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How to Save Space in Your Van

posted on 27 February 2014 | posted in Tips


You're building up a collection more and more tools and materials that are all necessary for your day-to-day work - be it plumbing, electrics, decorating, flooring, whatever. You know your van's disorganised, but don't know where to start. The only thing you do know is that you either organize how your stuff fits in the van, or you get a bigger van. I advise the former before the latter - you'll save yourself a lot of money!

Clear Out Your Van
Start simple. Completely clear out the back of your van. Make it spotless. Put all of your materials and tools outside the van and separate them into too categories: 1. Tools, 2. Materials.

Label the Back of Your Van
With the back of the van empty, you're already starting to feel better about things. Stick labels in the back of the van that highlight where you want everything to go. Bear in mind that you will likely need shelving and racking to make the most of the space. Visualise the shelving / racking. Put all your vital "go to" tools and materials near the door for convenience. Visualise everything there - does it look right? If not, move labels around until the visualisation works for you.

Shelving and Racking
The aforementioned shelving / racking system you will undoubtably need will help you make the most of your van space. A racking system is vital for tradesmen who work with lots of small parts. Look at your tools and materials and evaluate just which shelving / racking solution will be best for your van. Buy it. Install it.

Make the Most of Dead Space
Tradesmen talk of "dead space" in the back of their van - near the door, or awkward corners that don't fit your tools / materials. Make the most of these - fit pockets on the insides of your doors (assuming they open outwards) for storage.

Utilise the Outside of Your Van
Side-racking and roof-racks/roof-bars help give you that extra storage for those larger items.

Magnetic Strips
For metal tools / materials, consider magnetic strips. Nothing can overlap on the magentic strip, so tools and materials are easy to grab from the strip.
 

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