Storage Strategies

Whether your workshop is geared toward furniture making or scrapbooking, your stored tools and supplies should be well organized, easy to access, and out of the way. This is the best way to ensure your work surfaces are clean and ready for the next phase of a project. Depending on the type of work you do, you’ll probably need plenty of open space to facilitate large projects as needed, or to temporarily reconfigure the shop to accommodate materials that need to be cut down to a manageable size, etc. If this requires the use of shared spaces—for example, making room in the garage by pulling the car into the driveway—it helps to have tools and work surfaces that are easily moved or can be set up and knocked down quickly.

Here are some of the key strategies that help make an integrated shop work with its surroundings:

For storage, think volume, not just floor space. Shelving units that rise from floor to ceiling make better use of floor space than shelves that stop at a convenient, reachable height. The upper shelves can be filled with seldom-used items. Also look for opportunities where overhead storage can help keep the floor area and work surfaces clear. Open stud cavities in an unfinished garage or utility room offer free space for small shelves or long, thin material stored on end.

For work that involves multiple stages or tool operations, plan for mobility and adaptability. Work benches, materials racks, and even large stationary tools can be outfitted with heavy-duty locking casters so you can roll them out when you need them and roll them back when you’re done. You can build your own caster bases or shop around for compatible manufactured versions. Some power tools are designed for use with specific portable bases or come with their own folding stands, so check with the manufacturers of your tools.