Write an article based on this "Keep like with like. Sort by function. Sort by project. Sort by popularity. Separate standard and metric wrenches. Keep storage sockets and wrenches on rails if possible. Line the bottom of the portable toolbox with cardboard. Label everything."
There's no one way to organize a toolbox, but the best way to get started is to create piles, placing like tools with like tools. How you choose to do this will be up to you, and it will depend on the tools you've got in your collection, but there are a few good strategies to keep in mind as you're sorting. In general, though, you just want to keep tools that belong next to one another next to one another, so you don't have to dig through a complete mess to find what you're looking for. In one area, keep fasteners like screws, bolts, washers, and anything related to securing one thing to another in its own little tray. Keep your screwdrivers in one drawer and keep your wrenches in another. Pair the function of the tools with the location of the tools. If you specialize in a few common projects, then you might assign drawers, shelves, or individual boxes to their own project. If you always need your grease gun and your socket set at the same time, keep them in the same drawer. If you always need your plumber's wrench and your Philips set at the same time, keep them together. Put your most frequently used tools at the front and put less frequently used tools toward the back, where you won't have to worry about them. Alternatively, you could even assign separate drawers or boxes for "most common" and "least common," to create miscellaneous categories that you'll know to look in. For sockets and basic wrench sets, if you've got multiple sizes and increments, it can be a real pain to dig through an unorganized drawer trying to look for the right one. Separate them into separate locations to make finding one a lot more quick. Wrench organizers called rails are commonly sold at hardware stores. These allow you to quickly scan and snap your tools into and out of place. You can even keep them arranged in their proper order, so you won't have to spend a bunch of time scanning for the right one. They're cheap and useful. If you don't have a rail or don't want them, try to bundle loose wrenches in an old rag or a small sack for your portable box. At least they'll all be in the same place and won't be rattling around loudly. If your tools are grease-magnets, lining the bottom of the box with a piece of cardboard will help to soak it up and keep it from dirtying your tools and even dripping out of the box. It's a crude method, maybe, but it works. Get out a permanent marker and some masking tape and start labeling every drawer, every box, every little thing in which you've hidden something. The first couple of weeks after a big reorganization can be the most frustrating, and you'll make it a whole lot easier on yourself if you clearly mark everything in your workshop and make it easy to identify.