Planning to ship or store a large number of things in a 10ft shipping container? While 10ft of space seems like a lot, we’re here to tell you it’s actually a lot smaller than you may think. An average household 3 bedroom household struggles to fit into a 20ft container, so at 10ft, you can quickly run out of space. 

In order to help you maximise your storage space in a 10 ft container, we are here with some helpful tips we have collected after decades in the industry. 

Packing A 10ft Container 

Know Your Space 

One of the first things we recommend is to measure the Interior space of your 10ft shipping container. Take note of the height, width and depth and think about this in relation to any large furniture items you may be wanting to place within it. 

Keep in mind that if you’re aware of the heights of items, this can help you to utilise valuable vertical space right up to the roof line so no area is wasted space 

Consider Additions

Adding extras to your container may not sound conducive to making more space, but in the case of shelving systems or racks, it can actually help you utilise the space better. 

Cardboard boxes are often not suited to being stacked on top of one another without damaging the items they contain – no matter how much bubble wrap you may have used! Having racks in place can ensure you make use of the vertical space without squashing your valuables. 

As a bonus, when you install shelving in storage units, it can make easily accessing items much more doable. 

Think Outside The Box

It’s not only shelving that can help you utilise your space better, you should consider also adding wall hooks and overhead storage systems. Depending on how full the container ends up, employing a variety of methods to store items can not only help you fit more but also aids in the overall organisation.

It is likely that at some point you will need to access your things and being intelligent about how things are packed can help to avoid a whole lot of unpacking and repacking later down the line. As an aside, a wall hook is also a great place to keep a torch for easy viewing of your stored items too! 

Use Your Furniture Intelligently 

Packing away an empty wardrobe? What about a table or desk? Remember to always utilise the space underneath tall items such as tables and pack items into empty furniture where possible. 

There is little to be gained by placing an empty wardrobe into storage and later finding out you cannot fit the last few boxes into your container. Chances are they would’ve fit inside that empty piece of furniture. 

Doing this can also help to stabilise the loading of your container, which is important in cases where the container will be moved or shipped. 

Opt For Clear Containers

Storage solutions such as clear containers in place of opaque cardboard boxes can also aid in the organisation of your space. Not only are these containers more sturdy and usually watertight they stack easily and make it possible to see what is in them for best placement. 

Knowing whether a container has lightweight clothing in it vs heavy kitchen equipment is essential to good packing. This brings us to the next point. 

Pack By Weight  

You should always place heavy items on the bottom with lighter objects on top. This ensures nothing gets squashed and that your boxes or containers are not being unduly stressed. 

Broken boxes and containers can quickly cause items to move out of place – causing an avalanche of your possessions when you next attempt to access them. 

Look Into Bespoke Solutions For Specialty Items

Have an awkwardly shaped sculpture or precious item that simply won’t fit into any conventional packing solutions? Consider having a crate custom-made to fit its dimensions. 

This ensures it is well protected but also that precious storage space isn’t wasted by not being able to stack items around it properly due to its unusual shape and/or size. 

Ask For Help 

Organising a storage space alone can often mean items are not as well placed as they should be. It is much harder to pack things into a vertical space on your own and this may see you missing out on using the free space that you need.

Additionally, if you’re no tetris master and the thought of trying to expertly pack your items into a limited space fills you with dread, you can also employ someone to do it for you. Removalists are masters at packing things into limited space and can also make quick work of a sometimes arduous task.  

Looking for the perfect storage solution? For wind and watertight containers of any size and type, contact Shipping Container Brisbane at (07) 3185 2170.