How to Store Nails: Genius Tips For Organization

Quick Summary:
Properly storing nails and accessories keeps them organized, prevents rust, and saves you time. Use dedicated containers like tackle boxes, magnetic trays, or repurposed jars, and label everything clearly. This guide offers simple, effective ways to manage your fasteners and keep your workspace tidy.

Hey there, fellow DIYers and woodworkers! Jack Shaffer here, your go-to guy for all things nailers and projects. Ever rummage through a pile of nails, only to find bent shafts, rusted heads, or the wrong size for the job? It’s a common frustration, but it doesn’t have to be your reality. Keeping your nails and other small hardware sorted and protected makes a huge difference in your project workflow. It saves time, prevents wasted materials, and generally makes your workshop a calmer, more productive place to be. Today, we’re going to tackle this head-on with some genius tips for organizing your nails and accessories that are perfect for any beginner. Ready to get your fasteners in line?

Table of Contents

Why Nail Organization Matters (More Than You Think!)

We all love the satisfaction of a completed project, but the journey there often involves a little chaos. When it comes to small hardware like nails, screws, washers, and even tiny screws for electronics, disorganization can be a project killer. Imagine this: you’re mid-build, everything is going smoothly, and then you discover your finishing nails are all tangled or worse, rusted. Suddenly, you’re back to square one, searching for replacements and losing momentum. That’s where proper storage comes in.

Good nail storage isn’t just about making your workshop look neat. It’s about efficiency, safety, and preserving your materials. Rusted nails can stain your wood, bent nails are useless, and finding the exact right size fastener quickly means you stay in your creative flow. Plus, a tidy workspace can be a safer workspace, reducing the risk of tripping or stepping on stray hardware.

We’ll cover everything from simple, budget-friendly solutions to more robust systems. Whether you have a small collection for occasional DIY tasks or a vast assortment for serious woodworking, these tips will help you keep everything in its place, easy to find, and in perfect condition.

The Enemy: Rust, Tangles, and Lost Pieces

Before we dive into solutions, let’s quickly touch on what we’re up against. These are the main culprits behind fastener frustration:

Rust: Moisture is the arch-nemesis of metal fasteners. Even a little humidity can cause rust, weakening the nail and potentially staining your project.
Tangles and Bends: Nails in a mixed bag or poorly organized container tend to get their heads bent, or shafts intertwined, making them difficult to separate and unusable.
Lost Pieces: Small fasteners can easily disappear into the abyss of a workbench or tool bag. Finding the specific size or type you need becomes a treasure hunt, often ending in defeat.
Confusion: Mixing different types and sizes of nails leads to using the wrong fastener for the job, which can compromise structural integrity or aesthetics.

Genius Nail Storage Solutions for Every DIYer

The best storage solution for you depends on your space, your budget, and the sheer volume of nails and hardware you possess. Here are some tried-and-true methods:

1. Tackle Boxes & Craft Organizers: The All-Stars of Small Parts

You might associate tackle boxes with fishing gear, but they are absolute gold when it comes to organizing small hardware. Most have multiple compartments of varying sizes, often with adjustable dividers, making them perfect for sorting different types and sizes of nails, screws, washers, nuts, bolts, and other small bits.

Pros: Relatively inexpensive, widely available, portable, compartmentalized, transparent lids often allow you to see contents.
Cons: Can get heavy when fully loaded, dividers may not be customizable enough for highly specific needs.
What to look for: Sturdy latches, deep enough compartments for common nail sizes, clear or semi-clear lids.

2. Magnetic Parts Trays: For Quick Access and Easy Sorting

These are fantastic for the workbench. Magnetic trays hold metal items like nails and screws firmly in place. This means they won’t roll away, and you can easily pick them up one by one. They’re also great for sorting: dump a jumble of fasteners into the tray, and they’ll spread out nicely for you to identify and pick through.

Pros: Keeps fasteners from rolling, great for sorting, excellent for temporary holding while working, often stackable.
Cons: Not suitable for long-term, bulk storage as it doesn’t protect from environmental factors.
Tip: Many DIY stores sell magnetic bowls and trays specifically designed for mechanics, which work just as well for woodworking fasteners.

3. Repurposed Jars and Containers: Budget-Friendly Brilliance

Don’t underestimate the power of a good old jar! Cleaned-out food jars (like jam, pickle, or mason jars) are excellent for storing nails. They keep them contained, and you can see what’s inside. For a more organized look, consider clear plastic food containers or even old coffee cans.

