If you have a few wicker baskets lying around your home you know how elegant and beautiful they can be. But they are also functional and utilitarian. We use wicker baskets to carry the laundry, store various and sundry items, and even hold a bit of pot pourri. The unique, all-natural look means they fit with almost any decorating scheme in any room. And the intricate designs of many of today's baskets make them a real pleasure to look at. But what exactly is wicker? And how are wicker baskets made?

Wicker is a hard, woven fibre material usually made from natural substances like reed, willow, and bamboo. To make it easy to work with, natural wicker often is sold in long, thin, strips known as "reeds".  There are some synthetic wicker materials as well, made of paper and metal wire, and they tend to be a little easier to work with. Regardless, a basket is constructed using multiple reeds that are woven together in the desired shape and size. Because of the rigidity of wicker, it's possible to simply tuck in the loose ends of the project to complete it, with no extra fasteners needed to hold it together.

Because wicker is so rigid and durable, it's used for more than just handy little baskets. In fact, the material is very popular for outdoor furniture because it gives a sturdy piece that is still light enough to move easily. Wicker furniture is available as chairs, tables, and even small sofas and benches. And as for baskets, they can be small or large, round or rectangular, deep or shallow, which handles or without, and so many other possibilities. Fortunately, the wicker basket provides a wide variety of storage uses as well as display options that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Generations ago toy boxes were hand-crafted using the finest hard woods and the skills of the best wood workers. These toy boxes became family heirlooms that were passed from one generation to the next. In fact, if you are lucky enough to receive a box once owned by your grandfather, it was a special thing. While heirloom toy boxes can still be found in many UK homes, more and more parents are preferring functionality and low-cost over antique value.

If you're one of those parents, or you're just looking for something inexpensive until you can afford an heirloom-quality box, plastic crates are a great option. They can withstand the punishment kids are known to give out, they come in a variety of sizes, and they're very inexpensive. It's also not uncommon to find crates with hinged lids - just what you need for a toy box. And if you're limited for space, you can even find them in sizes small enough to slide under the bed.

Another good and inexpensive option for toy boxes is the plastic storage box. These boxes tend to be somewhat larger and have locking lids rather than hinged ones. They're meant for long-term storage but are ideal for toy boxes for the same reasons crates are. They are tough, reliable, and very versatile. Some parents have even found that they prefer several smaller storage boxes so toys can be separated by category or frequency of use. The translucent nature of the plastic even makes it easy to identify what's in the box without having to open it.

While heirloom toy boxes have their place, those who prefer a less expensive option have a great solution in crates and plastic storage boxes. You can find them on sale just about anywhere, especially websites like storageboxes.co.uk

Moving house is always a challenge, but for those downsizing from a large home to a smaller flat, special challenges await. The biggest is adapting all of your belongings to the smaller space. Obviously, there will be things to discard, things to give away, and things to sell; you can't keep everything when you're downsizing. But even with our best efforts many of us will still end up taking more with us than we have space for. That's where plastic storage boxes come in.

Plastic storage boxes are the Swiss army knife of the moving and packaging industry. They come in so many different shapes and sizes, and have such a wide variety of uses they have really changed the way we think about boxes. But the most basic function, as a long-term storage container, is still their strongest point.

In downsizing to a smaller home plastic storage boxes are an integral part of making sure you use space efficiently. They slide under a bed, stack in a closet, or can even be put on a shelf. They can turn wasted space into profitable space, in the back of a closet or an unused corner of a room.

Plastic storage boxes also make the move itself more efficient if you can fill them before hand. On moving day you simply load your plastic storage boxes right along with the cardboard ones; on the other end, you unload them and immediately put them away. There's no unpacking, redistributing, or anything else, because you did that weeks ago. It makes for a more efficient move, that's for sure.

Plastic storage boxes are a great tool not only for downsizing, but for any long-term storage needs. Their relatively cheap price and long-lasting durability make them a packing option well worth the investment.

