So You Want To Work With Stanley The Great Big Of Everything
I ran into this while helping someone reorganize their workshop space. They'd bought the Stanley Great Big Of Everything kit thinking it would solve all their storage problems. It didn't. Not entirely, anyway. The hardware itself is fine — solid enough for light use — but the way people approach it matters more than anything else. Here's how it actually works when you're not reading the marketing copy.
Stanley The Great Big Of Everything: What It Actually Is
It's a modular storage and organization system designed around a pegboard-style wall mounting. The core components are a set of hooks, bins, and shelving units that clip onto a standard Stanley pegboard. You buy the board separately from most retailers, then layer on whatever accessories you need. The appeal is that you can rearrange things without drilling new holes every time you change your mind. I've seen people treat it like a permanent fixture. It's not. The clips wear out after about eighteen to twenty-four months of regular rearranging. Once they start slipping, you've got two options: replace the clips or switch to a different mounting system entirely. Both are cheap. Neither is exciting. The kit usually comes with maybe twelve pieces in a single package. That covers a basic tool setup for one person working casually. If you have more than three people using the same wall, you'll be buying additional boards and clips within the first year. I learned that the hard way with a client who had four contractors sharing a single setup.
The Installation Side Of Things
Mounting the pegboard is the part nobody mentions in the reviews. You need to find studs. That sounds obvious but a lot of people just anchor into drywall and then wonder why their heavy bins sag after a few weeks. Use a stud finder, mark at least four points, and drive at least six screws through the board into the studs. Three-eighths inch diameter screws minimum. Don't skimp. Level the board before you fully tighten everything. A slightly crooked pegboard means your hooks will sit at odd angles, and that translates to bins tipping forward or tools sliding off when you reach for them. Take ten minutes here and you save yourself an hour of readjusting later. One thing I noticed after installing three of these setups: leave about two inches of empty space at the bottom. People fill every single square inch on first install. Then they realize they have no room to hang anything new and the whole system feels cramped. The visual clutter increases even though the actual capacity hasn't changed. Empty space around the edges makes it easier to assess what you own.
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Common Mistakes People Make
The biggest one is buying only the starter kit and treating it like a complete solution. The starter kit is exactly that — a starting point. The real cost comes from filling in the gaps. Heavy duty hooks run about eight dollars each. The wire bins are another five to seven dollars depending on size. By the time you outfit a full four by eight foot board, you're easily looking at two to three times the initial kit price. Another mistake is putting everything on the front hooks instead of using the deeper shelves. Front hooks look organized in photos. They're a nightmare to use when you actually need something fast. Items on the front hook tend to slide forward and fall off when you yank adjacent hooks. Put heavier or frequently used items on the shelf or in the back hooks where they actually stay put. I also recommend not mixing Stanley parts with random pegboard hardware from other brands unless you've tested the fit first. The clip spacing is close to standard but not identical. A Harbor Freight hook won't always seat properly on a Stanley board, and vice versa. I wasted a Saturday afternoon figuring that out with a batch of mismatched hooks someone had purchased separately.
When This System Actually Falls Short
There are legitimate scenarios where the Stanley Great Big Of Everything is the wrong choice. If you're storing anything over twenty-five pounds per hook point, the pegboard flexes and the clips lose grip. Power tools, case weights, and large containers of hardware all exceed that threshold over time. If your wall space has outlets, switches, or door frames interrupting the layout, the modularity becomes a hindrance rather than a benefit. You end up with awkward gaps that don't fit any of the standard accessory sizes. In those cases, a simple open shelving system or a mobile cart actually works better and costs less. Moisture is another factor. This system is designed for indoor garage or workshop environments. Run it in an unheated space that sees humidity swings and the steel components will rust within a year. I've pulled boards out of basements where the metal was already pitted. It happens faster than most people expect.
Where To Get It
You can pick up the base kits from Home Depot, Lowe's, and Ace Hardware. The direct link on the Stanley website sometimes has better bundle pricing, especially if you combine shipping on the pegboard and accessories separately. Amazon carries the individual components but the shipping costs add up quickly since the board alone is bulky and heavy. If you're in a hurry, any big box home improvement store will have it in stock. If you're not and want the best price, wait for a seasonal sale around spring or fall when they typically discount organization products. The system does what it promises. It just does it within fairly narrow constraints. Know those constraints before you build around it and you'll avoid most of the frustration that comes with it.
