Clutter causes fatigue.

Think about it: When the sink is full of dishes — you know, really overflowing with them — you might be a little hesitant to jump right in and get to cleaning.

So when it comes to your garage, and specifically the tools and other homeowner accessories you’d typically find in there, it’s imperative that you exercise organizational caution. The cleaner you keep your garage, the easier it will be for you to find the tools you’re looking for.

You’ll also save yourself from enduring the wealth of headaches you’ll encounter if you’re looking for a Phillips head screwdriver amidst a cacophonic assortment of tools.

Let’s take a look at three tips you should consider if you’re wondering how to properly store tools in your garage.

1. Invest in Hardware to Store Your Tools Properly

Let’s say you’ve finally decided to purchase the table saw of your dreams. That’s great! But before you get complacent and start seeing your table saw as both a tool and, well, a table, you should consider buying shelving and other hardware so you can store your tools properly.

For starters, if you use a table saw as a place to store items, you might circle back to the sink-full-of-dishes scenario. Do you really want to take 30 different items off your table saw so you can use it?

By investing in some hardware, like Monkey Bar shelving, you’re able to keep your tools organized and your workspace clean. That goes a long way to ensuring productivity.

2. Clean Your Tools So They Don’t Rust

Just like anything else in life, you’ve got to take care of your tools if you want them to realize their longest useful lives.

To do that, it’s important to clean them regularly. That way, you won’t have to worry about dealing with them succumbing to rust.

Figure out which methods make the most sense for cleaning particular tools and develop a routine. You won’t have to clean a screwdriver every time you use it. But by routinely cleaning them, you ensure that you won’t have to go out and buy a new screwdriver anytime soon.

3. Storing Gasoline? Do It Safely

You need gasoline to power your lawnmower and chainsaw. You do not need gasoline to act as an accelerant and burn your house down.

If you’re storing gasoline in your garage, it’s vital you do so safely. Make sure you store your gasoline in an approved container and also that the container closes tightly.

When possible, try to store gasoline outside of the building where you sleep. In other words, if your garage is attached to your house, it might be time to move the uber-flammable liquid into your toolshed.

At the end of the day, it’s just not worth it to store your tools like a lazy moron. You’re spending your money on these items, and you will need to use them from time to time.

Is it time to organize your garage? Once you’ve spent the time doing so, you’ll never have to spend 20 minutes looking for a wrench again.

Well, at least in theory.