It's late afternoon on moving day; you've been at it since early this morning. Box after box came in a steady stream out of the old house and on to the truck. You mopped the floor, washed the windows, scrubbed the sinks...then said goodbye to the place you lived in for so many years. Yet as you pulled up to your new place your second wind came rushing by like a refreshing breeze on a hot day. You jumped out of the truck, flung open the door, and started bringing things inside. But that was hours ago.

Now the constant stream of cardboard storage boxes feels like it will never end. You didn't realize you had so much stuff to move until today. And what about all those friends who began dropping off and leaving like so many birds at sundown? Well, at least you got all the heavy furniture in; removal blankets and all. But now you and the family just want to be done. You want to be moved. You want to be sitting down to a hot, tasty dinner.

Moving is a tiring process that can take a toll on the best of us. Don't let your experience be made that much worse by using poor quality moving supplies that fall apart. Let's face it, fruit comes in fruit boxes for a reason, and it's not because those boxes are suitable for packing up your house and moving. If you use proper cardboard removal boxes, good quality packing tape, tissue paper, bubble wrap, and blankets, you'll have a much better moving experience. It might not make the day any shorter, but there will certainly be less drama. And less drama means the family will feel better at the end of a long day.

Organizing with Storage Crates

If you're the parent of small children, you know the frustration of keeping their bedrooms clean.  It's easy to tell your children to go tidy up, but not so easy for them to do it.  That's because children are naturally disorganized.  Cleaning their rooms can be an overwhelming task because without organization, they don't know where to begin. But you can help your children maintain a clean and tidy bedroom if you help them to organize. 

To start with, create specific places for your children to store their belongings. For books, crates are ideal.  If you're not concerned that a bookshelf matches the décor of the bedroom, plain shelves made of metal or plastic can be purchased at little cost.  If you want them to match, you can buy them as part of a complete bedroom set.  As for toys and other play items, plastic storage crates are one good solution. You can get them in small sizes to accommodate games, puzzles, and knick-knacks, and larger sizes ideal for stuffed animals and dolls.  They are easily stackable and take up little space in a closet or corner. 

With storage crates in hand, begin organizing based on how often the child uses his belongings.  Things that get used infrequently can be stored in out of the way places, while things used every day need to be readily accessible.  Bookshelves won't need anything other than books, but your plastic storage crates should be labelled so that the contents are easily identifiable. Use either a permanent marker right on the crate itself, or create a label with a piece of paper and apply it with tape.  Once your child's belongings have a proper place, it will be easier for him to cope and much more likely to keep things tidy.

Storage Boxes UK is proud to announce the addition of three new products to our already extensive line of storage supplies.  For your convenience we now carry storage tubs, plastic drawer units, and crates. We'll summarize all three items in this article, but feel free to look them up on our web site for the specific details. 

Storage Tubs

Storage tubs are great for putting away the kid's toys, sporting equipment, stuffed animals, and much, much more.  We currently carry a 42L Flexi Storage Tub in pink or blue.  The tub measures 500mm in diameter by 400mm in depth and has two handles for easy carrying.  At a price of £6.99 each, storage tubs are an inexpensive solution for storing items used on a regular basis. Check our web site pricing for volume discounts.

Plastic Drawer Units

Plastic drawer units are one of those pieces that you can't believe you lived without once you have them.  Our plastic drawer units are ideal as a supplement to existing wood units, or in place of cardboard drawers that are worn out.  We currently have two options; one with three drawers and the other with four.  Both are constructed with high quality, durable plastic and clear drawers for easy identification of contents. 

Crates

If you need crates Storage Boxes UK is the place to find them.  We now provide five different crate models starting at 28L capacity all the way up to 70L capacity.  All of our crates have folding lids and are made from tough, durable plastic.  These crates work well for carrying items that might be moved frequently from one location to another. They protect the contents from weather as well as damage that might be suffered if other items are stacked on top.

