Strategy for hardware...........how to organize

[t4d]

I've reached a point where I want to organize my fasteners and hardware, and I'm not sure how to proceed.

I think that it comes down to a spectrum of very simple to very complex.

• Option 1: get a few containers, let's say one for nails, one for screws, and perhaps one for washers, brackets, hinges, and everything else.
  Option 2: perhaps organize everything down to the "hardware store level", with very many containers and all organized down to minute details.....length, thread type, stainless vs zinc, finishing nail vs common, etc.
  Option 3: somewhere in between

I guess it boils down to this: how much time and effort to organize? The time spent to sort thousands of old nails, screws, washers, etc. would be considerable, and would also require constant maintenance! On the other hand, the time spent digging through large containers of assorted stuff is frustrating! So..........where is the "sweet spot"??

I am not in business.........just a guy that would like a nice place for occasional furniture projects, home repair and the like.

Right now, I'm most interested in hearing about overall strategy for organizing, rather than getting into the details about what type of storage container to use.

All comments much appreciated, it will be nice to hear how others have organized and how much time is spent to maintain.

Thanks to everyone, in advance, from this new member.

[daveferg]

First--welcome to the forum! Hope we can help you.

The trick is to organize in such a way that when you find you need a fastener or part, that it's easy enough to check to see if you have it. I've tried the route of the small, stackable bins and they're more frustrating than not.

For nails, screws, etc. I see very little to be gained from sorting by type and then size. Think instead what you'd be looking for----do you need something for outside or inside---then if you had a loose collection of box nails, you could go through them when you needed a particular size and sort for that then.

I had very little in the way of loose nails/screws, so I sorted the boxes by size of fastener with all types in the same large bin---that way knowing the size, I could then find the proper application.

As to house hardware (like hinges, drawer guides), electrical, and plumbing, I'd buy a bin large enough to hold each type of parts. I've found these to be a natural way of sorting so I can see what I have for the type of job needed.

[Mr_Mike]

Always a tough thing to do, but I have developed some stratagies that help.

Anything small enough to fit in to some small organizer goes in one. I use the tilt out bins because I can rearrange contents easily. Just tilt out the bin and move it. This works for nuts, screws, turn buttons, and what-not.

I have some fairly big bins for more construction sized things like 8 and 16 penny nails and they are stored in a slightly different area.

More odd and one-off hardware go in plano boxes. I've standardized on one size in two different heights and built a storage cabinet they can fit in. I try to keep the plano boxes themed. O-rings in one, hinges in one, etc. I can't say that I'm pure in any of that though.

Stray hardware goes in a coffee can. When it gets full, I take a bit of time to sort it out to where it belongs. If I can't make it fit anywhere, it goes back in the can to age. Every now and again, it just gets tossed.

I still can't keep up with it.

I use tilt-out bins, plano boxes, acro bins, Rubbermaid throw-away containers or whatever else I think I need.

[Cian]

Somebody please give me a lead on a vintage library card file catalog.

[daveferg]

For library card index----hope you've saved your pennies. They are extremely expensive---guess everyone likes them for one reason or another.

[cwarner]

Here Not Mine

[CLETUS]

Cian said:

---

Somebody please give me a lead on a vintage library card file catalog.

---

A really old school near me closed down.... there is an upcoming auction. No I will not tell you where.

[MT Stringer]

I used tackle box trays to organize nuts, bolts, screws, and all sorts of stuff. I built a pair of cabinets that hang on the wall of my shop (garage) which allows me to store a lot of frequently used tools and all of those tackle trays.

Here is a link to a blog on another website with pics. They tell the story better than I can. My solution has worked out great. Everything is at arms length and ready for action. :-)
http://lumberjocks.com/MT_Stringer/blog/36520

Hope this helps.
Mike

[Sandal Woods]

This is all gone now. But, just to the left of the blue filing cabinet you can see our old grey hardware storage cabinet:



We bought it at an auction held by the local public library when they renovated. It worked great!

Al

[dlorenz]

Suggest you start with minimum organization.

For quite awhile, I have used 3 main containers:
- 1 for washers and nuts
- 1 for wood-type screws
- 1 for bolts

Dry-wall screws are sorted by size into containers.

Hardware such as hinges, pulls, etc., tend to be in a couple of places.

Sometimes I think I should break this down further, but I have yet to do it.

As for nails, I have no mixed nails - they are in containers or paper sacks.

Try this approach for awhile, and then get more granular if you need to.

Hope this helps.