Best Garage Tool Organiser – 4 Great Storage Ideas

If you have a garage, the chances are you have tools. Whether I like it or not, that?s where mine have to stay when they?re not in use. At the same time, I want to keep the garage tidy and organised ? I don?t keep the car in there, but I prefer it not to turn into a dumping ground either. That?s why there?s no time like the present to share my best ideas and experiences for the best garage tool organiser.

I?ve tried a lot of things, most of which are still on display in the garage today ? meaning that tools, screws and all sorts of bits and bobs aren?t on display. My DIY efforts rarely stray far from home, so I?ve never really needed a toolbox. I prefer general storage anyway, as when a tool breaks, I?ll probably throw it out and won?t buy another until I need it. So, for those that have stood the test of time, I present my picks for the best garage tool organisers.

Organise Your Tools with Magnetic Strips

I?ll kick off with the tool organisation method that I enjoy the most, even if it might not be the best for every garage. There aren?t many things you can do in the garage to make you feel like an X-Men character ? unless you hang upside down from the rafters like Beast ? so the pure pleasure of sticking tools to the wall can prove immensely satisfying.

You?ll want to go secure with your choice of magnetic strips. Don?t feel like you?ll be sticking bikes to the wall in no time, but go for something that stands a chance to keep smaller metal tools out of the way.

Magnetic strips are great for the garage because the chances are that a thick grey line along the wall won?t ruin the aesthetic in the way it might in the living room. They are ideal for anything along the lines of trowels, garden forks and any small tools that will stick.

The Best Magnetic Strips for Garages

The decision on the best magnetic strips for garage tool storage is one where you should check reviews before you purchase. Price isn?t the indicator of quality that it often can be with garden products and several factors can guide your decision, including:

• The quality of the walls. Ideally, you?ve got a beautiful, smooth surface to work with and will have no trouble getting a self-adhesive magnetic strip to stick. That?s never a guarantee in the garage, so reliable stickiness is a must.
• The size and thickness of the strip. Magnetic strips aren?t just for use in the garage, so you?ll want to make sure you choose ones that are thick, robust and can last a while.
• The strength of the magnets. You?re looking to do a little more than keep a drawer closed or store your hairpin collection here, so you need your strips to be as strong as possible.

With all of this considered, Kraftex Magic Tape stands out as the best solution. You?ll notice in the image below that it doesn?t come on a roll ? often a telltale sign of something better suited elsewhere in the home.

Magnetic Tape [Extra Strong Premium Grade] Magnet Strips, New Super Strong Adhesive Backing for Walls, Boards, Crafts, Storage, DIY, Home, Garage and Displays [Heavy Duty Thick Roll] 32mm Wide 5 Pack

• MAGNET TAPE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS – Kraftex Magnetic tape has been tested to hold 1lb per linear inch so its strong enough to hold the things you actually want it to. Not just hair clips and tweezers but most tools, utensils and clutter. Now upgraded with our own unique super strong adhesive backing Kraftex Magnetic Tape will stick well to almost any surface and stay stuck. Perfect for home, garage, office or RV.
• THICKEST MAGNETIC TAPE ON AMAZON – Kraftex have ensured our tape is super thick (160mil) so has more magnetic power than thinner tapes. It is also 1-3/8in wide so can hold those larger household objects that often get in the way. Unlike other, thinner, narrower brands which lack the strength or surface area to give a good hold, our magnetic tape strips are super strong.
• WARNING - STRONG MAGNETS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE– Kraftex magnetic strips are real magnets so keep away from magnetic cards and electrical devices. Store knives, photos, keys and other household objects with style and ease. You can impress your family and friends with all the life hack solutions magnetic tape has to offer and get control over your space at the same time.
• DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE – With pre-cut 1ft strips that don’t peel or curl, it’s easy to get control back over your space and save time hunting for your keys or that spanner in a muddle. Kraftex magnet tape strips are wide, strong and versatile so they are perfect for organising all your magnetic items in the home, garage or office.
• GET CREATIVE WITH CRAFT DISPLAYS – Turn any surface into a display board to show off your family’s arts and crafts or stick to the back of calendar’s, pictures or pin boards to mount onto metal surfaces without damaging them. Say goodbye to nasty drawing pins and unsightly looking blu tac – Kraftex magnetic tape is a great alternative for all your home or office. Can be cut to size with strong scissors or craft knife so is ideal to use in crafts as an alternative to other fixings.

