If you’re the type of enthusiast who likes to tinker away in the garage, be it fixing your car, trying to learn new crafts, or simply taking on way too many DIY projects, then you’ll know firsthand how frustrating it can be when the tools just aren’t where you need them to be. A quick 30-minute job can soon become an all-afternoon ordeal if you need to clean the whole garage up first, simply to find that particular socket or Allen wrench.

So, rather than spend all that precious downtime running around the garage in frustration, unable to find whatever it is the project at hand calls for, instead, it’s best to set aside some time and resources to get the whole place organized. You can spend as much as you like doing this, filling expensive Snap-On toolboxes and tool chests, and as good a solution as that is, if something can be done on a budget to the same or greater effect, then that’s surely the approach you should be taking first. Besides, not everyone has multiple thousands of dollars at the ready to drop on fancy toolboxes.

As a result, we’ve put together five different solutions for organizing garage tools that can be done on the cheap. Some require an element of DIY, whereas others are pretty much ready to go out of the box. Regardless of your preference, implementing any of these solutions should save you heaps of time the next time you need a specific tool for that project of yours.

Using pegboards to organize the tools in your garage is as simple as it is versatile and effective. Unlike simply stuffing every screwdriver and wrench you own into a series of toolboxes, using a pegboard means you can actually see everything you own at one quick glance. They are also brilliant for organization, as you can store each type of tool in its own separate section of the pegboard.

Another great reason why you should be using pegboards is that they take up very little garage space, unlike toolboxes and tool chests, meaning there will be more room for your various projects and whatever else. It’s also relatively easy to mount pegboards onto a wheeled frame, which means you can scoot all your tools from one side of the garage to the next in a matter of seconds, rather than having to lug toolboxes around each time you need to go and work on something.

The best thing, though, is that pegboards are nice and cheap. Amazon has an endless array for sale, including metal packs with various hooks for just $39.99, a larger four-by-two-foot metal pegboard which sells for $79.99, and a heavy-duty board rated for 200 pounds, at just $43.99. No doubt your local hardware store will have a wide variety as well, if you would rather check them out in person before committing.

This next solution works well in conjunction with metal pegboards, and while it isn’t ideal for storing and organizing heavier-duty tools, or wooden-handled tools like hammers and gardening equipment, it is the perfect solution for displaying and organizing screwdrivers, drill bits, and other smaller tools.

Magnetic tool strips are essentially just like those knife holders you see in everyone’s kitchen. You can simply mount them to the wall or apply them to a metal pegboard and attach your tools to it. The obvious benefits include seeing your tools at once without having to rifle through drawers, you can easily organize and group them on separate magnetic strips, and it stops smaller tools — such as allen wrenches and drill bits — from rolling around your workbench, and inevitably dropping onto the floor. If this sounds like it could help, then there is more good news — these magnetic tool strips are easily affordable. Just $10 will get you a simple strip, which will be perfect for lighter and smaller tools, whereas tripling that budget will net you something smart-looking and heavier-duty.

They are also brilliantly versatile and ideal for moving around your garage or house. If you’ve got something that needs tending to in another room with your drill, simply take the tool strip as it is with all the drill bits attached. No more faffing about with multiple cases or pockets full of drill bits, everything’s right there where you need it.

Sometimes, you can’t beat the simplicity of a simple rack of shelves and some handy storage boxes. While some of the other solutions mentioned here might be more useful for organizing everyday tools, shelving and storage boxes might be better suited to those who need to keep hoards of spare parts for their garage hobby, or heaps of tools that are used occasionally, rather than frequently. They are also perfect for storing heavy items, with purpose-built systems capable of holding around 1,100 pounds per shelf — just ensure you’re buying a quality item before attempting to load the shelves up like this.

The trick here is to make life easy for yourself. Don’t just throw tools and parts into boxes and hike them onto shelves; put similar items together, and label the boxes. That way, whether it’s a week down the line or two years later when you go looking for something, there will be no need to open every box and start digging around; you’ll be able to see exactly which box has what you need inside. It’s super simple, but you’d be surprised at how many folk don’t put the smallest bit of planning into storage solutions like this, and inevitably end up forgetting they own whatever’s inside the boxes. You could even combine traditional labels with QR codes, too, and use a corresponding app that then tells you exactly what’s stored within the box. You’ll have to update the app whenever you change the contents of the box, for if you’re not always in and out of the box, changing what’s in there, this works well as a quick way to inform you what’s being stored, without having to haul it off the shelves and physically look through.

Slatwalls work very much like pegboards, in the fact that they stand upright in your garage, and tools can be hung and displayed upon them. They are a great way to upgrade your garage and make the workspace more functional, with the real difference between them and pegboards being that slatwalls have deep horizontal grooves running the width of them, which makes them ideal for hanging heavier tools. Instead of screwdrivers and wrenches, you can stash hammers, spades, and other such heavy-duty equipment on a robust and well-manufactured slatwall.

Typically, slatwalls will be made from MDF, metal, or PVC. MDF slatwalls are often cheapest, and suitable for smaller tools, although they may be damaged if over-loaded, or if heavy tools are stored. In the case of needing a heavier-duty solution, a metal slatwall is the obvious choice, although these are typically the most expensive. For a happy medium, try a PVC wall; these are strong, affordable, and also really easy to clean. MDF slatwalls require a more careful approach to cleaning, as water could potentially cause them to warp or weaken. For this reason, if your garage suffers at all from damp or condensation, PVC or metal solutions will be a safer bet. Metal options are easy to clean, just as the PVC choices are, although you might want to consider periodic rust prevention, especially if the paint begins to chip when mounting and removing tools. Another benefit is that slatwalls can come in a variety of colors, too, which helps to keep the garage looking smart and uniform.

It doesn’t get simpler or cheaper than this. If you find yourself constantly stressed out and unable to find what you need, and maybe even end up buying tools twice because you simply can’t locate whatever it is you need, then it sounds like a good declutter and tidy up is in order.

There are many helpful tips for organizing the tools in your garage, but if the place is a mess and full of stuff you simply don’t need anymore, then you’re starting out on the back foot, and for no good reason. Pick a clear and dry day, haul everything out of the garage into the garden or onto the driveway, and pick through what’s there piece by piece. Don’t be afraid to throw stuff out. Half-empty paint cans you might finish up using one day, or old car polish, which is likely dried out and hard by now, deserve to go in the trash. You will likely stumble across useful tools when going through this process, too, so don’t just throw everything you want to keep back into the garage, either. This is the perfect time to install a smarter way of organizing everything.

Any of the solutions mentioned above can ensure you don’t need to go through this deep clean again for a good while. So, before filling the garage back up, have a good sweep, perhaps even jetwash the floors, put up those pegboards, shelving units, or slatwalls, and start fresh with a smart and organized workspace.