You already know that Storage Boxes UK is your one-stop location for storage supplies. But now we also want to help you with your moving supplies.  With that in mind, we're pleased to have added cardboard boxes and house moving kits to our inventory. Our newly expanded web site has categories for both items with plenty of choices for you to consider. 

House moving kits are an excellent way to order all of your packing supplies based on the number of rooms in your home.  At Storage Boxes UK we have calculated the supplies needed for the average UK household and assembled kits with everything you need to move.  Our basic moving pack, for a one or two bedroom home, is priced at £31.99 including VAT.  This pack contains an assortment of small removal boxes, general packing boxes, book boxes, tea chest boxes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, tape, and a permanent marker pen. 

Moving to the next level is our 2-3 bedroom moving pack.  This kit is priced at £39.55 and contains all the items of the 1-2 bedroom kit, except in larger quantities. If the 2-3 bedroom moving pack were purchased as individual items you could pay as much as £71.42.  But with our reduced pricing for house moving kits, you pay a lot less for the same supplies. 

Other house moving kits that we carry include the jumbo house moving pack designed for large families with a 4 bedroom house or larger.  We also have a dedicated kitchen pack and the student moving pack for your university student heading off to a new semester.  If you would prefer just to buy box packs rather than a full house moving kit, Storage Boxes UK carries budget packs containing 20, 40, or 60 boxes. 

If you're in the market for plastic storage boxes there are certainly many places you can buy them.  But we're not called Storage Boxes UK for nothing - we chose that named because storage boxes are our speciality.  We recommend you purchase all of your plastic storage boxes from us because of our wide selection of sizes and options.  You may find a few different storage boxes at a local retailer, but you probably won't find all the things we offer. And we also give you free delivery on all orders over £25, so there's no need to worry about additional shipping charges. 

Examples of our extensive inventory include our 3.5 litre storage box with clip-on lid.  At 230mm x 170mm x 130mm this storage box offers you plenty of space with a lid that that clips securely in place.  And with Storage Boxes UK, the more you buy the less you pay per item.  Buy 5 or more of these boxes and you'll save 21%; 10 or more nets you a savings of 37%.  Try getting those kinds of volume discounts at your local brick and mortar store. 

Another example is our 60 litre under bed storage box which provides an easy solution for making use of the empty space under your bed.  With measurements of 750mm x 550mm x 5185mm and four sturdy wheels, storing under the bed has never been easier. 

There are many other plastic storage box options available from Storage Boxes UK.  For all of your storage box needs, there's no place else to go.  And while you browse our web site be sure to take a look at our selection of cardboard boxes, wardrobe boxes, and house moving kits. We are your one-stop solution for storage boxes and supplies.

Few products have revolutionised human existence like plastic.  If you don't believe me, just take a few minutes and briefly consider all the various things at home and work that are made from plastic, or contain plastic parts.  I'm sure you'll find that there's so much plastic in your daily life, you'll soon realize that we could not get by without this wonderful material in our modern world.

Take storage boxes as an example.  Before there were plastic storage boxes we used corrugated cardboard.  While that's not necessarily a problem, corrugated cardboard doesn't offer the same protection as plastic.  It is not waterproof, airtight, or able to withstand pesky rodents and insects.  Plastic, on the other hand, is just right for the job.  Plastic storage boxes with lids offer all the protection you need, yet with a light weight and low cost.  They are great for items that need protection against moisture and light, as well as things that might attract the attention critters.  Storage boxes with lids are ideal for family photos, mementos, books, and newspapers.  The lids seal out moisture while the opaque plastic filters out harmful light. 

As an added bonus, manufacturers of storage boxes with lids have figured out a design that makes stacking them easy.  If you've never noticed, the bottom of a plastic storage box is generally slightly smaller than the top. The lid is bevelled so that the bottom of the box you're stacking on top fits nicely on the lid in such a way as to prevent movement of the stack.  Ingenious!  Unlike cardboard boxes that can sag and collapse over time, you'll ever have to worry about your stack of plastic storage boxes falling over. Without a doubt, plastic storage boxes have revolutionized how we store our belongings.

