Home Improvement

Small Workshop Organization Tips (& Shop Tour)

workshop shed

A little over a year ago, my dad and I finished building my new shed-shop! Since then, I have gotten tons of requests to post small workshop organization tips as well as show off my shop. So, today I’m partnering up with my amazing friends at The Home Depot to round out this shed-shop series and show off my favorite organization tips as well as my shop!

Small Workshop Organization Tips

 Check out the full shop tour and my tips for organizing on YouTube! Make sure to subscribe for more project & shop videos!

This project is sponsored by The Home Depot and is part of their ProSpective program.

Having a small shop means that I have to be really organized. If one thing is out of place, it feels like my life is closing in on me and my 144 square foot shop. So, I’m sharing some of my favorite go-to organization tips and shop updates that help keep me and my shop functioning on a daily basis.

Also… can we talk about my GORGEOUS logo sign!? Lizzy from The House of Timber made it for me and I’m obsessed. Please visit her and give her some love!

My Favorite Organization Items:

husky ratchet set

Pegboard
Pegboard Hooks
Pegboard Tool Hooks
Pegboard Organizers
Heavy Duty Shelving Brackets
Husky Workbenches
Small Parts Organizer
Miter Saw Blade (2-Pack)
Hybrid Tote with Tool Organizer
Ratchet Set With Organizer
RIDGID Shop Vac
BEHR Deck Over Paint

My Small Shop Organization Tips:

1. Hang Your Stuff

Hi my name is Sam and I am addicted to hanging pegboard in my shop. My pegboard wall is my accent wall, and I don’t know what I’d do without it! I hung the pegboard directly on the exposed studs in my shop, which allows room for the hooks to grab onto the opposite side.

how to hang tools on pegboard

If you don’t have exposed studs in your shop, you can install them over furring strips, which are installed directly into the studs in your wall.

You can hang your tools so many different ways! I use a combination of regular pegboard hooks and tool hanging hooks.

pegboard organizer bins

I also love adding accessories to my pegboards such as small baskets for anything ranging from brad nails to shop tools!

I also love getting creative with my pegboard storage. I added a small leftover piece by the entrance of my shop to hang miscellaneous items such as my safety glasses, push blocks, tape measures, and hearing protection!

diy clamp storage for walls

P.S. Hanging isn’t just for pegboards. Clamp racks are also great for storing on walls as well!

2. Get Creative About Scrap Storage – Reach For The Ceiling

In order to get my scraps off of the floor, I installed shelving brackets in two areas of my shop – one for smaller scraps and one for larger scraps.

scrap wood storage

I also stored scraps in the ceiling of my shop as well! If the space above you is available to you, use it!

3. Get Low

Another option for storage that is underused is space under your workbenches. I love storing items here that come in pre-organized cases such as my new Husky 125 PC Superior Access Ratchet Set. This set in particular has been really helpful for adjusting the wheel sets on my workbenches.

husky ratchet set

It has 2 ratchets, 115 sockets, 8 accessories, and an ultra-narrow swing arc. I’m all about this kit.

4. Go Mobile

Speaking of wheel sets… did you know that every tool/workbench in my shop is on wheels? Since my space is so small, it’s so helpful to have mobile workstations that can move out of the way. I built my own stands for most of my tools, and you can find those tutorials here and also here.

workbench on wheels

5. Maintain Your Tools

Part of organizing and keeping a shop in order is making sure your tools are in check. I always keep extra saw blades in my shop, and my blade of choice is Diablo!

diable wood blades

I love keeping two different blades around for my miter saw -a 12 in. x 44-Teeth General Purpose Saw Blade (2-Pack) for plywood, OSB, pressure treated wood, hard & softwood and a fine tooth blade for cleaner cutting. 

how to install a new blade on miter saw

6. Make A Spot For Everything

Everything in my shop has a dedicated home. I love organizing small parts that need to stay clean into my Husky 10-Compartment Interlocking Small Parts Organizer and then storing it in my workbench drawers. They have this awesome Interlocking mechanism to connect more than 1 organizer, and a handle that folds away, which is great for stacking similar items in drawers.

husky small parts tool organizer

I also take advantage of my Husky 19 in. Pro Hybrid Tote with Tool Organizer, and not just for carrying tools around! Mobile tool totes are great for organizing and storing miscellaneous items such as wrench sets and specialty tools.

husky organizer

This one in particular has a universal open center storage for larger tools 6 external pockets, 18 internal pockets and custom Pro Tool Organizer case slot, which makes organizing tools a serious breeze.

how to organize sockets

7. Liven Up Your Space

It’s amazing what a coat of paint on your walls (or floor) can do! I’ve been looking for a product to cover my floors that mimics the look of concrete and I finally found it! I used Behr’s Textured Deck Over paint to give my floor some life. I applied it using a regular paint roller, and it looks awesome! It actually dried to look like rough concrete!

how to install behr deck over paint

Surprisingly, you guys… I thought this would be hard to clean. But, I just use my RIDGID Shop Vac to clean my mess and it works like a charm! Nothing gets stuck in the texture and I couldn’t be happier!

how to clean sawdust

While this space is ever-changing, I am so proud how far it’s come and how many awesome projects I have already built in my shed-shop!

shed workshop

I can’t wait to see where it is in one year from now! I know it’s going to go by just as fast as the first year.

Have a small shop and want to save this post for later? Make sure to Pin It!

In the meantime, friends… Happy DIY’ing!

I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

Sam Raimondi

Sam is a full time psychologist and part time content creator from Long Island, New York.

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1 COMMENT

  • Steven Adams

    Very nice and spacious for its size. I’m curious on what size wheels that you use on your tool stands as well as the brand. Do they hold up well? Do they all have locks for stability and do they support well enough?

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