Use Foam Storage Inserts and Never Lose Another Tool

Every time we break out the tools for a weekend project, it seems like we spend as much time looking for the right tool as we do addressing the task. Whether the single wrench you need is the only one out of hundreds that’s missing, or you can’t find the right Phillips head screwdriver in a sea of slot drivers, spending 10 minutes looking for a tool that you only need to use for 10 seconds of work is maddening. Because we all want to minimize the time spent fixing something and maximize the time using it, putting tools away in the midst of a project is often the last thing that happens, resulting in tool chests turning into a mess of metal and plastic. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to keep tools organized while taking only a split second longer than tossing them into a drawer blindly.

With a custom tooling insert, cut foam rubber trimmed to the shape of your tools is layered over a durable foam base. This organizes your tool collection in a completely customizable way and gives each tool its own special spot. Using materials like neoprene and mini-cell foam, very similar in style to an exercise foam mat, it’s easy to plot a tool layout and carve out the shapes by hand. A foam rubber cut is surprisingly easy to make using a sharp, non-serrated blade like a utility knife and will leave smooth edges for a professional look. By taking care of the cutting yourself, you can customize how many tools fit in each drawer, their layout, and what tools they share space with.

The other benefit of maintaining this degree of organization is the near-inability to lose your tools. Using a foam base layer of bright colors under a dark top layer makes it obvious when a tool is missing from its home. A quick glance over your tool box or chest before you finish your project will alert you that you’re missing a tool or are about to leave one behind. But with a darkly colored top layer and every tool in its place, the inserts have a clean appearance. It’s essentially a passive alarm system that helps you avoid losing expensive or important tools.

Closed-cell foam materials like polyethylene, neoprene and mini-cell are all durable products that can be wiped down and cleaned as needed, so you won’t need to treat the inserts any more gently than you’d treat your tools.