Storage Boxes are a Girl's Best Friend

They say diamonds are a girl's best friend. That may have been true 100 years ago, but not so today. In fact, I think plastic storage boxes are a girl's best friend. Now...I know this may seem far-fetched to you, but how many women do you know with so many pairs of shoes they can't keep track of them all? They have shoes in the closet, in the hallway, in the conservatory; they have shoes everywhere. But if they had plastic storage boxes with labels, they could store all those shoes in a single closet and always know where they are. Can diamonds do that?

And as far as those old family mementos and photos are concerned, diamonds can't protect them from moisture and light. Diamonds can't even replace them if they're damaged, because family mementos are priceless! Throw in a little bubble wrap to protect the fragile items, and your storage boxes become useful for things like glass picture frames, trophies, valuable costume jewellery, and trinkets from her childhood. Diamonds may look pretty, but they can't protect your memories.

I suspect if you and your lady were sent to a deserted island for one year, and you could take only one means of storing your food and tools, you wouldn't choose diamonds. You would want plastic storage boxes that would keep your items safe, dry, and ready for use at any time. In other words, diamonds are eye candy while plastic storage boxes are functional. And in a world where women want to be valued for their brains, function is more valuable than bling.

So remember what you've learned today when you're ready to go out and purchase a gift for your next wedding anniversary - storage boxes are one gift she'll never forget.

Painting that Metal Racking

Metal racking makes a great storage option for business or home, especially where your storage space is limited. If you buy metal racking new, it's often painted or treated with some sort of chemical to resist corrosion. But used shelving may already have outlived the usefulness of its paint and will start to show signs of rust. What can you? You can paint the shelving with a product specifically designed to slow down the oxidation process that causes rust.

First you'll need to clear the shelving of storage boxes and anything else that might be stacked on it. If you can move the unit outside for this first step, that's a bonus. Next, you need to clean the shelving either with a power washer or sand blaster. You do this because you need to remove any dirt, loose rust, or flakes of paint before adding a new coat of paint. If you have extensive spots of serious rust, you may need to sand these down to the bare metal then clean the shelving unit again.

When your shelving is clean and dry, move it to a place that is out of the elements but still has good ventilation. If you need to use fans in order to vent the fumes, do so. Paint fumes from rust-inhibiting paint are not something to mess around with. And since I mentioned rust-inhibiting paint, you can find it at your local DIY or paint store. Make sure it's specifically designed for metal products, to inhibit rust. You'll need primer plus your colour coat. Use spray paint for the cleanest, smoothest finish, and apply two or three coats in order to build up a thick layer of protection. Once it dries you can put your storage boxes back in complete confidence.

Shipping with pallets is not something most of us do every day. Warehouse employees have plenty of experience here, but for the average consumer, it's completely foreign. If you ever have to use a pallet for moving, it's best if you know how to load and secure it. Your belongings will move and shift during their journey. A poorly packed truck or boat may lend no support to your stack of goods, resulting in a toppled mess upon arrival.

To load a stable pallet you must start by putting the heaviest items on the bottom. If you have plastic storage boxes, make them the first layer. If not, use corrugated cardboard boxes for heavy items, and use them as your base layer. Pack from the centre of the pallet out, making sure to  distribute the weight of your moving boxes as evenly as possible. Also be sure to take the boxes as close to the edge of the pallet without extending beyond it. How high you stack depends on the weight, but it's generally advised that you don't exceed 48”.

