Tool Storage Dilemma

[northsidechicagoguy]

Looking for advice - I don't have pics, so I apologize in advance. When I moved into my house, I found a workbench and pegboard in a small room in the basement that also contained the furnace and other household mechanicals. In stored my tools there a while, but was reticent to use the bench nexus I didn't want to saw, etc. so close to the furnace. A few years later I moved all my tools to the garage, set up pegboard, and hung most handtools there with other stuff in boxes. Fast forward to now, two kids later and a whole lot more accumulated ****. I am debating on using just the pegboard in the basement and having some shelves to hold tools, and getting a portable bench for the garage so if I have a project I haul up what tools i need. I need the damn wall space in the garage too much. I'm also going to be installing a hanging unit over the garage door and a floor in the attic to store stuff.

Has anyone resorted to this? I feel like it's going to be a pain in the ***, but this way I can live in some semblance of organization. I need some sort of a pegboard, for saws and whatnot, otherwise I'd just keep my various toolboxes on a shelf in the garage as well.

Thanks!

 

[RWorth]

too many variables, what do you have for tools? what do you work on or build? Do you have room for a shed outside the garage?

personally I would think tools in the cellar would be a royal pain in the ***.

 

[maxpower_hd]

too many variables, what do you have for tools? what do you work on or build? Do you have room for a shed outside the garage?

personally I would think tools in the cellar would be a royal pain in the ***.

I agree. Tools in the garage, **** taking up space in said garage in the basement. Or build a shed.

 

[Empty Pockets]

in the past, i have had to use the basement for tool storage. Always a pain to drag out tools, as you always forget something and make a bunch of extra trips to the tool box.

 

[Sticks McGee]

I am not real squeezed for space but a few years ago I put together a nice bag for tools I would most likely use in the house. This way I could just grab it and it had most things I would need. I keep seperate storage bins for things like electrical or plumbing so I can grab those supplies out of those bins and put in the work bag. What I found was gathering said tools off of pegboard or out of tool box to put in the bag and do the job and put them all away after was a pain in the ***. This bag was hand tools. If the project involved an automotive repair that was a seperate issue altogether. I also had separate stuff set aside for picture or shelf hanging.

Like said by others there are a lot of variables in your situation but I myself hate having to make trips back and forth for tools.

 

[jimgood]

Northside, I prefer tools as close as possible to where I work. For me, there's little worse than having to walk more than a few steps to retrieve a tool I didn't know I'd need on a project.

If I were in your shoes, I'd assess whether the stuff in the garage really needs to be in the garage. You have to decide what your threshold is for considering something that is mostly stored vs. something that is mostly used. Anything that is mostly stored, I would put it in the basement. Maybe that will help you get back the space you need for your tools.

Also, you could consider wall cabinets with doors. Put pegboard on the doors. That way you have the best of both worlds; your tools are accessible and the stored stuff is behind them.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I use the workbench in my furnace room quite a bit. Not big projects where I produce a lot of dust or fumes, but the room isn't big enough for those anyway.
I'm not afraid to shorten a board or drill a few holes in there.

 

[Jo Diesel]

Harbor Freight 44" tool box. Doubles as a work bench. When first if full buy another one. Now 88" work bench. Moves around and use it where you need it. I have enough **** to hang on wall with out putting all my tools on peg boards.

 

[engineer2]

I built a nice basement workshop, but it turned into to junk storage room. Too isolated from the garage, and carrying stuff up and down the stairs was a real pain. I'm building a shed for my storage issues to free up space in the basement and garage.
So it will be...
Basement: Storage for temperature/humidity sensitive stuff, household ****.
Garage: Main workshop, tools
Shed: woodworking tools, outdoor tools, parts washer, sandblast cabinet.

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

Thanks all - sorry for not being specific. I do basic "handyman" diy work - so projects are irregular. I have accumulated a significant number of tools for electric/plumbing/general carpentry through the years of doing repairs, etc.

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

I built a nice basement workshop, but it turned into to junk storage room. Too isolated from the garage, and carrying stuff up and down the stairs was a real pain. I'm building a shed for my storage issues to free up space in the basement and garage.
So it will be...
Basement: Storage for temperature/humidity sensitive stuff, household ****.
Garage: Main workshop, tools
Shed: woodworking tools, outdoor tools, parts washer, sandblast cabinet.

Will you actually be doing work in the shed?

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

I use the workbench in my furnace room quite a bit. Not big projects where I produce a lot of dust or fumes, but the room isn't big enough for those anyway.
I'm not afraid to shorten a board or drill a few holes in there.

Good point. The room is definitely not big enough to do anything big in. It's just totally a pain in the **** to have to run downstairs when I want tools.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Build a few of these:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265234

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

Build a few of these:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265234

Nice! Thanks!

 

[Jo Diesel]

I have my plumbing in 1 tool box oversized fittings in another tool box electrical in 2 tool boxes, a tote with painting equipment. They are all up on a self together along with my roto zip skill saw. sawzall and a few other things. I used junk yard paint to label boxes. I forget things makes it easier.
I regularly have to pack up and go to my kids houses for projects. Makes it a lot easier.

 

[engineer2]

Will you actually be doing work in the shed?

Not much, since I have to run an extension cord for now. Probably limited to occasional:
Repairing of yard equipment
Repairing wife's yard ****.
Parts cleaning and sandblasting
Will probably keep a box and pegboard with the junky tools out there.