£13.49

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The strips come pre-cut and in a pack of 5. According to the manufacturer, and the reviews that back it up ? this tape can cope with 1 lb (just under half a kilogram) per linear inch. Given that a standard hand trowel weighs about 300 g or just over 0.6 lbs and that each strip is 8 inches long, you can see how this type of strip is up to the job.

Pegboards ? The Best Garage Tool Organiser for Small Tools

If you have kids or work with them, you?ve probably seen your fair share of pegboards. They have all sorts of uses throughout the home, but they?re potentially most commonly associated with the garage. Indeed, many purists would consider metal pegboards as being the most flexible and overall best garage tool organiser of all.

Naturally, if you?re storing tools ? or indeed anything in the garage ? you need something relatively robust. Don?t be tempted to go with wood or plastic if you want more usable space on the walls. Instead, you should go straight for a metal option. The best part is that they do not need to break the bank, especially given the amount of extra storage space they can provide.

What enables them to rank among the best options for tool storage is the fact that they are so flexible. The VonHaus metal pegboard pictured above comes in a set of three. You can place them vertically and side by side as shown, but there is nothing to say you have to. Each board has its own mounting holes so you can position them however you see fit.

If you don?t want to break the bank, you should also take advantage of the fact that most manufacturers don?t just sell the boards alone. They?ll also include plenty of accessories to tide you over. In the specific case of the VonHaus, you?ll also receive a total of 42 accessories. Among those extras are 24 metal hooks, nine plastic ones, a spanner holder and three buckets. This is perfect for anyone that wants to organise a garage on a budget as you get so much storage space and flexibility for your money.

Dedicated Power Tool Storage Shelves

It wouldn?t be groundbreaking to say that shelves are a good option for storing anything in the garage. However, if your goal is organisation as much as storage, then it might be worth considering unique shelves explicitly made for the job.

If you have a decent collection of power tools, they might well be too heavy for magnetic strips or pegboards, so you’ll likely have more luck with a sturdy, wooden shelf like the Dewalt Rack Storage Unit pictured below.

As you?d expect from a branded item, it?s designed with the company?s own tools in mind. If the items you?d use the storage rack for would usually be smaller or larger, you might want to ditch the rack idea and go with a wooden, boxed in solution instead.

The Best Garage Tool Organiser for Garden Tools

For garden tools specifically, you have two main options. The first is the good old-fashioned rack, although even they come with their own decision.

If you?ve still got space left over on the wall after a pegboard spree, then you can get hold of a fixed rack. Consider what tools you have and how big a rack you need, then consider whether a single row or potentially two would better serve you.

If you?re short on wall space or potentially don?t even want to store your garden tools in the garage, shed or workshop, you may wish to consider the freestanding equivalent. Options like the one pictured below can often serve as the tidiest option for large garden tools, and the fact that they are not fixed to the wall means that they?re the most flexible too ? ideal if you haven?t yet settled on the perfect storage space.

Finally, if you?re the kind of person that feels that garden tools belong in the garden, and you don?t want to devote any space in the garage or shed to them but still prefer them to be secure and tidy, it might be time to invest in a storage box.

There?s not a massive amount to say about these storage boxes ? they are containers where you keep the tools. You get the tools out when you need them and put them back when you?re finished. That?s all there really is to it, although you should consider which features matter most to you and that you?re willing to spend a little more on. Most owners prefer their storage boxes to be lockable, while others are concerned with design and want their box to match up with the tone and style of the rest of their outdoor space.