Nine Clever And Unusual Ways To Stop Losing Your Tools

"My grandma gave me a plastic 'Kitchen Paper Towel Dispenser,'" writes Instructables user yonatan24.

"Because the dowel that holds the paper towel was made out of plastic, it wasn't strong enough to hold the clamps, so I found a metal rod that I salvaged from a printer, cut it to the right size, and glued it tightly inside of the holders that were on the side with Epoxy."

Then he screwed some blocks of wood to his tool board to give the rack some clearance, and screwed the clamp rack to the blocks of wood.

"I think I can honestly say that this is way easier to use than other 'fancy' clamp racks," he explained.

But not every DIY tool organizational trick needs all that screwing and gluing.

All yonatan24 did to make these tool holders was to drill two holes in a board and fasten a zip tie through the hole. Then, he just slid the tools through the tie, which held them securely in place — simple!

In case you're wondering, a heat sink is a part found in many electronic devices that helps keep certain components from overheating.

Yonatan24 salvaged this heat sink from a broken Playstation 2.

Then, he "mounted the heat sink onto the wall in a vertical position with double-sided tape, and put the tweezers onto the heat sink, using the fins as dividers!"

Most tools are metal, so it makes perfect sense to use magnets to help keep them organized.

Yonatan24 explains: "I used magnets that I salvaged from speakers, and hot-glued them onto the board. This is pretty easy to do, but it takes ages to plan where each tool will go on the board."

Now, obviously using hooks to organize tools isn't a new idea.

However, yonatan24 suggests that square screw hooks, which are bent at a right angle, are far superior to normal "cup" hooks that are rounded.

According to this DIY-er, they hold tools better and more securely, especially if they happen to have a fat, plastic handle.

Drill bits are small and like to roll underneath things, but yonatan24 found a clever way to keep them where they're supposed to be using styrofoam!

He explains: "Styrofoam is soft, lightweight, and easy to cut, so it's great for hanging small tools such as: drill bits, files, small screwdrivers, pencils and more!"

Learn how to make this handy drill bit organizer here.

Sometimes you just need an extra inch or two to store all the things that can't be hung up by a hook or strapped down with a zip tie. That's where these convenient mini shelves come in.

"I decided to take a small piece of wood and connect it to the board with a small 90° shelf bracket," yonatan24 explains.

He uses the shelves to hold sharpening stones, a nail clipper, a multi-tool, and a flashlight, among other things.

You might think the only place for an empty toilet paper roll is the recycling bin, but you'd be wrong!

Yonan24 found the perfect use for one on his workbench.

"I drilled a hole into a paper towel tube, cut it in half, and screwed it to the wall," he says.

Now it's the perfect home for his homemade plywood mallet.

Lots of home improvement projects require a Phillips head screwdriver, but it seems like every time I look for one, I can only find flat heads.

This simple rack is the perfect way to make sure your screwdrivers are always at your fingertips when needed.

Yonatan24 explains: "I drilled small holes into thin, medium density fiberboard, widened them with a file, cut them to size with a hand-saw, and hung them on the bottom part of my pegboard."

"It can be used to hang screwdrivers, files, chisels, and many more tools!"

Each of these hacks is a brilliant way to organize your tools and your life.

What area of your house is most in need of organization? Tell us in the comments.

Please SHARE with anyone you know who's always losing their tools!

Thumbnail Source: Wikimedia