I use white plastic kitty litter buckets, they've been emptied of the litter (which was new unused litter) then rinsed & dried & the outer label removed, I put tools for different projects in each one. I have about a dozen, they're labeled by project (basic, upholstery, painting, etc) and they stack neatly. You can get these buckets for free from any pet owner who buys one of I think 3 different brands of bulk kitty litter - or - some painting and home stores carry white plastic painting buckets with lids. The reason why I like it, other than containing all the tools, is that when I have a project I can grab a bucket and go. Right now they just have utilitarian labels but next step is making a label that looks beautiful or interesting.

Probably the first thing is to eliminate duplicates. How many hammers and drill bits do you need, right? For the actual tools, any hardware store will have solutions for you, like pegboards or toolboxes or even tool chests/cabinets. That's probably why there aren't many posts about how to store tools, because that's a problem that's typically been solved.

For the rest of the stuff, maybe a drawer unit? I'm thinking of something like the IKEA Expedit, with drawers or baskets. If you have a long wall you could put a bunch of them.

You both have to get ruthless about eliminating anything you don't use regularly. After that is done, figure out the amount of storage you still need. Wall units floor to ceiling are great.

I love my Craftsman tool chest. That and a small wire shelf for larger power tools holds everything we need...

QUOTE: That's probably why there aren't many posts about how to store tools, because that's a problem that's typically been solved.

Well now. If this logic is applied across the board, there'll be no more AT :)

@Stevi: Two words stood out to me - discreet & indoors. Do you want this room to be multi-purpose? Or simply organized? You don't mention budget or style. So, my suggestion is to browse some of the craft room posts with TOOLS in mind. Check your local GW & CS as well as garage sales. A tall armoire will store long-handled garden tools on one side with space for shelves to accomotate power tools on the other. A chest of drawers will work for hand tools. You get the picture. Just use your imagination. It CAN be done discreetly. .

We live in an apartment (no basement or garage) and store most of our tools in the guest room closet. It's a regular, two-door closet (not walk-in) but is slightly shallower than a normal closet (barely deep enough for hangers). I put a 4-drawer dresser on one side of the closet. (It's from Ikea - I think it's the MALM. I basically just measured the depth and width the closet could handle and went to Ikea to check out the options.) The bottom 3 drawers are full of tools and materials for projects, like glue, screws, masking tape, extension cords, etc. (plus some miscellaneous stuff like candles and lightbulbs). I used simple fabric drawer dividers (also from Ikea) to keep everything organized.

We also have a shoe bag hanging on the inside of the closet door, and I keep the tools we reach for the most (hammer, screwdriver, level, etc.) in there. I also keep a small bin with a handle in the dresser - for any given project, I just load it up with what I need so I don't have to keep going back and forth to the guest room.

The top drawer of the dresser holds the linens and comforter for the guest bed (which is actually a sleeper sofa). When we have guests and put the linens on the bed, the top drawer is then empty for them to use and they can also use the top of the dresser as a luggage rack (it's about waist-high). The half of the closet that doesn't have the dresser is available for hanging clothes.

The large tools for gardening and lawn care are in a small utility closet with our cleaning supplies and water heater. I put one tool-hanging rack on either side of that closet (the cheap kind from the local hardware store) - one side holds the broom, dustpan, etc. while the other holds the rake, shovel, etc. The lawnmower (push variety so no gas), vacuum, and bucket sit on the floor. That closet is very small - the width of a standard door and less than my arm span from front-to-back. Everything fits pretty well with enough open space on the floor to step into the closet to reach whatever I need.

All my tools, except the power tools, fit in an Ikea Helmer unit. Lots of drawers. The good thing is that the drawers aren't too deep, so you can't stack stuff on top of stuff, which leads to never being able to find anything. And the drawers come out easily, so you can just take all the screwdrivers to the job, instead of having to guess which one is the right size. The drawers have a space for a label, so you can instantly tell where the hammer is, the level, etc.

Sadly, most power tools don't fit. I don't have many, but they have to share a kitchen cabinet with the blender and crock pot.

@DISCERNING had some great suggestions! I love the idea of a re purposed chest of drawers or old armoire. Additionally, long tools can go in a decorative trunk/toy-chest/bench!

"manly" crafts? what is that? you have managed to offend a majority of a/t contributors & all of savile row & my grandmother who did all the plumbing repairs. that said, use divided plastic boxes--from the craft store!--to organize, keeping like items together as you keep like crafts together. now that the screws come in little packages and one always needs 1.5 packages, cut out the description & store in the cell w/ the screws b/c in 1.5 years, you will not remember the sizes. clear travel bags, designed for make-up, w/ zipper(s), are handy for pens & smaller tools & tubes, and line up on shelves. clear shoe pockets, designed to hang on a door, hold more than shoes.

QUOTE: "manly" crafts? what is that? you have managed to offend a majority of a/t contributors & all of savile row & my grandmother who did all the plumbing repairs

ROFLMBO!! I beg to disagree...it only offends the insecure. My "manly" husband gives me power tools for Christmas, birthdays and any other occasion such a purchase can be justified (rationalized? *grin*) I was not the least bit offended by that comment.

just sayin'.