The one trick to a good woodworking shop (or any space, really) is organization. A clean and organized shop can make a smaller space feel bigger and more roomy. When I first got my shop, the first thing I thought was "how am I going to fit all my tools in here?". I think many people have also had that same thought- so today, I'm going to show you what I did to maximize the space I had!
Small Tool Organization
Finding space for your everyday tools can be difficult- you want them to be out of the way, but also easily accessed. Shoving them into tool chest just makes it hard to find the tool that you want- and, lets be real, tool chest always get messy and disorganized after a while.
To fix this issue, I present to you, the French Cleat Wall!
If you have space on a wall, this is the perfect storage solution. It has a specified space for each tool, and it can change and grow to fit your needs. Need more storage? Add more cleats! The cleats on the walls are all spaced evenly, and the tool holders just slide right in. The design makes it both easy to get in and out while also being secure.
The great part about this french cleat wall is that it uses vertical space- which is sometimes neglected when you fill an area full of drawers and chest. You can take a closer look at our French Cleat Wall here!
Large Tool Organization
French cleat walls take care of levels, clamps, and drills- but what about your larger tools, or big bins? You might have run out of space on your shelves (or even on your floor) for all these boxes. Once again, lets try using some vertical space-
Ceiling mounted shelving! It's strong, it's sturdy, and most of all, it's organized! By keeping your storage high, the area feels bigger and more open. The bins can easily slide in and out of each shelf. You can also use the ceiling mounted shelves to hold extra lumber you may have, as seen below.
You can get a closer look at our ceiling mounted garage shelving here!
These are just two of the ways that I made the most of my shop space. Vertical and wall space are often over looked, but they can be very beneficial for organization! I hope this helps you, and thank you for reading. Have a great day!
- Brandon at The Eagle Woodshop