Tool cases vs freeing up shop space

[GeeDub]

I don’t do a lot of job site work. I stuffed all my blow mold cases up in the rafters to see how long I could do without them. Seven or eight years later I tossed them all in the recycle bin with a few exceptions.

[Allen]

I keep mine to stow the tool in with all the attachments, paperwork and so forth. They all stack in a row on a couple of shelves. I never have to search for the wrench or chuck key to change out a bit or blade. Need to order a part, the booklet is right there in the case. Need to take one somewhere, grab case and go, everything is in there. Protects the tool, keeps cords out of the way.

Al

[JohnnyEgo]

I really like the Systainer system, and think they are excellent for organization and transportation. They are not very space efficient in the shop, though. Those tools which do not live in a Systainer live in various pegboards and cabinets, with most of their blow-molded cases in a Rubber-made bin out in the shed.

[mike4244]

I'm doing a spring cleaning of the shop and trying to free up some valuable real estate. The question that I have is what do you do with the hard plastic tool containers that the tools come with? The hoarder side of me says to keep them while the more practical side of me says throw them out. I've got about a dozen cases from Dewalt and Bosch. The tools and all the contents of the containers have not seen one another since they were taken out of the cases when they first came in the shop years ago.

I have every plastic, fiberglass and one metal box I ever got stored in the loft of my shop. The only cases I keep in the shop is for a Bostich 15 ga 
nail gun, and a 2" brad nailer case. I would keep the cases, store them out of the shop but are still accessible.
mike

[GeeDub]

This sounds familiar. I answered a similar post on another forum recently. I put all my blow mold cases (with a few exceptions) up in the rafters to see if I would miss them. After 7 or 8 years I tossed them in the recycle bin. I have never missed them.

[Stwood_]

I don’t do a lot of job site work. I stuffed all my blow mold cases up in the rafters to see how long I could do without them. Seven or eight years later I tossed them all in the recycle bin with a few exceptions.

This sounds familiar.  I answered a similar post on another forum recently.  I put all my blow mold cases (with a few exceptions) up in the rafters to see if I would miss them.  After 7 or 8 years I tossed them in the recycle bin.  I have never missed them.

Uhuh.

[EdL]

I don't mind using the DeWalt type cases, not much love for bags or soft cases.

Blow molded cases, good grief, some of them are the size of a small car...they get canned asap.

Ed

[Murray M]

Cases for things are perhaps my drug of choice. 

The perfect place to keep something important is the bees knees. My tool usage is highly mobile, so cases are super important and something I've thought a lot about. Here's the recipe that I like:

1) Tools that come in great boxes are kept in them (hello Festool, Fein, and my older Makita Recip Saw in it's gorgeous metal case).
2) Tools I don't use often get to live in their mediocre cases (hello powder actuated fastener). 
3) Tools that get used often and came with a bad case get upgraded to a DeWalt ToughSystem box. I love these things. They come in several sizes so you can easily store all accessories and ammo with each tool. This way, when I grab the box I have everything I need right there. They're pricey so you need to have a good reason to do it, but I need something I can be rough with and that's weather tight. 

And to make the recipe really good:
Add a sprinkling of label-maker labels on all sides. Super zesty. A little OCD for sure but it has a kick.