Whether your job as a service technician involves installing equipment, making repairs, or performing maintenance, you can’t do it without your tools. When you don’t have what you need easily accessible, it’s not only frustrating but it can also cost you time and money. That’s why taking the time to care for them and organizing your tool bag is worth the effort.
In this article, we’ll show you what you stand to gain from getting organized, how to choose the right tool storage for your needs, and how to go about organizing your tool bag and keeping it that way.
Why organizing your tool bag is so important
How annoying is it when you go to pull out a tool and you have to dump out the entire contents of your tool bag to find it?
Organizing your tool bag can do more for you than prevent frustration and time wasted looking for the tools you need. Here are a few that you might not have thought about:
Prevent damage. When you keep each item protected in its allotted space in your tool bag, there’s less chance of tools getting damaged.
Prevent loss of expensive tools. When you get in the habit of keeping everything in its place, you’re much less likely to leave a tool behind at a job site. And if you do forget to pack up a tool, you’ll notice if something is missing when you go to close up your tool bag.
Keep track of what you have. Have you found yourself buying tools you thought you lost, only to find the old one in the bottom of your tool bag? This is yet another way that organizing your tools saves you money.
Give you a more professional appearance. Have you ever stopped to think about how it looks to a customer when they see a technician with a jumbled pile of tools? If you treat your tools that way, how will you treat their equipment? When your tools look neat and organized, it’s a signal to the customer that you’re meticulous and care about doing things right.
Types of tool storage: choosing the right one(s) for you
We have been talking about organizing tool bags here, because that’s the most common tool storage used by service technicians who need to carry around a lot of different tools to job sites. However, there are a variety of tool storage options that may work for your specific needs, including:
Handheld tool boxes, which may be made of metal or durable plastic.
Tool belts, which can be used in combination with a larger box or bag. Belts allow you to bring just what you need for a specific job, and they are great when you’re working in a place where you don’t have room to set tools down.
Backpacks which are increasingly common because they are easy to carry, easy on the back and shoulders, and hold more than a tool belt.
Whichever option you choose, here are some helpful features to look for:
- Bright color inside, which makes it easy to spot items
- Removable lights that help you see inside the bag and can be used to illuminate your work space
- Sturdy waterproof base
- Many vertical pockets for easy access
- Space for a laptop or tablet
- Clips for frequently used items like measuring tapes & meters
- Hard shell pockets to protect electronic tools
- Strong fabric that’s also lightweight
- Rubber grip and hinged handle
- Shoulder strap
- Oversized zippers
- Dolly attachment strap (so you can roll instead of carrying)
- Magnetic screw capture
Organizing your tool bag: how to get started (and keep it that way)
How to organize your tools in the bag
- Start by identifying the tools you use most frequently and need to grab quickly and easily. Those should go in the tool bag slots or pockets that are easiest to access, right in front. It can also be helpful to label the pockets so you remember what goes where.
- Less frequently used items can go in larger pockets in the back or bottom.
- Store small accessories that are easy to misplace, like drill bits, in small boxes or pouches, ideally close to the tool they go with. Plastic jars or zippered bags can be a convenient way to store extra screws, nuts, and bolts.
- Use clips to attach things like your tape measure and voltage meter.
How to keep your tool bag organized
Put it back. After you use a tool, get into the habit of putting it back where it goes in your tool bag. That way every tool is always where you expect it to be when you reach for it. As you finish a job, make sure everything goes back in its appointed place in the bag and in the truck.
Use care. Treat your tools and your tool bag with care. Don’t throw the bag around and keep it away from extreme heat if possible.
Clean and check. Regularly take a few minutes to inventory your bag, clean the bottom of dirt & debris, clean zipper, get rid of things that are broken or not needed. It’s also a good time to clean your tools, check the condition, and replace items as needed.
More tips for tool storage
Always store tools with any sharp ends down inside the pockets! That can save you from getting cuts and scrapes.
If you’re planning to buy a new bag, make sure it has enough pockets for all your frequently used items, as well as some extra space for when you acquire new tools.
Resist the temptation to overstuff the bag. That puts unnecessary strain on the bag (and your back if you’re carrying more than you need). If your bag doesn’t have enough room for everything you need to carry around, consider getting something bigger and possibly something that rolls. Or, if you have more tools than you need to carry around, store them in labeled plastic bins in your truck, then transfer items to your tool bag or belt as needed. Another option is to assemble multiple tool bags for different types of jobs.
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