Women love their wardrobe and their cabinets full of makeup, and men love their garages and cabinets full of tools. It’s how we are made.

Every man desires to have a perfectly organized garage with all the tools available out there. Most of us get them as we have a need. Taking care of the lawn requires a lawnmower, trimmer, special scissors, and tons of gardening tools.

The need for maintaining and fixing your car requires all kinds of pliers, wrenches and screwdrivers. All these tools are different in size, shape, and weight. They need to be stored somewhere and kept safe.

In this article, we’re sharing five top tips for the proper storing of your tools. We’re going to explain the things you need to have in mind and how to protect them against rust and other inconveniences that might happen to them if stored improperly. Follow up and see what we have prepared for you.

1. Think about movability

The first thing you should pose as a question to yourself before getting off with the search for buying a cabinet or a toolbox is whether you’re going to take these tools out of your garage or not. If you do, then you need to prepare yourself for the trouble that might occur.

If you’re not taking them anywhere, and your garage is well insulated, then some of these items can be even placed on shelves and stay out in the open, but if you’re taking them out, it’s another story. You will need a toolbox or a movable cabinet that will be on wheels.

In both cases, you must make sure that your tools will not be staying in a humid room and won’t be left in the open after you finish a job somewhere away from home. Rust is the most significant danger for tools, so you always need to have them stored carefully no matter where they are located.

2. Choose solid and durable materials

Every toolbox needs to be strong, solid, and durable. You don’t want your tools to be dispersed around the place after an earthquake. You want them to say in place and not move an inch.

On the market, you can find all kinds of materials from which toolboxes are made. Wood, plastic, steel, stainless steel, and aluminium are often found. They all have their pros and cons but based on our experience, the more rigid the material, the better for the user.

Those wooden and plastic toolboxes might be nicely made and affordable, but you’re not storing makeup. You’re storing heavy-duty equipment that will handle every problem. Imagine a 5-kilogram hammer placed in a plastic box. It looks unnatural.

3. Make sure the toolbox is lightweight if you’re carrying it with you

Although we said it’s best to use solid materials, we must mention that steel is heavy, and it’s not the best choice for a toolbox that you’ll be carrying around. On the other hand, aluminium is an excellent choice because it is much more lightweight and still provides exceptional quality and durability.

When you’re about to transport tools from one place to another, no matter how little you have with you, they’ll still weigh more than a few kilograms. Adding every gram to this weight is making the job of carrying them with you a bigger burden.  

4. Opt for a toolbox canopy if you’re often out for work

Another perfect solution for those who are often on the road – the canopy toolbox. It is used for covering both you and the tools you’re using. It’s large enough to store all sorts of equipment, but the style also provides shade and shelter from rain and other weather conditions.

There are different sizes and shapes, and you should get one depending on what your needs are. You can go with a simple version with one wing to a premium ute canopy with multiple uses. Some of them can be connected with your vehicle’s wiring and act as coolers or batteries for your equipment.

5. Clean them after every use

One final but probably the most crucial advice for taking care of your tools is cleaning them and storing them back at their place after every use. Many people are negligent when it comes to handling their equipment and place them anywhere after use.

The tools stay there for days, even weeks. Oxygen digs through them. If this happens often, their lifespan will be cut from 15-20 years to 4-5 years. They’ll rust quickly and become useless.

This is why it’s crucial to clean them from anything they might have and take them back in the toolbox or the cabinet. Any dirt, dust or moisture should be removed. This will help the equipment last as long as possible and be safe for work whenever you pick it up.

Wrapping up

These points are some of the basics when it comes to handling your tools. It takes knowledge to work with them, but it also takes understanding to know what will happen if you don’t maintain your equipment perfectly.

Use these points and find the best toolbox or cabinet for them. Make sure it fits perfect for everything you need to be stored. At the same time, don’t just toss the items inside, but take good care of them before returning in place. This way, they’ll serve you great and last the longest.