Pros: Extremely cheap (often free!), readily available, see-through, offers good protection from dust and minor impacts.
Cons: Glass jars are breakable, not ideal for portability unless they have sturdy lids, can be bulky.
How to make it work: Ensure jars are completely dry before adding nails. If using metal cans, check for any sharp edges.

4. Clear Plastic Drawer Units: For the Serious Collector

If you have a lot of different fasteners or tools, a small parts organizer with multiple clear drawers is a game-changer. These units resemble small filing cabinets, with individual drawers that slide out. Each drawer can hold a specific type or size of nail, screw, or other hardware.

Pros: Excellent for large quantities, highly organized, keeps items dust-free, easy to see contents at a glance if drawers are clear.
Cons: Can be more expensive, takes up more space, not portable.
Where to find them: Hardware stores, craft stores, and online retailers carry a wide variety.

5. DIY Nail Sorter from Wood Scraps

If you’re a woodworker, why not build your own solution? You can easily construct a simple wooden box with dividers, or even drill holes into a block of wood for individual nail storage. This allows for completely custom solutions tailored to your specific collection.

For a simple DIY sorter:

Get a shallow wooden box or build one from scrap plywood.
Cut thin strips of wood or plywood to create dividers inside the box.
Glue or screw the dividers in place to create compartments.
Label each compartment clearly.

This is a fun weekend project that results in a custom organizer. A great resource for building small wooden storage solutions is the Wood Magazine website, which often has plans for various workshop organization projects.

6. Specialized Nail Holders for Nail Guns

If you primarily use a nail gun, you’ll be dealing with collated nails. These come in paper, plastic, or wire collation. The best way to store these is in their original packaging if possible, or in dedicated nail gun magazine protectors. These protect the collation and prevent the nails from getting bent or damaged before loading into your gun.

For loose nails intended for nail guns, the above methods (tackle boxes, jars) still apply. The key is to keep them dry to prevent corrosion, which can be detrimental to the firing mechanism of your nail gun.

7. Magnetic Strips for Fastener Access

Similar to magnetic trays, magnetic strips can be mounted on pegboards or walls. They are perfect for holding nails of a specific size or type that you use frequently, keeping them within easy reach while you work. This is especially useful when working on a bench with a pegboard backdrop.

The Art of Labeling: Your Best Friend in Organization

No matter which storage method you choose, clear and consistent labeling is crucial. This is where many people fall short, leading to confusion down the line.

Be Specific: Don’t just write “nails.” Write “1.5-inch Finishing Nails,” “2-inch Brad Nails,” “3-inch Common Nails,” “Wood Screws #8 x 1.5 inch,” etc.
Use a Good Label Maker: A label maker provides durable, easy-to-read labels that won’t smudge or peel off.
Temporary Labels: For jars or containers you plan to change contents of regularly, masking tape and a marker work well.
Color-Coding: Consider using different colored labels or containers for different categories of fasteners (e.g., blue for nails, green for screws, red for hardware).

A good rule of thumb is: if you have to guess what’s inside, the label needs improvement.

Storage Best Practices: Keeping Your Nails in Top Condition

Beyond just sorting and labeling, there are a few other key practices to ensure your nails last and perform well:

1. Keep Them Dry, Dry, Dry!

This is the golden rule. Moisture is the enemy of metal fasteners. Store your nails in a dry environment, away from leaky pipes, damp walls, or humid basements. If you live in a particularly humid climate, consider using small desiccant packs (like those found in new shoe boxes) in your storage containers.

The National Archives has excellent resources on preventing environmental damage to materials, which applies to your tools and hardware too. Their emphasis on controlling humidity is paramount.

2. Protect Them from Damage

Avoid just tossing nails into a big bucket. This leads to bent heads and tangled shafts. The compartmentalized solutions mentioned above are excellent for preventing this. If you’re using larger containers, consider adding foam inserts or dividers.

3. Group by Type and Size

This seems obvious, but it’s worth reiterating. Grouping similar items makes finding what you need much faster. A simple categorization could be:

Nail Categorization Guide
Category	Example Types	Common Uses
Finishing Nails	1.5″, 2″	Trim work, molding, delicate projects
Brad Nails	0.5″, 0.75″, 1″	Small trim, crafts, securing thin materials
Common/Screws Nails	2.5″, 3″, 4″	Framing, general construction, outdoor projects
Roofing Nails	1″ with large heads	Shingles, roofing felt
Masonry/Concrete Nails	Hardened metal	Attaching wood to concrete or brick

4. Store Near Your Workspace (But Not Too Near)

Keep your most frequently used nails and fasteners in organizers that are easily accessible during your projects. This might mean a small tackle box or magnetic tray directly on your workbench, or a well-labeled drawer in a nearby tool chest. However, avoid storing them directly where they might get covered in sawdust or debris.

