Drawer choices when organizing a new toolbox

[Vc1988]

So long story short, I have a new job, in a new industry, with a new toolbox and all new tools. I'm torn on how I want to set it up, both for space efficiently and work efficiently. I'm an industrial mechanic by trade and the company supplied me with a "starter set" of tools, I supplied the box and the rest of the tool. Part of that starting set was a 413pc craftsman set. So I went out and got all the organizers and whatnot and starting setting it all up. But I feel like I'm wasting the top drawer with a ton of sockets, most of which I'll likely never need.

So the question is do I go more the lay flat route and put the sockets in a thinner drawer that i don't have as many options with. Or just leave them as they are? The deeper drawers are 5 inches and the shallow ones are 2 inches deep.

Thanks, Vince

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[cheechi]

If you have something that will use the depth of the top drawer better than sockets, then do that. Sockets to me take up more flat space than they're worth in shallower drawers.

If you move the sockets all along the back of it, keep the front half of the drawer free for something you may use more often, you will probably get more use out of it. Move the rats out of there. If the blow molded case doesn't get carried out separate, either lay it flat opened in a drawer or get it out of there. If it goes with you to places stand it up in the tall drawer down below.

Whatever your most used tools you will probably have them on a tool pouch, belt, cart, etc rather than inside the box all the time anyway. I would organize that box the way it wants to be. Sockets up top, probably wrenches, rats, drivers, etc in the next 2, and then if you need to separate things with the other drawers for tasks or dirty/clean or whatever works for you. What I would do is put all the tools in there and keep one drawer empty. As you go through finding out what you use most often, put those in the single drawer and organize around what winds up filling that drawer.

 

[rsanter]

put your most used tools in the top drawer generally

can you swap the locations of the top three drawers so the two thin ones are on the top and then the deep one?

frankly looking at it if your most used tools are in the three top drawers then I think you will be fine

bob

 

[KMdef9]

I'll beat the dead horse.... organize to what you use the most from the top down. I believe Adam Savage calls it first order of retrieval.

So in my top drawers are all the most common tools, while they may not all be in the same category, I don't want to open three drawers for a single fix. My impacts and drills fill up my first drawer, so my sockets are below them laying flat. Works fine for me, I don't need a wide range of sockets and am not changing them a lot. But that's me. You may be different.

 

[Vc1988]

Thanks for the advice. When I get a chance later I'm going to see if I can swap the full length drawer around. I'll likely leave all the sockets as they are but make the top 2 my go to drawers for most tasks.

I had it in my head I wanted everything categorized and neat and whatnot. But it really doesn't make things efficient to go through 3 drawers when you need a socket/ratchet, a wrench, and a screwdriver

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[jimmyin3D]

Nice box never heard of it where did you get it?

 

[Vc1988]

Strictlytoolboxes.com after I have it a month or so I'm going to try and do a review. Other than the casters I'm impressed for the money so far.

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