Strategy for hardware...........how to organize

[t4d]

I think that this topic has run its course...........thanks to everyone for the responses..........good to get a variety of ideas about how others are solving their hardware storage problems.

Here is what I learned: Start simple, get more detailed only as required.

In spite of several excellent points about the benefits of detailed organization at the start, I think that for my situation simple is better. I'm not running a professional shop, just trying to have things ready for honey-do's and small home projects.

So, for now, I have a shelf with my screws and nails in the original boxes, and for the tons of other screws, nails, washers, nuts, bolts, etc..........I have 4 catch-all containers:
1 for screws, 1 for nails, and 1 for nuts, bolts, washers, and 1 for everything else. Also a small container for any loose drywall screws that I find, because I seem to use drywall screws more than other fasteners.

I'm going to stick with this until circumstances tell me that I need to be more organized than that.

Again, thanks to everyone who has posted for your truly good ideas, which have helped me to clarify my thinking about this, and to come up with a strategy that I hope will serve me well.

[Cian]

daveferg said:

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For library card index----hope you've saved your pennies. They are extremely expensive---guess everyone likes them for one reason or another.

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I hear ya. This is a decent one by me, and actually not too bad at $900.



But I think I have resorted to just building one.

[David G]

Option 1: If you live within one mile of an Ace or hardware store, dump everything and buy what you need when you need it.

Option 2: Organize by type (bolt, screw, washer). Sub-organize by approx length. Buy one of these
LV bolt nut device
and figure out the proper thread for each application.

You still won't have the right item when you need it.

[museumguy]

I am starting this very situation in my shop. I will take before and after photos and start a new thread once I get going. This thread has given me some ideas to go by.

Thanks to all that have contributed ideas.

[2beast]

A couple I have picked up in my travels

[Cian]

Nice.

[Martin S.]

Bump, lots of good ideas here.

[DogwoodTales]

Here is my method of getting all that stuff organized

Workshop Organization

[Jack01]

It is always a challenge storing fasteners. I faced the same issue few months ago, I had lot of fasteners in boxes and was difficult to find.

I reviewed my fastener usage for a year and realize that I only used standard sizes, mostly standard wood screws, machine screws and metal screws in size # 4 to # 10, some finish nails. With this information I went through my fasteners and kept those fasteners. Now they are stored in small storage containers of same size so easy to stack and search. I took rest of the fasteners to scrape location in town.

I have saved lot of storage space in the shop. In last 8 months I have not missed any fasteners except once where I needed bass screws, which I picked up at big box store for $ 0.99

The Decision making process in this was it would have cost me in upwards of $ 100 in storage containers to store fasteners that were rarely used. Also it would have taken substantial place in shop, which is at premium.

[meackerman]

Gregory of Sherwood Forest said:

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this is what I'm moving too. the pull out drawers aren't too badly priced, but the cabinet they reside in gets a little pricey.

I also have a 72 drawer card catalog I picked up cheap (should have gotten more than one when the local university was getting rid of them @ $100 each). And a bunch of tilt out bins that I picked up cheap when HD was closing them out.