A quality aluminum truck bed toolbox is essential for those of us who depend on our trucks day in and day out. A good truck storage box protects your tools and gear from weather and thieves, keeps it in one place so it’s easy to find and protects your truck from being damaged by loose tools banging around. A truck toolbox is a timesaver and a money saver.
While tossing your stuff randomly into a toolbox is better than leaving it exposed in the bed of your truck, it’s not the best or smartest way to use this valuable asset. Without a system, you may still find yourself searching for what you need, dealing with damaged items, or struggling to find the space to store everything you need. Here are three tips for organizing your truck toolbox:
Prime Real Estate Principle
The prime real estate principle is simple: store the items you use the most often in the easiest-to-reach location. If you use your hammer every day, it has no place in the back of the box underneath all the other stuff. Put right out front where it’s easy to grab.
Ease and Convenience
If it’s hard to put your things away, you’ll never put them away. Complicated nesting systems that require you to fit everything into your box as if it were a puzzle simply don’t work on a practical level in the long term. If your storage system isn’t easy and convenient, it won’t work.
Zones
One effective solution to keep your items sorted in your toolbox and achieve the necessary ease and convenience is creating zones in your box.
- Layers. You can use shelving, drawers, or separators to create layers where your tools and gear can reside. Foam is another great idea for defining areas in your box.
- Keep fluids separate. Pack your fluids in a single area away from other items and preferably at the bottom of the box to prevent leaks from damaging any other items in your box. Some type of separation is also a good idea to keep liquids away from other tools.
- Canvas bags. Smaller items can be stored in canvas bags to keep them together and from getting lost in everything else.
- Accessories. Many boxes have optional accessories you can add to help organize the interior. Hooks, pockets, drawers, and other products help you customize your toolbox to suit your needs.
A great toolbox with a carefully planned interior will make life in your truck easier all the way around.
