Can you give me suggestions for storing small items?

Small clear plastic boxed with snap on lids might be a good solution. You could keep all your lamp parts in one, glues in another. Stack them up and label the fronts so you can find what you need?

You can buy plastic bins with lids that will slide under your bed. Also use those same plastic bins and stack in your closet. Just be sure to put like items in labeled boxes so you can find what you want easily.

Why not store those bins full of goodies in your laundry room closet or on the floor stacked on each other in a coat closet?

Part of the frustration in retrieving small items is 'digging' through storage containers to find the individual piece you are searching for.

I would recommend to go for shallow drawers - either a mechanics tool chest style, or pre-purchased units sold for offices or kitchens. If you went with the option of custom building a shallow drawer unit, a flat working surface could easily be put on top.

I use the plastic Bantex A4-paper filing drawers. Small enough to house tiny screws to larger wood cut-outs.

There are lots of storage ideas here. Scroll through and hopefully you'll find some good storage ideas.

https://www.hometalk.com/search/posts?filter=Storage%20Solutions

I bought one of these over the summer and it worked great.

https://www.amazon.com/Akro-Mils-10124-Plastic-Hardware-6-5-Inch/dp/B003TV3NL0

You can buy plastic bins, storage boxes, sliding drawer units at any dollar store.

you can use egg cartons to keep your smaller pieces of stuff organized. works well and if you are in a high crime area or just sorting scews

How about reusing drug or prescription pill bottles many sizes available

You can create your own pretty cheap. Staples has Banker Boxes (regular and legal sized) that are nice and heavy duty. You can use old Amazon boxes and some duct tape to create your shelves within the Banker Box. Use butcher block paper to cover any size box you want/need to fill your shelves - tissue boxes, cereal boxes - then just use a marker to label it. Everything is fully adjustable. When they get too worn, easily and cheaply replaced.

Your dilemma is one we all deal with. We took a coat closet that we never used (It is under the stairs, deep, and weirdly shaped) , took the rod out, and installed shelves on three sides. This has become our 'hardware store," but shelves in the garage will work just as well. I put small items in labeled gallon or quart ziplock bags--3m hooks, small extra knobs, velcro straps, etc.--then stack those bags into dollar tree baskets. For nails & screws I use a plastic craft box meant to hold beads. I have several of these and stack them together. Labeling everything and keeping like items together is the key to long term success. For instance: Anything that has to do with painting or sanding goes near each other--all glues and adhesives together--anything for hanging pictures like wire, nails or screws goes together--all knobs and handles--all flashlights and the batteries that go in them--you get the idea. Label your baskets as well as any ziplock bags. This doesn't have to be fancy to be functional. I use masking tape with marker to label my baskets and write directly onto the baggies. I have used this method for may years and I seldom have to hunt for anything. The baggies keep dirt out of your items especially if you keep them in the garage plus, you can lift the bag of whatever you need and take it to the room you need to use it, find the correct hook or screw, put everything back in the baggie and return it to the shelf--makes life a little easier.