The last piece of the pallet puzzle is to wrap your load with cellophane pallet wrap. This wrapping material comes on rolls of various sizes and thicknesses. Make sure you order the right kind when you're getting your moving supplies; the company you buy from should be able to tell you what you need. To wrap the pallet, pull the wrap from the roll an inch or two and tie it to one of the corners of the wood. Then grab the roll and start walking it around the pallet. Overlap the wood and then each successive layer all the way to the top. Tear it off and you're done. Your pallet is now secure and ready to move.

Making the best use of your living space requires the creative use of dead space for storage. By dead space we mean under the bed, in the closet, behind the sofa, etc. These are all great places to throw some storage boxes and keep them out of sight. But there may come a time when you just have too much stuff to store in your home. Thankfully there's an inexpensive solution for that.

Self-storage facilities offer rooms of various sizes. Rents are usually reasonable, and there are enough around that you should have no trouble finding one close to you. You pay a small monthly fee in exchange for a room that can range from 20sf to 700sf; you are the only one with the key. As long as you continue to pay your monthly rent, you have 24-hour access to your room and belongings.

A typical 30sf room is large enough for about 100 standard storage boxes. If you estimate incorrectly, don't worry; most places will let you move up or down without a penalty. For items that might be sensitive to the weather, look for an indoor heated facility or an outdoor facility with individually heated rooms. Whether indoor or outdoor, the facility you choose should have good security in place.

The only caution about using self-storage is that you be sure to pay your rent. This may seem obvious, but most people don't realize the items they are storing become collateral for the rent. If you're late a month or two you'll probably be okay as long as you get caught up. But persistently late payments could cause a default in which the landlord seizes the contents of your room and auctions it off. So just pay your bill and your storage boxes will be safe.

There are a few major European cities where traffic is a major problem. Paris, London, Madrid, Rome, and Berlin all have traffic woes that rival their counterparts across the Pond. In some of these cities the best way to get around is on a bicycle, motorcycle, or scooter. If one of these methods of transportation is your choice, the only thing left to do is figure out a way to carry your belongings. That's where plastic storage boxes come in.

These plastic boxes are wildly popular for storage because they are air tight, resistant to moderate water flow, and able to withstand a good amount of punishment. But the same qualities that make them attractive for storage also make them ideal for transportation. With a small metal frame and a few bungee straps, you can build your own luggage bin on the back if your bike.

You can slip your briefcase into the storage box for the morning commute, with no fear for the safety of your important business documents. On the way home you can stop at the market for a loaf of bread and a block of cheese. Into the storage box they go and you're off and down the road.

Maybe you're not so mobile as to ride a motorcycle or scooter. Perhaps you walk as much you can; even to places like the market. For you, a small hand cart is just the right thing for carrying groceries home. Attach a storage box to your hand card and you open new doors of possibility. Where you could only carry four bags at time without the cart, you can now fit six to eight bags in your storage box. The truth is storage boxes aren't just for storage any more.

If you look at a plastic storage box closely, you'll probably notice there are no seams or joints. In other words, it was made all in a single piece. The process behind this is called injection moulding. It is the same process used to create almost everything we use that's made of plastic. The process is surprisingly simple, making moulded plastic products very inexpensive to produce; thus, the relatively cheap price for storage boxes.

In the injection moulding shop, a mould maker (sometimes called a tool maker) uses a set of drawings to produce a mould. Most moulds used for plastic are made of aluminium or steel. A series of holes will be included to allow a clear path for the plastic material to travel into the mould cavity. When he's finished, the mould cavity will be the exact shape and size of the storage box.

From there the mould travels to a test production area where it is installed in an injection moulding machine for initial set-up. Engineers need to determine how much plastic to inject into the cavity to get the desired product. Tiny plastic beads are fed into the machine through a hopper, where they are melted, mixed, and injected into the mould. Pressure gauges, flow meters, and chronometers all take measurements during this process. When the engineer is satisfied with the finished product, he creates a detailed fact sheet containing all the settings needed to produce the plastic storage on the shop floor.