5. Don’t Forget Accessories!

While we’re focusing on nails, remember that screws, washers, nuts, bolts, brads, staples, and other small hardware pieces all need proper storage. Many of the same principles apply. A well-organized workshop manages all these small but essential items effectively.

DIY Project Spotlight: Building a Simple Nail Sorter

Let’s put some of these ideas into practice with a simple DIY project. This wooden nail sorter will help you organize common nail sizes and keep them tidy.

Materials You’ll Need:

A shallow wooden box (you can buy one or build a simple one from scrap wood)
Thin plywood or hardboard for dividers (approx. 1/4 inch thick)
Wood glue
Small nails or screws for assembly (optional, if building the box)
Sandpaper
Label maker or masking tape and marker

Instructions:

Prepare Your Box: If you bought a box, ensure it’s clean and smooth. If building, construct a simple rectangular box with desired dimensions (e.g., 18 inches long x 12 inches wide x 3 inches deep). Sand any rough edges.
Measure and Cut Dividers: Measure the internal width of your box. Based on the number of compartments you want and the sizes of nails you’ll store, cut strips of plywood to fit inside your box. For example, to get 4-5 compartments, you might need 3-4 divider pieces.
Mark Divider Locations: Decide where you want each divider to go. Mark these lines on the inside bottom and sides of the box.
Glue and Insert Dividers: Apply wood glue to the bottom and side edges of each divider. Carefully press them into place on the marked lines. Ensure they are perpendicular to the sides.
Secure Dividers (Optional): For extra strength, you can add a small brad nail or screw through the outside of the box into the edge of each divider.
Let it Dry: Allow the glue to dry completely according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Sand and Finish: Lightly sand any rough spots or sharp edges. You can leave it unfinished, or apply a light coat of wood sealer or paint to match your workshop.
Label Your Compartments: Once dry, use your label maker or tape and marker to clearly label each compartment with the type and size of nails it will hold (e.g., “1.5” Finish Nails,” “3” Common Nails,” “Brads 3/4″”).

This simple project effectively transforms random nails into an organized, accessible system. It’s a satisfying way to improve your workspace!

Frequently Asked Questions About Storing Nails

Q1: How can I prevent nails from rusting while in storage?
A1: The best way is to store nails in a dry, climate-controlled environment. Avoid basements or garages that experience a lot of humidity. Using airtight containers or adding desiccant packs (small bags that absorb moisture) can also help significantly.

Q2: I have a ton of different small screws and nails. What’s the best way to keep them all separate?
A2: For a large variety, a multi-drawer parts organizer is ideal. If that’s too much, a good quality tackle box with many small, adjustable compartments works wonders. Clear lids help you see what’s inside each compartment at a glance.

Q3: Can I store nails in their original cardboard boxes?
A3: You can, but it’s not ideal for long-term storage. Cardboard can absorb moisture, and the boxes can get crushed, leading to spills and mixed nails. It’s better to transfer them to more durable, moisture-resistant containers and label them clearly.

Q4: What’s the difference between finishing nails and common nails, and how should I store them separately?
A4: Finishing nails are thinner with small heads, usually for trim work where the head needs to be hidden. Common nails are thicker and sturdier, for general construction. Store them separately in different compartments or containers as their sizes and uses are very different. Use labels to distinguish them.

Q5: My nails are already a bit rusty. Can I salvage them?
A5: For light surface rust, you can often clean them up. Soaking them briefly in a rust-dissolving solution (like a vinegar and water mix, or a commercial rust remover) can help. After cleaning, dry them thoroughly and store them in a protected container. Heavy rust might make them unusable or unsightly for projects where appearance matters.

Q6: Is there a way to store nail gun nails so they don’t get damaged?
A6: Collated nails (those already attached by paper, plastic, or wire) should be kept in their original boxes or protected in a dedicated nail gun case. Handle them gently to avoid bending the collation or the nails themselves. Store them flat or upright if possible, in a dry place.

Conclusion: Tidy Fasteners, Tidy Projects

There you have it! From simple repurposed jars to custom-built wooden sorters, the path to organized nails and hardware is much clearer now. Remember, the goal is to keep your fasteners dry, prevent them from tangling or bending, and make them easy to find when you need them.