could you completely rearrange your toolbox?

[CutterFarms]

I have a kr1000 and a Rick Mears triple stack box and know where every tool is and in which drawer they are in. I work out of my box every day on the farm, there is always something wrong with something. That being said I really don't like the way I have things organized because of shallow drawers and built in dividers. I have made up my mind the dividers are coming out today, and I know your going to say they are there for stiffness but I have same drawers in same box without the dividers, so I seriously doubt snap on made drawers without dividers stronger than the ones with them. Anyway, do you think you could get used to your tools in different drawers after working out of it forever or would it drive you crazy opening the wrong drawer all the time where the tool used to be?

 

[chrisnazzy]

I also know where every tool is in every drawer of my box. I can be laying under a truck and tell someone what tool I need and exactly which drawer it is in. I think it would be a pain to completely rearrange the whole box. I suppose it wouldn't be any different than getting a new box and reorganizing into it though. You would get use to it I guess.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

 

['52Chevy]

I am in the Air Force. We have 2 large Snap On Boxes(I think 72"). Everyone in my shop works out of one box(F16 Crew Chiefs). We usually use one box, but we took the other one on our deployment. The first 2 months of the deployment were super confusing, and now the first few months back are the same way trying to get used to the "better" box again. And those boxes are almost the same with some minor differences. I can't imagine doing a full on mix up...

 

[nikh]

I have changed organizational schemes and even boxes a few times in the past few years, it takes a bit of time to train yourself where everything is. That being said, once you have things set up the way you want, it will save you time and frustration. Unless you have all of your tools shadowed in place, it really wouldn't take that much time to change it back.

 

[LXCam]

Screws me up for months when I do it. But once I get used to it, have not regretted it at all. Heck I'm 9 months into my new box and still forget where it is I put certain odd ball tools.

 

[CutterFarms]

For instance I have pliers in shallow drawers laying flat, but if in wrench rack in deeper drawer it would probably open up 2/3 of that drawer. I hate super shallow drawers

 

[JJThrasher]

I've completely rearranged boxes several time in my career. Confuses the mooches more than me.

 

[bdelmar2]

I think your organizational issues might stem from the Rick Mears box more than anything.

This last time I had to enlarge my tool collection I got a similar box, not the Mears edition, but the same box.

Top, mid, bottom, and 2 side cabinets (the one with 3 small top drawers and one just divided into 2 sections), plus a hanging wall box all in really good condition except some light surface rust from being stored, for $500.

I was really pleased with the deal, until I tried to actually use it.

Nothing fit at all. I think those boxes were made when everything was sae. The dividers don't work well for anything really, and even if you ignore that, the drawers aren't deep enough to hold hardly any modern set of anything.

Sure you can pile stuff in there if you take it out of its case, but even racks of sockets don't fit well. The drawers are all fairly shallow and not much clears that way either, so you can't stand the racks up in most of them.

I ended up giving the box to a friend who has a mac box of a similar vintage and isn't real picky about how tools go in.

I wanted something a little more portable than the 660/550 set I also have, but the Mears style set (forget the numbers) just didn't work out at all.

 

[Pitalplace]

I've completely rearranged boxes several time in my career. Confuses the mooches more than me.

And the wife, I have to laugh every time she asks where did you put ----

 

[rsanter]

Yes you can
It takes 1 to 4 weeks to get used to the new setup depending on how much you are getting into it

You can also use a label maker on the less used drawers to give you a hint as to what is there till you get used to it

Bob

 

[crewchief888]

the top box the OP is referring to is the most useless top box i've ever seen.

i have 2 of them in the garage, theres no way i could actually work out of them.

my working tools have pretty much been in the same location (drawer wise) since '04.

i'm a little less "organized" in the garage, with a larger variety of tools than i keep on hand in my service truck.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I have 2 triple stacks, all CM except for one Mac top box. I know where everything is. When I am at work, wife or son need a tool, I can tell them exactly where it is.

When they are finished, they are not allowed to put the tool(s) away. They go in a plastic box on the work bench. I put them away, that way I know where everything is.

 

[L5wolvesf]

I've rearranged once and expended a couple times. It takes a while to flush the old info out and have the new layout embedded. The gf got a Craftsman box just for my home C'man stuff she knows where things are in my boxes - sometimes better than I do.

 

[Tim37]

It will be like buying a new box without spending the moneu

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Yep. Rearranged it 5 times in two weeks still can't get it right. Need more space. But never have a problem saying it's in such drawer even after reorganizing earlier or day before


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[K-Dog]

Just thinking about it makes my head hurt....

 

[T45]

Anyone who buys a new box goes thru this. It might help to ease the pain if you invest in some organizational improvments (like rails, racks, foam etc). Not really a cure all but it will force you to rethink if nothing else.

 

[tonyciambrone]

Yes. I have probably gone through 10 or so iterations thus far. It's always better each time but probably never finished.

 

[stikman56]

No no no no no no no. We moved into this house we built, and 10 months later I still don't know where stuff is in the drawers. Same thing with a tool box. Too much frustration comes with that for me.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I also know where every tool is in every drawer of my box. I can be laying under a truck and tell someone what tool I need and exactly which drawer it is in. I think it would be a pain to completely rearrange the whole box. I suppose it wouldn't be any different than getting a new box and reorganizing into it though. You would get use to it I guess.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

yup thats me. I could even tell them what tool is next to the one i need. I could rearrange my box, but it would probably be moving one drawer to another or arranging them so they fit better.

 

[-Brent-]

I have been rearranging both my toolboxes and my hardware storage. Talk about resetting your brain!

It doesn't take all that long to get used to the new location but now that certain things have a new home, I really would like to get similar items in a similar location. Opening 5 different drawers does get old after a while for oddball stuff that I can never seem to remember, which is why I am looking at getting a label maker/embosser.

 

[MikeF2316]

Of course, when you buy a new, bigger box you have to redo organization. It's been 3 years since I got a bigger box, and now I just added a side cab. And for the first time in my life, I've put labels on toolbox drawers.

 

[Dust]

I reorganized a few times when I had a set of smaller boxes, then once when I upgraded to a KRL-7023. Though admittedly, I've been wanting to reorganize again lately, because I think I'm getting complacent with my current setup, and there are a few things that I open multiple drawers for when I really could be opening one.

 

[BajaBound]

I am in the process of moving to a larger box.... what a pain in the *** lol. Moving from a HF 56 to a new tool vault 72. I love the new box but getting organized is a work in process.

 

[drewvdw]

I have, although not all at once. I used to have all of my sockets/ratchets in one drawer, eventually I decided to get 3/4 drive sockets and they needed their own drawer. I ended up separating all of my drive sizes and I couldn't be happier.

 

[PhantomEB]

I could but I headed down the path of way more storage via overhead cupboards, if I find I don't use it much I rather climb the small ladder and get it from there. Opens up my floor space that way.

Hoping to downsize eventually to a 27" wide box for my hand tools.

 

[winlinmac]

It's not just about buying a buying a bigger box. I personally like smaller modular portable boxes / cart which you can roll around. Just recently picked up the Waterloo top / bottom from Lowes (perfect for my needs), and thinking now how to rearrange the adjacent cabinets.

 

[APEowner]

I've totally rearranged my tool storage maybe five times in the 30+ years that I've been working with tools. It always takes me a while to get used to the new system but it's also some of the joy of a new tool box without the expense.