The mould is then transferred to a production machine and put to work; duplicate moulds are sometimes made for large orders. Operators will tend to the machines, remove the finished storage boxes, and trim any debris left by the injection process. And now you know how plastic storage boxes are made. 

Creating extra storage space in a garage or pantry is as simple as installing some metal racking. Racking comes in a variety of sizes and weight loads; it also tends to be modular which allows for custom applications in your home or business. But because it's metal, it can be dangerous if one should accidentally fall. Securing your metal racking is always a good idea.

The biggest enemy to racking is an uneven floor. A fraction of an inch of sloping, which is unnoticeable when a rack is empty, can become a big problem when you start to fill it. So the first thing to do once a rack is set in place is to level it. Use plastic or wooden shims underneath the legs to accomplish a level state. If there's any tipping allowed at all, it should be in the backwards direction so that the rack leans against the wall.

With the rack levelled you then need to secure it to the wall with braces designed specifically for this purpose. The braces have two flat edges connected by a half-circle piece. They slide over the round edge of the rack and screw to the wall on either side. If you can also secure the rack to the floor, you'll get added stability. Concrete is difficult for most home owners to deal with, but a standard wood floor should be no problem. Use simple corner braces, attached to the back of the legs and pointing in toward the wall. This way, you won't trip on them when you walk by.

Once your metal racking is level and secure, feel free to fill it with storage boxes, canned goods, tools, or anything else you want. You'll rest peacefully knowing that the rack isn't going anywhere.

Interior design. These two words seem frightening to a lot of people, mainly because modern media has given us the impression that designing is an unattainable art form available only to a chosen few. That's not true. Most of us will never be professional interior designers, but if we learn the basic concepts we can make our homes look beautiful and inviting. One of the first concepts is to think outside the box. We'll use the example of looking at finished wood shelving as furniture.

When we design a new look for a conservatory, for instance, we most likely will not be spending the money on new furniture every time we want to change things up. That means we must make the furniture work within our new design. Better yet, we work our new design plans around the furniture we have. That includes wood shelving.

Wood shelving is thought of by most people as strictly utilitarian. But shelving units that are finished in a nice, subtle colour can really make the difference in the final look you achieve. If you have wooden shelving that is unfinished, or just looks like its seen better days, you might want to stain and seal it to enhance your design scheme. Finished shelving that is already in good shape is a bonus that's ready to work with.

Use your shelves to fill blank spots along walls; especially where doors or walkways prohibit the space from being used for sofas and chairs. Empty corners also make a good place for them. Just remember, lighting is key when shelving is part of your design element. Glare from windows, or a corner that's too dark, can turn your shelving units into unattractive monstrosities. Lighting around shelves needs to be even and consistent.

Of all the fragile things we have to take when moving, stemware is perhaps the one that causes the lady of the house the most stress. But there's a great method of packing and moving them that will ensure they get to their new destination unharmed.

What you need are packing boxes with individual compartments for each piece of stemware. Some packing supply companies carry such cardboard boxes. If your supply company doesn't, or you just don't want to spend the extra money, you can create your own. All you need in one or two of the flat pack boxes you're ordering anyway, plus a few scrap boxes from the local market. You'll be using the scrap boxes to cut the strips that will make up the individual compartments.

First, measure the interior length of your packing boxes. Cut enough strips from the scrap boxes to create rows inside. A distance of 3 ½” between rows should be sufficient for most stemware. If you're concerned yours needs a little more space, just measure the diameter of one piece and add 1/4”. The height of the strips should be about ½ inch less than the interior height of the box.

Next, measure the interior width of the packing box and cut strips to run perpendicular. They should be the same height as the long ones, and spaced at the same distance between. Place the long ones in the box and temporarily fasten them with packing tape then measure along the top of each strip at 3 ½” intervals, cutting a notch with a pair of scissors. Lay the shorter strips across and mark the intersecting points. Cut notches at your marks. If you've measured correctly, you should now be able to slip the shorter strips over the long ones to create a grid of 3 ½” compartments.

