Gearhead Garage: Toolbox and Work Area Organization

In the automotive world, the most sacred place for all weekend warriors, speed junkies, and off-road nuts is the garage. But no matter the category of gearhead (pros included), every workshop tends to get disorganized quickly. Thankfully, there are some excellent solutions to keep even the craziest garages organized. We like to think it starts with a top-quality toolbox to keep all the smaller tools and accessories organized, and from there, the sky’s the limit. Let’s review a few core products essential for work area and garage organization, like bins, mats, carts, and more.

Choosing the Right Toolbox

When we use the word “toolbox,” we’re not just talking about the small, handheld metal lunch pail for your bolts and drill bits. (Though, those can come in handy too.) Depending on the size of the garage and the number of tools that need to be organized, users can outfit their workspace with everything from a small countertop toolbox to a rolling cart with divided sections and drawers.

Here are some criteria to consider when picking out the proper toolbox:

Size

For those smaller, one-car garages, an elaborate setup is going to be a little more difficult than, say, a fully-finished garage with plenty of overhead space and a wall area for additional mounts or hooks. It’s generally a good idea to start with getting some dimensions of your garage, so you know what’ll actually fit because there’s nothing worse than dragging that clunky metal box home, only to realize it won’t sit flush with the wall — or clear the ceiling!

Construction

Generally, toolboxes are constructed out of plastic, metal, or a combination of the two. One isn’t necessarily better than the other; it typically depends on application and needs. Smaller plastic toolboxes aren’t always as durable for stacking, so metal is usually a good option if you’re going for a stacked setup.

If you’re going for a wheeled toolbox, it’s also a good idea to check out the construction on the wheels. Some lower-end models feature flimsy plastic wheels that can wear out over time. Often, spending a few extra dollars can get you wider, heavy-duty rubberized wheels that are not only built to last but also quickly move across the garage floor. Higher-end toolboxes also have locking wheels, so you benefit from a moving toolbox that can also serve as a stationary workstation.

Concerned about security? Or maybe you have a kid who thinks they’re a handyman and rummages through the garage too often? In that case, several toolbox options also come with locks or latches to keep your tools away from sticky fingers.

Drawers

Stationary garage toolboxes often feature upwards of 20 different drawers to store all your tools and accessories, so inventorying what you need to stash and organize is also something to consider before making a purchase.

Some boxes only feature a set of narrow, wide drawers that won’t fit bulkier items like power drills, hammers, or battery packs, so make sure to check the dimensions of the toolbox drawers. If you need a toolbox that can fit both smaller items like Allen keys, bolts, and screws, as well as larger tools, check for a box that features larger drawers on the bottom and slimmer drawers on the top row.

Surface Area

If your garage is tight on space, look for toolboxes with a workbench on the top of the box. This handy feature can save you space if you’re trying to fit all your tools in the same place as two trucks and all that weekend camping gear. You can also get toolboxes that have lighting built-in to the top workspace. This convenient feature gives you a practical, compact solution for those projects that are just too messy for the kitchen table.

Drawer Organizers

Regardless of the size and number of drawers you choose for your toolbox or tool chest, ensure that what goes IN to the drawer stays organized too. Consider investing in some drawer liners for your box. They’re an inexpensive addition that helps reduce nicks and dings to the surface of your toolbox. Plus, they keep smaller items from rolling around every time you open the drawer.

Along with liners, a magnetic tray for the side of your toolbox to catch screws and bolts is a great idea. A socket holder for your wrench sockets is another inexpensive organizational tool you can scoop up on your next trip to the hardware store.

Bins, Boxes, and Racks

Now that you have a toolbox or chest to improve your workflow, it’s time to focus on the working area. The workbench is another spot that gets cluttered very quickly. Spare hardware and small parts often pile up, so hardware bins are a wise investment. You can generally find them in any parts, hardware, or tool supply store. If you’re looking to go high-end, you can spend upwards of $150, but even $20-40 will get you what you need to declutter your space.

Since more oversized items won’t always fit in the toolbox, keep an eye out for a simple pegboard. If your garage has wall space, these practical solutions give you another way to easily organize bulkier items like small power tools, hammers, wrenches, and bigger screwdrivers. Plus, they make it much easier to find your tools since everything hangs on the wall in plain sight (not crammed into a dark cabinet). Depending on the size of pegboard needed, you’re looking at a $50-$100 investment.

