Active Storage

I have been using shelving for storage and have run out of shelf space.  When looking at most shelves they are loaded in such a way that it's almost impossible to know what's on them because the stuff in front hides the stuff in back.  Shelving is good for displaying items when the depth of the shelf is slightly deeper than the item.

Storage has a meaning that relates to putting something into a warehouse or storage building in a remote location.  So this page is called "Active Storage" since what I'm trying to do is have more things near where I am.

The problems with shelving:

•  don't know what's behind the front stuff
• can't easily access the back items
• inefficient use of the volume

A solution seems to be drawers.  Drawers are open on the top face rather than the front face and so are more efficient.  But deep drawers (or boxes) have the same problem as deep shelves in that it's hart to get to the stuff on the bottom layer and to access it.  So a solution is not just drawers, but shallow drawers.  The problem is there are not any on the market, or they are hidden.

Shallow Drawer Design

It may be more efficient to just scrap the existing shelving, but I'd rather incrementally add shallow drawers so they need to be sized to fit on the existing shelves.

If you have already done this or know of a solution please let me know.

First Prototype Cardboard box

Found cardboard boxes (S-4177) that fit shelves.  They do offer more efficient use of the volume but have a problem with accessing items on the bottom of the box.  If filled solid with books or paper, etc. one box can be too heavy to move.
Three boxes fit on the large spaced shelves.

Second Prototype Cardboard Drawer

Made four drawers from two cardboard boxes.  They do not "stack".  The heavier the drawer the less likely it will stack.  When pulling out a drawer with one or more drawers above it, the upper drawers drop down.  But so far that's not a problem.  It does not happen all at once.  With small drawers the contents are not too heavy.

Third Prototype

11 Feb 2008 a simple wood drawer. 
Materials:
Front, Back * Sides: 1x3 solid wood
Bottom: 1/2" plywood
#6 screws.

Just to try the construction made a drawer for one of the shelves in front of my desk.  The opening is:
8.375 wide x 3.25 high x 11.75 deep,  about 320 cu in.

The inside of the drawer is 8 wide x 2.75 hi (3.25 - .5) x 10.5 deep, about 231 cu in i.e. is only 72% efficient.
This is simple construction using 1x for the front.

Just looking at the surface area: 98 sq in for the case and 84 for the drawer, or 85%. 

12 Feb 2008 - Drawer made from USPS Priority Box cardboard.  I get a number of items shipped in Priority boxes and so have this material on hand.  Looking for a source of it new for a battery adapter, if you know tell me.

This drawer has 0.066" thick walls and bottom.  Notice the tape dispenser and next to it the stapler are standing.  This is a great solution.  The only problem that needs to get fixed is when you pull out the drawer you also pull out the shelf.  When the shelf gets a couple of inches out it falls off the rear support pins.  There are a number of ways to fix that, need to think about which to use.

Boxes are not as nice as shallow drawers, but are easily available.

The U-Line S-4177 box fits both the Gorilla heavy duty storage shelving  (36" outside and a little less inside, but required pulling center box first.
The deep bookcases in my office (34 3/4" wide).
But you can not get three side by side on the plastic shelving units I have in the garage.  The round tubes used for the vertical supports use up too much shelf width, only 31 3.4" wide.
17 May 2008 - started to use the S-4173, it's the same width and deepth as the S-4177 so you can fit three of them on most of my shelves, but it's half the height making for lighter weight boxes and easier to see the contents.  It also my work with the sides folded inside as an open top box.