Those of us in the northern hemisphere are now in early autumn. You can feel the air getting a bit chillier; the cool nights are a departure from the heat of summer, and where there are leaf-bearing trees, there are also colour changes of gold, red, yellow, and brown. All around we can tell we are in the midst of the annual season change, leading the snows of winter. It's time to break out the winter clothes

So pull those plastic storage boxes down from the loft and unpack the heavy wool sweaters. Pull out the long pants, the hoodies, the heavy jackets, and dare I say it, the winter hats, gloves, and coats. Before you know it the sun will be down in time for supper, and a seat in front of a warm fire will be the best seat in the house.

Of course, you'll not be putting your storage boxes away empty. Your shorts and tee-shirts need a winter home. So do your bathing suits and sandals, your sun screen, and your beach blankets and towels. Rest peacefully though, knowing they will be safely hibernating under the bed until spring beckons them forth like so many bears in Alaska.

Plastic storage boxes have made seasonal clothing changes so much less problematic. With sealed plastic lids we can safely tuck away our clothing without fear of mould, insects, or rodents. And if we take the time to iron the clothing prior to packing it away, and we fill the boxes carefully, the clothes will come out at the next seasonal change ready to wear.

Even if you don't enjoy the coming winter months, you might as well make the best of them. You can't stop them anyway. And just think every passing day brings you that much closer to spring!

Racking: A Case Study

The K Company provides home and office delivery of bottled water, coffee, and other related products in a mid-sized urban area. Product is delivered to the K Company warehouse by suppliers, where it is inventoried and stored until the company's own trucks make their local deliveries. The bottled water creates a unique storage problem due to the size and weight of the pallets. As the business grew, the K Company needed a way to maximize warehouse space while still providing safe storage of the bottled water.

Industrial racking was brought in to handle the job. It was ordered on the basis of weight load capacity and space requirements, as the goal was to stack pallets without taking up space used to load delivery trucks. The racking was secured to the concrete floor and block walls with carriage bolts. Shims were placed under the legs to keep each rack level. Finally, the racking was left without shelves. Instead, two steel cross beams were laid perpendicular across each compartment. This allowed the structure to carry the weight without inhibiting fork lift operations when load and unloading pallets.

The racking solution proved to be so successful that the company added a second set of identical racks for the interior portion of the warehouse. These racks were equipped with shelves for storing unused coffee and water equipment, excess office equipment, and specialized product requiring extra care. Fork lift trucks were still usable with this racking, but extra care was needed due to the added shelves.

When all was said and done, the K Company was able to maximize usage of warehouse space and maintain their current operations for another four years. When it can time to move, they took their existing racking with them while also installing more racking at the new location.

How much “dead space” do you have in your home? By dead space I mean that floor area that's too small or impractical to fill with furniture. One example would be a short hallway between the back door and the kitchen area. There's more than enough space to freely move around, but it's still too small to do anything practical with - unless you install some shelving.

With storage space at such a premium in European homes, shelving is a godsend if used to its full potential. Dead space is an open invitation to install shelving and increase storage capacity. That back hall, for example, is a prime location for one or two shelving units that could be used as a pantry. It's close to the kitchen and located by the common door rather than the guest entry.

In the conservatory you might have some dead space along a wall near an exterior door. You don't want to put a table or chair flat against the wall because it breaks up the warm and cosy atmosphere you're trying to create. Instead, install some elegant wood shelving and fill it with all those books you've had packed away. It will give our conservatory a new look of sophistication while making good use of the dead space.

Believe it or not, one of the worst areas of dead space is the closet. We get a single shelf above a hanging rail with very little room. On the other hand, a modular plastic shelving system with a built-in rod changes that dynamic.  You can add a shoe rack, additional shelving, and box compartments to take advantage of the unused space between the clothes and the floor.

There are plenty of ways to maximize dead space in your home. Just use your imagination.