Think Outside the Box

More specifically, think up! Overhead racks are a great way to support bulkier items or large tools, like ladders, and save you crucial wall space in the process. Many of these overhead systems — like those built for kayaks or canoes — feature pulleys, so you can raise and lower those oversized items with ease. Heavy-duty hooks for smaller ladders and bikes also help cut down floor clutter.

Is your work area more of an on-the-go situation? Rack ‘Em Mfg offers racking solutions to neatly and securely organize your equipment and tools for safe transport. While designed for open or enclosed trailers, many of these solutions work great in garages, too!

For the garage short on floor space, consider going with wall-mounted toolboxes. You can bolt them into the wall at whatever height makes the most sense for your setup, even up high, so there’s ample clearance for parking your vehicle nose-in. And when it comes time to clean up that garage floor, you’ll be able to hit every corner without having to move things around.

Basic Accessories Go A Long Way

In addition to the small accessories mentioned above, like drawer liners and magnetic trays, there are many simple items that work to make life easier — and a little more comfortable. A headlamp or clamp-on light may not directly impact your garage’s feng shui, but it certainly provides some hands-free convenience (not to mention better illumination).

Similarly, give your feet and knees a break with a floor mat as a finishing touch. Available at any hardware or parts store, some big box stores even have a few options in their automotive section. Larger garage mats add some comfort to the workspace, too, but they also help keep things clean. They help keep the dirt and grime off the floor that might be on your boots or clothes. And depending on the mat you purchase, some are easily cleanable with a quick spritz of a hose or a rinse-off in the work sink.

Some truck bed mats – like this rubber option from Dee Zee – feature rubber cleats on the underside similar to a car floor mat. That makes them as easy to remove as they are to install, allowing the mat to double as a garage mat when you need some quick extra padding.

Make It Accessible

When it comes to accessibility and comfort in the garage, cushy floormats are just the tip of the iceberg. You can also save yourself plenty of pacing around with a rolling cart that carries all your tools and accessories.

You can use the wheeled toolboxes mentioned earlier as your cart, but you can also use a simple utility cart to improve your workflow. They come in various constructions, including heavy-duty polypropylene and metal, and some feature small built-in bins for your screws, sockets, and bolts for better organization. If you’re working with a lot of smaller parts and tools, look for a cart with a magnetic tabletop that’ll keep those pesky items from rolling off.

For those more intense repair jobs, having a creeper around the shop can also cut down on strain and give your back a break. Thankfully, designs on rolling creepers have come a long way. That clunky piece of plywood with a flimsy head cushion and wobbly wheels has given way to much more durable and ergonomic builds.

When you’re shopping for a creeper, you’ll find upgraded options like ample headrest padding, sturdier wheels, and single-piece construction that offers more protection between you and the cold, hard concrete floor. Most standard models on the market also carry a weight capacity of anywhere between 300-500 pounds, so you can rest assured you won’t have to worry about taking an unfortunate dip to the ground in the middle of a brake repair. Some higher-end creepers come with additional perks like smoother casters for multi-directional turning and magnetic hubs that serve as a bolt tray.

Easy Upgrade

Speaking of wheels, if you already have a set of toolboxes or chests you like in your shop, you can upgrade your setup with the simple addition of some casters to your existing boxes. One important thing to note if you’re adding casters onto an existing box is to install wheels capable of handling the weight load. Casters will typically have the weight load capacity on the product webpage or packaging, so make sure to take note of this before installing. This webpage also has some helpful info on estimating the proper weight capacity for your casters.

Get to Work

Regardless of whether you’re working on your daily driver, a race car, or a rock crawler, there’s a lot of open water for tools and parts to float around in the garage. There are literally hundreds of ideas to create a proper workspace. Still, it ultimately comes down to your own personal preference for staying organized. More laidback workers may not need to arrange from biggest to smallest within a particular drawer. But if that level of attention to detail keeps you in the rhythm, then go to town! The goal is to focus more on the project at hand and less on where you placed that wrench.