How to Organize Gardening Tools

Working in the garden is satisfying and relaxing, but keeping up with your gardening tools can be a hassle. Bigger tools can get in the way and make a big mess, while hand tools and other smaller garden essentials are easily scattered and lost. Luckily, you can make the most of common household items to create convenient storage for your gardening tools.

EditSteps

EditOrganizing Smaller Tools

Hang a bike basket on the wall to hold a variety of small items. Bike baskets are designed to be easily hung, so they make an ideal option for hanging from the walls in your garden shed. Use them to store miscellaneous items like gloves, seed packets, pegs, or other small items that might be laying around otherwise.^[1]
Hang a rake head upside-down from the wall for a unique hand tool holder. A steel rake head makes a unique holder for your garden gloves, trowels, spades, and other small objects. If the tool won’t fit on the tines of the rake, loop twine through the hole on the handle.^[2]
Place small objects in glass jars with lids, then line up the jars on a shelf. Your odds and ends will look organized and quaint when they’re displayed in glass jars along a shelf. This will help you keep similar items grouped together, and the lids will keep the objects from spilling if the jars are knocked over.
- Small glass jars are the perfect place for keeping your extra seeds!
- Use chalkboard paint or paper labels to help you remember exactly what’s in the jar
Use a hanging shoe organizer for even more storage space. Hanging shoe organizers with pockets are ideal for organizing any number of small objects. Group together seed packets, dowels and stakes, twine, weedeater string, or any of your other garden supplies.
Fill a clay pot with sand and stick your hand tools into the sand. If you have a lot of small hand tools, it can be hard to keep them sorted so they’re easy to see. By keeping them upright in sand, you’ll be able to quickly grab the tools you need.^[3]
- This will also keep the blades of your tools from becoming dull as they bump against each other in a box or a drawer.
Keep your extra pots on a shelf or in a cabinet. Having flower pots scattered around will make your space feel cluttered. You’ll also run the risk of breaking your pots, leaving dangerous pieces of sharp ceramic in your shed or garage.
- If you don’t have a shelf or a cabinet, try keeping your pots in a plastic box.
- Stack your pots inside of each other and place them in a corner if you don’t have anywhere else to store them.

EditStoring Large Tools

Mount a pegboard to the wall and use the peg to hang your tools. Pegboards are a popular storage option because it’s easy to move the pegs around to organize your tools exactly how you want them. Arrange your tools by size to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.^[4]
Mount a bucket on the wall to store your garden hose and attachments. Hang the bucket so the bottom is flush against the wall. You can store your garden hose by wrapping it around the bucket, then use the inside of the bucket as a shelf for storing your sprinklers, spray nozzles, or other attachments.^[5]
Hang a pallet on your wall for a convenient way to hang large tools. Slide hooks over the wood slats on the pallet, or hammer nails into the wood, then hang your large tools from the hooks. This will free up floor space and is a great way to store your tools when you don’t have a lot of space.^[6]
- Pallets are used for shipping heavy objects, so ask a few of your local businesses if they have any that you can have.
Gather your large tools into buckets to keep them in one place. If you don’t have a lot of room or hanging your tools isn’t an option, try placing a large trash can or other container in the corner of your garage or shed. Then, place your rake, shovel, and other large garden tools into the bucket to keep them out of your way.
Repurpose old furniture into storage for your tools. Any piece of furniture with shelves or drawers can be useful when you’re trying to organize your tools, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on it. Ask your family and friends if they have any old furniture, or check thrift stores or classified ads for cheap options.^[7]
- Turn a filing cabinet on its side so the drawer openings are facing upwards, then remove the drawers. This creates ready-made cubbies for your larger tools. You can also lean them against the wall for a convenient way to keep them grouped together.^[8]
- Old bookshelves are a great way to add shelving without having to build anything. You can even place one outside of your garage or shed to free up space inside.
- An old china cabinet or computer desk will provide you with a combination of shelving, cabinets, and a work surface.

EditCreating Tool Baskets

Repurpose a wheeled cart into a portable garden center. If you’ll be doing a lot of planting, a cart can help you keep all of your supplies together. This is a great option if you’ll be moving heavy objects like garden soil or large ceramic pots. ^[9]
- Add baskets or buckets to the sides of your cart to hold all of the supplies you'll need in the garden.
- Make sure your cart has wire or slatted shelves so it can drain.
Attach a board with hat pegs or coat hooks to the side of your cart. Use the pegs or hooks to neatly hang your tools from the cart so you can reach the easily as you kneel in the garden. This will also help you free up space on the top of the cart for your seedlings, pots, fertilizer, or other supplies.^[10]
Use a shower caddy to keep your a few small tools handy. Keep your hand tools organized when you’re working on small jobs by repurposing a portable shower caddy. The handle on the caddy will make it easy for you to carry as you move from plant to plant.^[11]
- If you don't have a shower caddy, you can also use an old milk carrier or any other container with a handle.
Mount a towel rack with S-hooks on the fence near your garden. If there’s one area of your garden you work in a lot, consider hanging a small towel rack close by so you always have your tools handy. Use S-hooks to hang small garden tools from the rack.^[12]
Create a holder for your tools out of a bucket and old jeans. Cut the pockets off of a pair of old jeans, then use super glue to attach the denim to a garden bucket. You can store your hand tools, seeds, and other small objects in the pockets, while the inside of the bucket can hold spray bottles or seedlings.^[13]