How to Organize Power Tools with a Toolbox and Shelves? 

It is often very difficult to maintain order in the workshop because so many things are stored over there, but most of them are rarely used. My tips will help to organize power tools even if you are on a budget. 

How to store power tools?

Even the proper use of a power tool does not guarantee its safety in the long run. There are basic rules for the proper storage of power tools:

• Dry rooms;
• Exclusion of direct sunlight;
• No too high or too low temperatures;
• If the power tool is not used for a long time, do regular checkup and cleaning;
• Drills and saws must be greased with solid oil or graphite grease. Also, you should place them in a plastic bag. Lubrication is guaranteed to close the access of moisture-saturated air to the metal parts;
• The sun’s rays are harmless to the metal parts of the power tool, but the plastic case and shields may be damaged due to the ultraviolet;
• In order to remain rarely used power tools in a working condition, it is necessary to turn them on, at least, once a month (even at the slowest speed);

How to organize power tools with batteries?

I’d also like to say a few words about a power tool with batteries. In this case, the rules for proper storage will depend on the type of battery – often they can contradict each other, so some power instruments can’t be stored together in the same place. 

For example, Ni-Mh-based batteries must be recharged from time to time. After a complete discharge, such a battery becomes unsuitable for further use. The safe storage of a Ni-Cd-based battery, on the contrary, requires a complete discharge.

It is recommended to store the power tool with Ni-Mh type batteries in a charged state and periodically recharge it because this type of battery does not tolerate deep discharge. A power tool with Ns-Cd batteries does not require recharging, but once again, I insist that such batteries need to be charged only in the full cycle and cannot be stored in cold weather. Li-Ion batteries do not require such strict storage rules and can be stored in a discharged state, and they are not afraid of the cold weather.

How to choose a toolbox for power tools

If you don’t have toolboxes for power tools, consider storing the instruments in the same boxes and cases. But if you buy toolboxes separately from power tools, consider buying the boxes made of frost-resistant plastic. These cases can help to store the power instruments during the cold season, in poorly heated rooms like garages or basements. 

But there are many tools when the manufacturer does not provide toolboxes. There are many tool boxes on sale, for example, a box for a drill or a box for a grinder, which you need to buy if you plan to keep your electric tool in working condition and work for many years. 

By the way, toolboxes are not only intended for storing power tools. There are varieties and sizes of tool cases: for small parts and fasteners, in the form of tubes for drills, for various construction tools, on wheels for large power tools, and many others. Toolboxes protect the instruments from the temperature changes, accidental damage, and sunlight, which affect the plastic covers. 

Where to store power tools?

I’d like to offer a few places where you can organize power tools and keep them safe: 

1. Open shelves;
2. Drawers that can save space in any workshop;
3. The right choice is metal wire baskets: durable and spacious to keep power tools organized;
4. Use IKEA hook sets (they fit almost any railing trims) to hang power tools;
5. Bulky and dangerous tools can be removed from the floor by hanging them on a special bar that is attached to the wall. Just hang them out. There will immediately be more free space on the table if you fasten the railing to the wall and store frequently used garden tools on S-shaped hooks.
6. The magnetic strip can be used as a tool storage system for any metal objects. And you may put the little things and accessories in cans;
7. Fold various wires, work gloves, and other large items in open mesh baskets;

Moisture matters: how to organize power tools

The most dangerous factor for an electric tool is moisture. All power tools must be stored in warm and dry rooms. What is the danger of increased humidity for a power tool? Moisture brings the condensate that settles on the nodes of a power tool, its insulating materials, and over time, the probability of breakdown grows significantly. 

It is impossible to remove the condensate without disassembling the power tool. Once again, think about whether to neglect the rules of storage of power tools.

How to organize power tools: common tips

• Remove the instruments that you don’t use – check the tools in your shed or toolbox, and without any regret put to the trash everything that you don’t use for ages: old paint and varnish, out-of-term fertilizers, broken tools. Place hazardous chemicals in a closed ventilated garbage;
• Fasten to the wall. Use the perforated panel where you can fasten the power tools with clamps. Large objects, for example, irrigation hoses, can be suspended from the wall and kept somewhere in a house;
• Add captions. Sign boxes where you store power tools to immediately find the instrument that you need;
• Wrap the electrical part of the instrument with polyethylene, then use a layer of newspaper, then once again the polyethylene layer for wrapping. All this multilayer protection is then fixed with a tape. Thus, you can completely block the moisture inside the tool;

Final thoughts

Now almost every house has a power tool: a drill or grinder. It is impossible to imagine any large construction without a power tool. But any repair and any construction work will end sooner or later, and the power tool requires the appropriate storage. However, a few people know that the proper storage of a power tool significantly extends its life and ultimately saves a decent amount of money. I hope my advice for organizing and storing power tools in toolboxes and without them are useful.