Retro Saturday: Don’t Lose Your Screws!

I've generally gone with a hybrid. I place my screws between 2 pieces of clear tape, in a long strip. This then allows me to write the screw's source in permanent marker, like a tag, and then store my strips in a bag.

Its kind of ghetto, but its the best method I've found.

I recently moved from an apartment into my first house. I took the shelves off my furniture, put the screws in baggies, and taped them to the side of the appropriate furniture. The movers pulled the baggies off the furniture and put them in a box before they moved it (so they wouldn't fall off). Unfortunately i didn't find this out unitl they'd mixed all the screw bags together in one box, it took quite awhile to match the appropriate screw with the furniture.

Do not tape anything inside drawers that lock! When we moved from London to Houston 5 years ago we had 3 antique dressers with locking drawers. You know the kind that you never lock, and the key just sits in the keyhole. Well before the movers came we very carefully bagged up the keys and taped them to the sides of the dressers. Apparently the movers were worried they would fall off (this was an international move after all) and taped them to the inside of one of the drawers. During the move, the drawers jiggled and managed to lock themselves. Furniture arrives in one piece, but it took 3 months to find a locksmith that could re-key antiques, only to discover they keys when we finally got the drawer open.

Duct tape on the underside of the furniture or appliance is my normal method. I've yet to lose one!

I put them in a ziplock bag and tape that to whatever I have
taken apart. If need be I will write specific instructions on
a recipe card and put that inside. Pam, South Bend

Once at a home cooking party, we were told to put them under the silverware drawer. You never move that, and they are protected by the plastic of the drawer. Must work, I have manuals for appliances that I tossed years ago. ;)

Painter's tape. Just put the screws down at even intervals and double the tape over the top. Use a marker to label across the tape. Store them all together in a plastic bin (tupperware) in the garage. I use an index card box, personally.