Best Stackabe/Modular Box System for Misc Storage?

[Erich Weidner]

I'm trying to reclaim floor space in my shop garage. Part of this effort is organizing things.
I had settled on the following product, because they stack, and have lids that close to be dust proof. Clear is nice so I can see what is in them.
https://www.containerstore.com/s/storage/smart-store/12

However, they turn out to be a bit fragile for shop use. (Plastic should be thicker). I'm hesitating on buying more to keep going with the shop reclamation project.


The Festool stuff stacks great, but is a bit pricey and comes in just that one shape. I did spring for two Sortstainers for screws and nails, but they are pretty heavy. Festool stuff and the mobile cart I got are great for going to a job site (which isn't a frequent occurrence for me), but seems like overkill just for keeping odd parts and such in. (But maybe not, I've only ever owned the boxes that have Festool power tools already in them).

The kind of stuff I need to store (in an organized fashion) are for example all the extra bits that came with the grinder. (guards and such which got removed for the CBN wheel). A box of stuff for the waterstones and sharpening jigs, extra parts for the lathe.

Anyone have good suggestions? Doesn't have to be cheap necessarily. Everything is cheaper than selling the house and moving to get a bigger shop.

[Tom M King]

Having them in cubbies is a lot better than stacking, and unstacking. Heavy ones are on the bottom row, with only a 1/4" plywood bottom on the cubby hole unit. With these, I don't even have to lift one out, and put it somewhere to access what I need. The cubbies fit tight enough that I can slide one out 3/4's of the way under the one I want to get something out of, and slide that one out all the way, to rest on the one 3/4's out below it.

Boxes are structural foam, waterproof toolboxes by Stanley/Dewalt/Bostitch/Craftsman, available in 23", and 28" lengths. I'm somewhere over 140 of them now.

This picture was taken in 2011 or 12, when I first built those cubbies in this flipping house.

[Erich Weidner]

The cubbies look cool. I'm just severely space constrained so not much wall space to devote to this organization project. I'm kind of stuck with one bank of shelves (which are adjustable) which I can use, and space below the lumber rack.
Up high I could mount some stuff in cabinets maybe (but only 8' ceiling in the garage workshop, so not much room up either).

[Tom Bain]

I have used these other plastic bins from container store and they have held up well. A bit pricier, but they often have sales:

https://www.containerstore.com/s/sto...uctId=11007497

[Roger Feeley]

I use kids plastic pencil boxes a lot. I used to have contacts at the local elementary school and I could get all the Boxes I wanted. I use them for things like pop rivets, pen kits and mandrels, and some pinewood derby gizmos. For smaller bits like nuts and bolts, I have a 6 drawer microfilm cabinet. Cheap electric outlet boxes fit perfectly to hold all manner of parts.

[Jim Becker]

If you like the format of the Systainers, you don’t need to buy from Festool. They are available as “native” Tanos products and there are some alternative sizes. Lee Valley carries them and I believe Tool Nut may, too. Still pricy, but less than Festool.

[glenn bradley]

Sounds like we are talking about storing smaller items like hardware. Regardless, Tom is right. The stacking systems I have are great for the job site crowd but, in the shop they are a pain. I sometimes find other ways to do things rather than unstack things to get to the unit third from the bottom if you know what I mean. My stack-ables have become long term storage of seldom used items. For frequently used items I use plastic boxes in primarily three sizes. They each slide into a cubby which lets me get to exactly what I am after without having to have enough room to un-stack several boxes to get to the one want.

My tackle-box-like boxes (Similar to these but, bought long ago) handle 90% of my hardware and small miscellaneous items. Harbor Freight has a similar sized, although not as nice, item and I have several of them bought when the Planos could not be found on sale. The Planos are going strong after nearly two decades, two Harbor Freight versions have already failed. They did replace them however.

Plastic shoe box-sized containers hold epoxies and cements, sharpening items, straps and cord, Dremel and accessories, respirators and supplies, etc. Latch-lid boxes from Costco (about 3 times the size of a shoe box) store larger parts, small specialty tools and so forth.

A cubby of sorts could hang from, or set on, your shelves for the tackle-box type solution. I have large banks of these but, also have individual fixtures that only have slots for 5 tackle-boxes. These individual fixtures get moved around depending on the changes that happen over time. The important thing is that they allow me to get to the second from the bottom container without having to find room to un-stack the bins on top of it. A cubby actually takes up less space than a stack in actual use.

[Brian Tymchak]

Wood magazine featured a stackable storage system with drawers in the September 2020 issue. Which I'm thinking of adapting for under table saw storage that I desperately need. Wouldn't be clear but labels can solve that.

But it is free standing eliminating cubby structure and on wheels, which for me in a small basement shop is an absolute requirement. Also, if I need to expand in the future I can build what I need to match vs running risk of not finding the same products. And I can size the heights to what I need, add internal dividers, etc. Seems like a good solution, even though I would have to build instead of buy.

[Phil Goldsmith]

I've also used about 20 Plano tackle-boxes for about 15 years. None have failed. There are 4-5 variations on the 3700 series (7"x 14"?)

[Charles Lent]

When faced with staging many small parts that needed to be frequently moved around my shop work stations, I built some tote bins out of a bunch of Baltic Birch drops that were getting in my way. These are stackable, because I made 1" square feet with tapered edges out of some more Baltic Birch and glued them on, just slightly in from the edges of each base corner, so they would lock into the bin below them. I don't remember the dimensions of these bins, but they can be made any size. All were finished with two coats of Poly inside and out. I usually apply sticky notes to show the contents, but sometimes just use a grease pencil on the ends to indicate what's in them, since it rubs off easily with mineral spirits on a paper towel. These have gone to several trade shows where I demonstrate scroll sawing and woodworking, and sometimes these bins have gotten more attention than what I've been demonstrating. For me, they are just tote bins of a convenient size.

See the photos of the tote bins attached, along with samples of what's usually in them. From memory, they are 6" X 12" and 4 or 5" deep. I made 12 of them.

Charley

[Ben Rivel]

If you like clear plastic containers the Sterelites are made in the US and awesome. You can get them at Target and many other places and they come in tons of different shapes and sizes. I have well over a hundred and have used them for years.

[Alan Lightstone]

If you like clear plastic containers the Sterelites are made in the US and awesome. You can get them at Target and many other places and they come in tons of different shapes and sizes. I have well over a hundred and have used them for years.

I also have hundreds of these around the house, but over the last couple of years I have found that they have stopped making most of them.

I usually use them inside cabinets. If you space the shelves well, and choose the correct sizes, they are incredibly space efficient.

[Ben Rivel]

I also have hundreds of these around the house, but over the last couple of years I have found that they have stopped making most of them.

I usually use them inside cabinets. If you space the shelves well, and choose the correct sizes, they are incredibly space efficient.

They do seem to be getting a little harder to find, especially post covid, but check Target. Thats where I bought almost all of mine.

[Derek Meyer]

I use the Plano 3700 boxes for many different things, from hardware to electronics to game pieces. They work really well. I probably have close to 70 of them.

I also use the Sterilite boxes that can be bought at Walmart and other places. They stack nicely and are great to store many things. I have hundreds of them as I found 10 and 4 packs on clearance at Walmart a couple of years ago for $2.50 a pack (about 1/4 regular price). I got a cart and filled it completely. I came back later and they were all gone. I think they were mismarked and the employees cleared the display after I left.

[Erich Weidner]

I have used these other plastic bins from container store and they have held up well. A bit pricier, but they often have sales:

https://www.containerstore.com/s/sto...uctId=11007497

I'll check these out next time I'm in. They look promising.