5 Shipping Container Storage Ideas to Stay Organized (2024)

  • Last Updated: January 17, 2023
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Working on your business but having limited storage space? Need to store some old furniture pieces or electronics?

A shipping container is an ultimate answer. This storage solution is highly versatile as it offers the best on-site storage with easy access for residential and commercial purposes, and this is why this industry was valued at 8.7 billion US dollars in 2019.

Nevertheless, this practical on-site storage solution can easily get messy. Unless you get creative with some organizing ideas, storing valuables can become a nightmare.

Luckily, you’ve come across our article because we’ll share the best shipping container ideas to stay organized, so keep on reading.

Table of Contents hide

1 How to Keep Your Storage Container Organized

2 How to Pack/Organize A Shipping Container for Storage?

2.1 Make a List

2.2 Store Things Smartly

2.3 Start From the Back

2.4 Pack Boxes Properly

2.5 Avoid Using Bigger Shelves

2.6 Use a Step Stool

3 FAQs

3.1 How to hang things in a shipping container?

3.2 Do shipping containers make good storage?

4 Conclusion

4.1 Share this:

How to Keep Your Storage Container Organized

Many businesses use rental shipping containers to store their goods and valuable equipment. They represent a cost-efficient solution if you don’t have enough on-site storage space until you get your items shipped to the clients.

Homeowners can also use these storage units when they’re planning a renovation, moving to another city, or simply running out of room due to a change in the family’s dynamics.

Coming up with good storage ideas also applies if you’re using a shed, garage, workshop, or carport for storage. Unless you come up with an excellent organization plan, it will be almost impossible to find what you’re looking for because of the mess. Moreover, some items might get broken or damaged.

Here are some of the best shipping container storage ideas to keep your shipping container easily organized, so you can find what you’re looking for and it doesn’t get damaged.

5 Shipping Container Storage Ideas to Stay Organized (1)

Start With a Plan

Visualizing what your on-site storage space will look like will help you organize it better. Start by measuring your container, drawing a map, and then deciding how you plan to organize it to make it more accessible and secure.

Make Way

Before organizing your storage container, you need to leave a path on the floor, so you can move comfortably. A pathway should be wide enough to accommodate two people, if possible, providing access to every part of the container while maximizing floor space.

Install the Right Accessories

Regardless of the size of the storage container, purchasing the right organizational accessories will make a huge difference. Shelving, filing cabinets, hooks, hangers, and partitions will help you organize your container, making all your stored items more accessible. Moreover, you’ll be able to come up with an organization system based on the size, purpose, or color of items.

The best thing about these accessories is that they’re versatile, so you can change their layout if you want to store other items. In addition, they don’t permanently affect storage containers. Finally, these accessories allow you to use the ground wisely by loading items vertically instead of horizontally.

Keep Items in Clear Tubs

Unlike cardboard boxes, clear tubs are more resistant to humidity and heat. Moreover, they’ll allow you to load smaller items efficiently. A clear tub will help you identify the smallest items that are likely to get lost if you don’t store them properly in your shipping container storage.

Make Storage Labels Visible

In order to find and easily access everything inside your shipping container, you need to label all the shelves, cabinets, boxes, tubs, and any containers that you might use for storage. These items will help maximize the floor space you have.

When possible, follow a system to label your items. For example, you can follow alphabetical order, file items according to their purpose or location, or keep items of the same size or materials in the same box.

How to Pack/Organize A Shipping Container for Storage?

Following a good system while organizing and packing your shipping container will benefit you in the long run. First, you’ll make the best of the extra room you have, and second, you’ll be able to find and easily access everything whenever needed. Here are the best tips to pack and organize a shipping container.

Make a List

Make a list of all the items you want to store inside the storage container. This will help you keep track of them while packing to put everything in place. Keeping a record of the inventory is also a good way to make sure that you’ve packed everything you need.

5 Shipping Container Storage Ideas to Stay Organized (2)

Store Things Smartly

After revising your inventory, find items that you regularly need or use and store them inside the storage container where they’re easy to access. You can place them in the front row of the interior or at eye-level shelves and filing cabinets.

You should also avoid stacking heavier items on top of the ones that weigh less. Heavyweight items can fall on top of the other stuff you stored and break your other tools or the shelves themselves. This is why you should start with heavyweight items and then add lighter ones on top.

Start From the Back

Start by placing bigger items at the back of the storage container and move to the front. Mattresses and big boxes can be stacked on top of each other to create walls.

Walls represent a smart storage idea and will allow you to organize the container’s internal space and can help you move around smartly. You should also pack things while distributing weight evenly. Stacking all the heavier items at the back of the container will make the weight distribution uneven.

Pack Boxes Properly

When you’re putting different items in boxes inside the container, make sure that you’re not overloading boxes, but try to pack them as tight as possible. This way, you can pack all your items in fewer boxes and load the container storage smartly.

Avoid Using Bigger Shelves

Extra-wide and big shelves take too much of the internal space and can easily become cluttered. It’s best to go for small and medium-sized racks and shelving and stack them smartly.

Things should fit snugly, so you can exactly tell where an item should go back when you remove it. Customized shelving will be a smart solution, so you can have extra space that suits the items you want to store and organize.

Use a Step Stool

A sturdy step stool is an excellent tool that will come in handy while packing and looking for items in your storage shipping container. You can use it to access items on the top shelf or put them back.

FAQs

How to hang things in a shipping container?

You can use a swinging storage or shelving unit on the door of the container. Longer items and tools should go into this storage unit, and when you open the door, they’ll be out of your way for easier access. Doors also provide extra room for smaller items that might easily get lost.

Do shipping containers make good storage?

Yes, containers represent a great storage option with easy access, especially for long-term storage. In addition, they provide excellent protection from the elements and can be cleaned and ventilated when needed.

Conclusion

There are lots of cool shipping container storage ideas to make the best of your storage and keep things organized. The most important thing is to start with a plan and think smartly about placing your items, so you can always have access to any tool whenever needed.

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  • 5 Shipping Container Storage Ideas to Stay Organized (2024)

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