Small hand tools have a way of taking over a workbench. Chisels, screwdrivers, marking tools, knives, pliers, and clamps are all easier to use when they're close at hand—but that doesn't mean they need to cover every available horizontal surface.
These five DIY tool storage ideas offer simple ways to give those tools a home. Some mount on the wall or pegboard, while others sit on the bench or travel with you around the shop. Better yet, each one can be customized around the tools you already own.
1. Build a Wall-Mounted Magnetic Tool Holder
A magnetic strip is a convenient way to keep frequently used hand tools visible and within easy reach. Instead of an exposed metal bar that could scratch your tools, this shop-made version hides rare-earth magnets beneath a thin layer of cork.
Start with a 2"-wide piece of 1⁄2"-thick stock. The length isn't critical—simply size it for the number of tools you want to store.
Use a Forstner bit to drill 1⁄8"-deep recesses for 1⁄2"-diameter rare-earth magnets. Epoxy the magnets into the recesses.
Once the epoxy cures, glue a 1⁄32"-thick strip of cork over the face. The cork hides the magnets while creating a softer surface for your tools. A piece of rubber cut from an old bicycle inner tube can also be used.
Mount the finished holder directly to the wall or attach it to your shop pegboard.
Woodsmith Tip: Check the Hold Before Mounting. The cork or rubber creates a small gap between the magnet and the tool. Before permanently mounting the rack, test it with the heaviest tool you plan to store to make sure the magnets provide enough holding power.
2. Make a Custom Wooden Tool Rack
When you want each hand tool to have a dedicated spot, build the rack around the tools themselves.
This rack is essentially a hardwood strip with a combination of holes, notches, and slots sized for different tools.
The trick that makes construction easier is building the holder from two pieces.
Start by ripping the hardwood blank lengthwise. While the two pieces are separated, use a dado blade to cut notches for chisels, squares, and similar tools.
Drill individual holes for screwdrivers and other round-shank tools. To accommodate pliers, drill a row of adjoining holes and clean up the opening with a chisel to form a longer slot.
Then glue the two halves back together.
To mount the rack securely, cut a groove in a second piece of wood to create a mounting strip. Glue the rack into the groove and reinforce the connection with a couple of screws.
The result is a compact wall-mounted hand tool organizer that keeps your most-used tools right where you can see them.
Woodsmith Tip: Lay Out Your Tools First. Before cutting any holes or slots, arrange the actual tools on the blank. Leave enough room between them for your fingers as well as the tool handles. A little extra spacing makes the rack much more convenient in everyday use.
3. Build a Portable Chisel & Screwdriver Caddy
Not all tool storage needs to stay attached to the wall.
A portable tool caddy is especially handy for the chisels, screwdrivers, and other narrow tools that tend to migrate around the shop as you work.
The caddy starts with a simple plywood box assembled with rabbet joints. Make the sides tall enough to protect the blades of the longest tools you intend to store.
A hardboard top fits into dadoes near the upper edges of the box. Drill a series of evenly spaced holes in the top before assembly, sizing and spacing them for your tools and their handles.
A second piece of hardboard forms the bottom and fits into dadoes near the lower edges.
Finally, glue cork to the inside bottom. This gives the sharp edges of chisels and similar tools a softer surface to rest against.
Set the finished caddy beside the workbench while you're working, then move the entire collection wherever it's needed next.
4. Make a Simple Knife Storage Box
Utility knives, marking knives, hobby knives, and similar tools create a different storage problem: protecting their sharp edges while keeping the blades safely contained.
A small box and a piece of foam insulation offer a simple solution.
Build a shallow wooden box sized to fit a block of insulating foam. The box supports the foam and keeps it from moving around on the bench.
To store a knife, press its blade into the foam.
The holder can sit on your workbench or be mounted to pegboard so the knives are visible and easy to reach without leaving exposed blades lying around the shop.
5. Upgrade Your Pegboard Tool Storage
Pegboard is a shop-storage classic for good reason. It's inexpensive, adaptable, and makes it easy to rearrange tools as your needs change.
But there's one annoyance: the hook sometimes comes off the pegboard along with the tool.
These shop-made holders solve the problem by mounting entire wooden tool racks to the pegboard with L-hooks.
Attach a frame to the back of the pegboard first. This provides enough clearance behind the panel for the hooks and keeps the pegboard stable against the wall.
Install L-hooks in the back of each wooden holder. Slip the hooks through the pegboard holes, then lower the rack until its weight locks the hooks against the board.
This arrangement holds the rack securely during everyday use, but you can still lift it off whenever you want to rearrange your storage.
Customize Pegboard Holders for Different Tools
The real advantage of this approach is that the wooden portion of each holder can be designed around a particular group of tools.
A simple L-shaped shelf can hold small bar clamps. Cut slots into the upper piece and the same basic holder can organize squares.
Add angled dowels to another rack to create hanging storage for C-clamps.
For chisels and screwdrivers, drill holes in a strip of wood and cut slots from the front edge into the holes. This lets you slip narrow shafts into the holder without having to feed the entire tool through a hole.
You can use the same L-hook mounting system for all of them.
RELATED ARTICLE: DIY Pegboard Tool Holders
Give Every Small Tool a Home
Good shop organization doesn't necessarily require elaborate cabinets or a complete wall-storage system. Sometimes a few small, purpose-built holders make the biggest difference.
A magnetic tool strip keeps everyday tools within reach. A custom wooden rack gives chisels and screwdrivers dedicated spaces. A portable caddy brings frequently used tools to the project. And shop-made pegboard holders let you take advantage of wall space without dealing with loose hooks.
The best part is that none of these designs needs to be copied exactly. Use the basic idea, then size the holder around the tools you actually use. That's what turns a generic storage rack into an efficient part of your shop.
Need More Workshop Storage?
Small tool racks are only the beginning. From wall-mounted cabinets and clamp racks to mobile carts and workbench storage, a few well-planned projects can make better use of the space you already have.
EXPLORE MORE WORKSHOP STORAGE PROJECTS → Workshop Storage & Organization Plans
