Workbench Organization Ideas to Try Today

Get the Most Organized Garage Workbench in the Neighborhood

What the heck happened to your hammer?

Or those four crescent wrenches that seem to have disappeared from the rest of the set?

If you’re a diehard DIYer, your garage workbench is probably overflowing with tools, and finding anything is a quest worthy of a movie deal. But wouldn’t you rather just be able to grab the tool you need when you need it? 

We’ve got your back. From tips on pegboard organization to tool storage ideas, we’ll show you how to organize your workshop and keep it that way. 

Let’s get started.

Put Your Pegboard to Good Use

Pro-Tip: If you don’t have a pegboard, buy one with ¼ inch-diameter holes—called “large hole pegboards.” You’ll be able to use sturdier hooks that will stand up to your heaviest tools.

Tools to Hang on Your Pegboard

5 Best Workbench Pegboard Ideas

So, now that you know what tools go on your board, it’s time to get them all in order. These pegboard organization ideas make it simple to keep your workbench ship-shape.

1. Put the tools you use most often at eye-level where they’re easiest to grab. 
2. Place your next most-used tools toward the bottom of the board and the tools you use least toward the top.
3. Group similar tools in the same section of the board and arrange them by size. It’ll be instantly clear which tools go where when you’re done working.
4. Hang duplicates on the same peg to save room.
5. Leave enough space between pegs to remove the tool you need without knocking others down.

Don’t Be Afraid to Get Creative With Your Pegboard Organization:

• Install pegboard shelves to hold jars or tools that are difficult to hang.
• Use binder clips to hang a pocket organizer or tool pouch for things like brushes, zip ties and other miscellaneous objects. 
• Attach tape and wire spools to carabiners and slip the clips over a dowel rod. You won’t have to slide everything off the rod to get what you need.
• Slide a length of PVC pipe over a peg and use the open space to organize and store extension cords, rope, bungie cords etc. 

Pro-Tip: To test different layouts, make a square the same size as your pegboard with masking tape. Rearrange your tools inside it until you find the system that works best.  

 

Step 2. Level Up Your Workbench Tool Storage

10 Steps to Organize the Tools on Your Workbench

1. Decide how much work space you really need. Do you need plenty of room for cutting and tinkering? Or is your workbench mainly for storage?
2. Add a few inches to your work area as a buffer and tape off the area. Don’t forget to leave room for permanent features like a grinder or vice. 
3. Use tin cans or glass jars to hold nails, bolts, nuts and other small objects. Simple and thrifty, it’s a classic for a reason!
4. Line up the jars or cans you use most often along the back of your bench across from your work area. Use a spice rack or other stackable organizer if you’re short on room.
5. Use another stackable organizer to corral jars of less frequently used stuff at the end of your bench.
6. Store power tools and their accessories in workbench drawers. If you don’t have built-in drawers, use plastic or metal ones. 
7. Use any remaining drawers to store hand tools that wouldn’t fit on your pegboard. 
8. Glue short pieces of PVC pipe to your workbench in an easily accessible area to organize pencils, markers, rulers, levels and similar objects.
9. Attach tool aprons or pocket organizers to the front or sides of your bench if you still need more storage. Just make sure they won’t get in the way of opening any drawers.
10. Store materials like motor oil, lighter fluid and WD-40 underneath your workbench. If there’s room, put them in milk crates you can easily slide out to grab what you need.

Pro-Tip: Keep a stepstool next to your workbench so you can quickly get to any tools stored out of your reach. 

Workbench Organization That Really Works

With these workbench organization tips, you can whip your workshop into shape in no time. Then you can look forward to spending your weekends DIYing like a well-oiled machine. Got some clever workbench organization ideas of your own? Let us know in the comments. 

Want the rest of your garage to match your new-and-improved workbench? Check out our step-by-step guide to garage organization.