds 14 screwdrivers, alternating between a small side and a big side, so you can put the handle on one side and the shaft on the other. The magnetic screwdriver holders I’ve been using work by laying the shafts in them, and the magnets keep your screwdrivers organized. Harbor Freight has several kinds, including bit holders with a magnetic bottom, which are great for electric screwdrivers.

5. Tools with Holders

Fifth, a good way to keep tools organized is to buy them with holders. Good tools usually come with good holders, like Snap-on and Mac. Harbor Freight’s new brand, Icon tools, also come with their own tool holder, which is pretty cool. They are more expensive, but not as much as Mac or Snap-On. It’s worth noting that most tools now, even big-name ones, are made in China. Snap-On has been caught putting their name on Chinese wrenches, and they’ve been called out for it. They built their brand on being made in the USA, but now only the most basic tools are actually made there. If I’m going to pay for Chinese tools, I’d rather pay a Chinese price at Harbor Freight than an American price for Chinese tools.

6. Ratchet Holders

Sixth, finding holders for ratchets is a bit harder. However, I’ve bought ratchets that come with their own holders, like the GearWrench ratchets with flexible heads. You can also create custom holders using mats from Harbor Freight. Trace out your tools and cut the mats to fit your ratchets. I glued two mats together for mine, but you can also buy thick knee mats for this purpose.

7. Drawer Mats

You know most tool chests come with these drawer mats. they’re just like a soft rubber. but if yours didn’t come with them, you can buy rolls of this stuff at Harbor Freight. They had the smooth drawer mats. and they have this type of material like this. It’s not smooth made to get a better grip I guess but they do have both kinds at Harbor Freight. If you have some tools that you don’t have some type of holder for. these actually work good because they keep stuff from sliding around inside of your drawer.

8. Plastic Trays and Dividers

Now Harbor Freight sells these plastic trays and these trays are designed to go in your well box drawer. I actually do use these trays in my tool chests. I think they make like three different sizes of these things. These little dividers that you can put in your tool chest come in really handy for organizing all of your tools. I actually use these to organize all of my extensions and some of my other little parts

9. Harbor Freight Add-ons

Now one of my favorite things that you can get at Harbor Freight for tool chests are the add-ons that they have. They have add-ons that basically holds my rubber gloves. All these add-ons come with magnets on the back of them and they stick right to any tool chest. You could also use this one for like Kleenexes, I guess. They got drink holder add-ons which I keep my water in while I’m working. They come with magnets on them, you just stick them right to your tool chest. Then you can put your order in there. This one here has like a spray can holder. I guess you could put paint in it. I keep WD-40 in mine and it has like a screwdriver holder made into it. They’ve got some that’ll hold paper towels for you. They’ve got add-on shelves that you can add on to your tool chest. They got all kinds of stuff. They even sell magnets to match your tool chest that’s got hooks on them and you can hang stuff like drop cords or whatever on it. They’re kind of like these hooks that I got in my tool chest that I hang my golden whisker awards which is like a YouTube channel thing that they do every year and I’ve won a couple of them. These little hooks right here are cool but I really like the ones that they got for bigger stuff that matches your tool chest too. I picked one of these up at the same section. What it is is a power strip. It’s got five plug-ins and it’s got two USB plug-ins. It comes with magnets already on it. I was thinking about putting this one on my weld table. I think these were actually designed for the roll around quartz. This thing’s got some strong magnets on it too but see my idea was like put this thing right here on my well cart. But now that I got this strip on my weld table instead of having to plug everything to my drop cord unplug it plug it back in unplug it plug it back because I’m usually going from my welder to my grinder and to my saw and stuff like that. But now instead of having to plug it up and unplug it I can just plug this drop cord right into this power strip and I can plug everything in here and I don’t have to keep doing that. That’s actually a cool little idea and I’ve seen something there that’s pretty cool they got a cordless drill holder.

10. Add-on Tool Chests

You know how every tool chests has this lip right here like this is the bottom cabinet and then you got the top chest on top of it but there’s always a lip on each side and all the way around to the back. You can buy an add-on tool chest and it just hangs by that lip. The ARTMAN® CD1201 Tool Chest & Cabinet Combo is highly recommended considering its affortability. You can get one of these add-on tool chests and hang it on that lip right there and then you’re adding storage and organization to your existing tool chest instead of buying a new toolbox. I think that’s pretty cool.

11. Weld Carts

I’ve had my welder but I wanted to point out that Harbor Freight sells well carts that are basically just nothing but tool boxes, which really comes in handy for organizing your weld tools. Using a tool chest for a weld cart was not Harbor Freight’s idea by any means. Welders have been doing this for years. I got an awesome one and I got a video on how I made this. This wasn’t my idea neither but it’s still cool to have a way to organize all your tools, even your weld tools. By the way, if you’re interested in welding, I got a welding video that I just did a few weeks ago.

12. Hanging Tools

Another way you could organize tools is just by hanging them up. My tool chest has this magnetic strip made in the back of it. Harbor Freight sells magnetic strips if you don’t have any in your tool chest that you could add to it. Something else I’ve noticed about the new tool chests is a lot of them are coming out with pegboard on them. Honestly, at first, I wasn’t crazy about it. I’m starting to kind of like those pegboard toolboxes and some of the shelves and brackets and stuff that they’re making for them are made really good and heavy. My wife actually has a pegboard in her craft room but I think she got hers from Ikea. I mean look at it’s really cool pegboards have come a long way since I was a kid and Harbor Freight has a great selection of pegs that go on your pegboard if you want to organize your tools that way.

Well, that should help us get our tool chest a little bit neater, you know what I’m saying, because I love stuff being more organized.

In conclusion, organizing your tool chest can make a significant difference. A neat and organized workspace is more efficient.