This Fall Garage Enhancement project was in partnership with The Home Depot*
Do you have a space in your house to organize tools for DIY projects this fall and winter? Every autumn I tell myself the same thing: clear out the garage and organize your tools before cold weather sets in. Each year I put it off and end up regretting it all winter. This year I decided to stop procrastinating and finally make progress.
I was tired of risking life and limb to reach a cardboard box of tools every time I needed something. It felt inefficient and embarrassing to keep essential tools in a box on the floor.
I had hoped to overhaul the entire garage, but since it was already September and I had travel plans, I scaled the goal back: focus on one corner for tool storage. If at least the tool area was tidy and functional, my winter projects would be much more enjoyable.
My daughter and I visited our local Home Depot in Poulsbo one evening to look for simple, practical solutions. The staff were incredibly helpful. After I described what I wanted, they pointed me to a sturdy workbench with a solid wood top, industrial casters, and several drawers for storage. I liked that it was mobile — once the rest of the garage is sorted I can easily move the bench to a better spot.
In addition to the bench, I wanted a large pegboard. I’ve always wanted a visible wall of tools. An employee offered to build a pegboard for me in the store, which was an amazing surprise. He cut and assembled the board, and I chose two sections of white pegboard to make a full four-foot by four-foot panel. To allow hooks to hang properly, the pegboard needed to be mounted slightly off the wall, so a wooden frame was built and the pegboard was attached to it.
Instead of leaving two smaller panels, the sections were joined to create one large board. The installer even used decorative gold screws, which made the finished piece look polished. I had considered painting a pattern, but the clean white board with gold accents looked great as-is.
Loading the bench and the oversized pegboard into the car turned out to be a challenge — the pegboard wouldn’t fit inside alongside the workbench. The store crew secured it to my roof rack so I could bring everything home that evening. The drive felt a little nerve-wracking, but the board stayed put.
To mount the pegboard in the garage, we located the wall studs, drilled pilot holes, and used three-inch screws driven through the pegboard into the studs so the board would be secure. Our garage floor slopes a bit, so we used a level to ensure the board was straight.
For hanging tools we purchased a starter pegboard kit with a variety of hooks and accessories. I expect to tweak the layout as we start using it, but already it feels easier to find and store items. Hopefully we’ll lose fewer tools now that they have a dedicated place.
I’m thrilled with how this corner turned out. It feels good to finally tackle a project I’ve wanted to do since we moved in. The rest of the garage still needs work, but at least one functional area is ready for fall projects.
I also picked up a string of yellow work lights to improve lighting for evening tasks. Bright, reliable lighting makes a big difference on chilly nights — and yes, every garage benefits from a strand of yellow work lights.
Do you have a dedicated area for organizing tools for fall and winter projects?
31 Days of Fall Nesting:
31 Days of Fall Nesting:
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
*I acknowledge that The Home Depot partnered with me on this Garage Enhancement Project. As part of this project I received compensation in the form of cash and gift cards to support promoting the project and The Home Depot. All opinions and experiences are my own. This post complies with applicable ethics and Federal Trade Commission guidelines.