13 Easy Ways to Organize a Messy Woodworking Shop

Use these 13 shop organization tips in your woodworking shop or garage to get organized!

🎥 What to Watch Next:

➤Plans from this video:

➤Tools/Supplies Used (affiliate):

More content, early access, FREE plans, video credits

➤Support the FTBT Channel:

➤Thank you to these partners for supporting my channel. Go check them out!

➤FOLLOW ME on Social Media:

Shop organization is a must for an efficient shop. Having a place for everything and everything in its place will help you get more done with less stress. Wood storage is the first item to tackle and you can use wall mount racks or a mobile lumber storage cart. But most importantly have a rule what scrap wood you will keep. Small parts storage is the next biggest item and you need to have good small parts organizers with great labeling so you can know where everything is at. Cordless power tool storage is next and having a dedicated place for your tools is going to save you a lot of hassle and searching. But the biggest thing you can do to organize your shop is have customized or custom built shop cabinets. This is the game changer and will make your shop storage what you always wanted it to be!

[Fixthisbuildthat]

Take your shop to the next level with custom cabinets!

[gcp]

TIME STAMPS!

0:33 Have a scrap wood rule
1:49 Have a dedicated space for offcuts
2:25 Use all of your available space
3:31 Use bench top organizers for small parts
5:32 Use portable organizers for small parts
6:50 Add tray to drawers for extra storage
7:20 Use stackable containers in drawers
8:08 Create a space for cordless tool storage / keep frequently used items accessible, not hidden away
9:50 Think about your needs today and in the future
10:30 Use pegboard storage
11:57 Use a french cleat system
12:45 Customize your cabinets (i.e. cabinet drawers, door cubbies, etc.)
14:09 Build your own custom cabinets

I tend to refer back to this video to remind myself of best practices lol

[vickimontemayor]

I’m 75 and getting back to furniture flipping for myself, family and friends. My son and dil are having a creative cottage built for my 75th birthday. I’m still trying to decide how to organize my tools and paint. Thanks for sharing. I got some great ideas👍👍👍

[SaltyVibrations]

My shop is not disorganized, tools are 'strategically' laid out on every horizontal surface for accessibility and streamlining

[creggfterasa]

By far the best "Organize your shop" video I've seen. Most are very Basic and dont have anything amazing. 5his has so many little tips that make a huge difference. Thanks for sharing.

[benyoutube]

I noticed your sandpaper drawer. One helpful change I've made in the last few years is adding a filing cabinet to organize sandpaper by grit and type. Plus, most sheets are 8-1/2 x 11, so they fit nicely in hanging folders. And over time, it's been a useful way to organize saw blades, manuals, reciepts, etc. It's been a game changer. Great job, and thanks for sharing!

[GeorgeCooper_LoneWolf]

Your storage is nothing short of amazing (Respect) So I have only one thing to say "please" come and sort my shop out.

[joeymerrell]

I like organizing my tools, but the Toddler Relocation Service that is employed at my house makes it difficult to locate small tools most days.

[mikegarrett]

The "French Cleat Rail" is a great idea!! I need that versatility to build different sized storage boxes as my tool collection gets bigger. The storage unit for extra project wood is great too. I have so many buckets of wood in my shop hogging up all that valuable floor space. THANKS!

[fps]

Lots of good ideas here. Instead of labels I fasten a sample of the contents to the small parts drawers. Much quicker to find than reading labels. I can recognize sizes of screws and nuts by sight.

[mikeforster]

Great video!. Don't know if you have already done it yet but you should do a shop tour showing how and where things are located and stored. This will be helpful for those of use who are building a shop.Thanks

[Tensquaremetreworkshop]

Different rule for offcuts- save everything until dedicated space is full. Then replace pieces with better pieces as they happen. So the parts you keep are the best you could keep. Optimum.
Little drawers means that, even if they are labelled, you need to check exactly what they are (e.g. brass, domed countersunk, slot head, 25mm, dual thread, full length thread, no 8 screw is a long label...)
Having trays in a drawer means you can see them all at once. And still lift out the tray. You want slim drawers as wide as possible- nothing stacked in drawers!
Agree that open storage and pegboard is the best primary storage.

[wiseoldfool]

Excellent tips. Brad nailed it! I totally agree with "A place for everything and everything in its place", and "Use labels". A labeler is the first tool you should get for your shop. Well first after the bottle opener, that is.

[alexknight]

I'm looking to buy my first home and I am totally doing the sander storage idea once we move in. Love that! I do have to be that guy and note... Everything in ITS place, not it's. OK, I'll show myself out.

[MrGrant]

“I have safety equipment up top” right next to the safety glasses is the bottle opener :) my kind of safety equipment :) great video

[NoName-zzls]

I don't really do woodworking, but with slight adjustments most, if not all these tips are great for me as a hobby mechanic too

[ModernBuilds]

My life goal is to be half as organized as Brad!! 🔥🔥

[bradslone]

I glad i found this video. Im going to be opening my own Gunsmith shop and ice been trying to think ahead on how im gonna set up my tools and all the other things that come with owning a business.

[darlinbrady-caro]

I have a bucket for to collect cut offs. If they are big enough, I measure and write widths on the wood with a sharpie. Sometimes needed for spacers and save in the bucket. When the bucket gets full, I go through and throw out what's not usable. If I threw out stuff smaller than my hand, I wouldn't have any wood to do small projects. Love your organizational ideas. Trying to get my house back in order after it flooded in 2020, so all the wood in my garage got flooded and thrown out and I've had to start fresh.

[milosgrujic]

Love the horor music with the 1st bench 😂 Great organisation! Picked up many things from u! Thank you!