Easy Hardware Storage

Keep track of small pieces

Putting away little stuff is easy. Finding it again when you need it is the hard part. Not any more. Here are some great tips about how to store small hardware so you can find it when you need it!

Tip 1: Magnetic Mini Storage
Want a handy storage roost for all the little screws, earplugs, nuts and washers in your shop? Pick up a package of Glad 4-oz. cups, a magnetic strip, several 7/16-in. washers and a tube of E6000 glue. Apply glue to the cup's concave bottom, press in a washer flush with the bottom rim and let the glue set for 24 hours.

More tips on storing the smallest DIY supplies »

Capture Dust with Your Shop Vac

Add a few accessories and start collecting dust

Tip 1: Permanent Adapter for Favorite Tools
Ideally, tool manufacturers would standardize dust ports so you could swiftly move your hose from one tool to another. But that’s not yet the case. In the meantime, save time and frustration by installing an adapter permanently on heavily used tools. Then you can simply plug in the hose. You can find universal adapters at hardware stores and home centers.

Get 9 more tips to keep dust under control »

Small Workshop Storage Solutions

Get more storage out of your small workshop

Tip 1: Ceiling drawers
Eke out every cubic inch of storage in a basement shop with pivoting boxes that hang between the ceiling joists. When a drawer is down, you have easy access to its contents. Use glue and 1-5/8 in. drywall screws to hold together the boxes, then customize shelving for whatever you want to store. Make the width about 3/8 in. narrower than the cavity it fits in and use double-nutted 3/8 in. x 3-1/2 in. carriage bolts for the two pivot points.

Find more ways to maximize your space »

Do you have a great tip to share?

We’re always looking for great tips and we’ll pay $100 for any we publish in The Family Handyman magazine. Submit your tip »