Tips for Maximizing Space in Your Storage Container

The decision to buy or rent a storage container is a great first step towards getting organized at work or at home. For business owners, they provide secure, affordable extra space for equipment, machinery, etc. For individuals and families, they make it easier to keep homes organized and find things like furniture, records, seasonal decorations, tools, and more when you need them. Regardless of what you plan to use your storage container rental or purchase for, it is important to keep it neat and organized so that you can reap the most benefits. Read on for our tips on how to maximize space in your storage container.

Choose the Right Size

One of the most important factors in choosing a storage container to buy or rent is size. Some people and/or businesses require more storage space than others. Storage containers are available in a range of sizes. Carefully consider the general size and volume of items you plan to store. If possible, make a general list of the items you know you will need to house, and work off of that. This might make it easier to rule out certain sizes from the beginning.

If you rent your unit, you can upgrade to a larger size in the future as your storage needs change. Consult with a storage specialist to determine the best storage container size for your specific needs.

Make a Plan for Your Space

Before loading your first item, make a realistic plan that you and/or your staff can stick to. Prioritize making pathways throughout the container with an emphasis on access for most-needed items. You can set your container up with aisles through your items if lots of items require regular access. Consider which items need to be accessed the most often and plan around them. These items should be placed closer to the entryway and closest to walkways and aisles.

Create an organized layout and a master contents list for optimal organization. Make multiple copies of these documents and post them on the wall inside the container. You can also create a map that helps you find each item from the list.

In some cases, it may be more difficult to do this, especially if the things you will need to store change frequently. In that case, be more general with your categorization. For example, if you are running a restaurant and need to store lots of cooking utensils, but the utensils you store change frequently, create a space for “kitchen utensils” rather than “mixers,” “spoons,” or “bowls.”

Use Organization Tools and Products

There are lots of products you would use at home or at the office to keep organized that you can also use to make the most of the space in your storage container. Consider using the following:

• Shelving systems
• Boxes
• Labels
• Vacuum sealer
• Filing cabinets
• Storage bins

If you have large quantities of inventory, consider establishing a barcoding system to make it simpler to add new shipments to your container. This is especially helpful for retail businesses that will need to barcode merchandise anyway. It will be much easier to find the inventory you need to keep shelves stocked if everything is barcoded before it goes into the storage container, and you won’t end up digging through other items and making a mess to find them.

Keeping items packed away in boxes will help you maximize space in your storage container. Label all of your items and the boxes and bins in which they are stored. Store like items together in boxes and don’t mix things in together. Use a vacuum sealer on bags, clothes, fabrics, and any other material you can to save space. Filing cabinets can be stacked on top of one another and make it easy to keep lots of documents organized that might otherwise pile up and take up valuable space. Just be sure not to stack things on top of objects that cannot bear the weight.

Store Upwards

It may go without saying, but the more you can stack your items, the more space you can free up. You can use this space for walkways or to add more stored items to your container. Bulky items like furniture and large machinery can be placed at the bottom. Tools, hardware, office supplies, and other such things can be organized into bins and stacked on top of one another.

However, you need to be strategic in which items you can store on top of one another. Boxes must be strong and sealable to stack safely. Do not stack things too high, especially if they are fragile or breakable. It is also best to use strong boxes rather than paper ones, which can break and tear easily and result in a mess of broken objects.

It can be risky to pack your items in too tightly, so make sure to approach this thoughtfully and consider safety at all times. Never block exits or create stacks that are so tall they might fall over, especially into an aisle or walkway.

In Conclusion

A storage container is a great investment for any business or individual. It can be used to free up a substantial amount of space and provide secure protection for any number of items. However, keeping organized is critical to fully maximizing on the space in your storage container. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take before packing your unit that can make it easy to store your items and find them when you need them quickly and safely.

Contact Page Street

If you would like to rent or buy a storage container in Candia, New Hampshire, or the surrounding area, contact Page Street Leasing today. We offer a range of quality Indiana storage containers that can accommodate all of your needs. Call (603) 622-1673 or fill out our contact form and a representative will be in touch.