A common pain point shared across industries is storage space—specifically, a lack of it.
When shelves are packed, aisles are cluttered, and inventory keeps growing, the instinct is usually to look for a larger space. However, renovations and expansions are costly, disruptive, and not always feasible. In many cases, the better solution is to evaluate how to make better use of the space you already have before investing in renovations or off-site storage.
Hospitals, restaurants, cafeterias, labs, office buildings, and other commercial facilities can all significantly increase their storage capacity by simply making better use of walls, vertical space, aisles, and workstations.
By rethinking how storage is organized, you can increase capacity, improve accessibility, and create a more efficient work environment without expanding your footprint.
Here are five ways to do it.
1. Use Wall Shelving to Reclaim Wasted Space
When floor space is limited, one of the most effective ways to add storage is on the walls.
In many facilities, wall space above prep tables, sinks, workstations, and equipment remains unused, while valuable floor and counter space become crowded with an assortment of supplies, tools, and inventory.
Wall shelving turns these overlooked areas into productive storage spaces. By utilizing vertical wall space, facilities can store frequently used items within easy reach while keeping floors and work surfaces clear.
Metro SmartWall® wall shelving systems combine adjustable shelving, storage grids, and accessories to create customized storage solutions that improve both organization and efficiency. Both SmartWall and SmartWall Life have rust-resistant finishes suitable for damp environments and dry storage areas.
Benefits of wall shelving:
- Adds storage without using valuable floor space
- Configures to fit almost any wall in any room
- Puts frequently used items within easy reach of work surfaces
- Protects belongings from ground-level hazards
- Grid wall shelving and accessories boost productivity as well as storage
2. Increase Storage Capacity with High-Density Track Shelving
When outfitting a storage room with traditional stationary or mobile shelving, a significant portion of the available footprint goes to aisle space. While this is necessary for access, much of this “dead space” can be turned into valuable storage space with a more condensed storage system.
High-density track shelving replaces multiple fixed aisles with a single active aisle. Mobile racks move along tracks between two stationary units; when you need something, you simply roll the shelves apart, creating an active aisle at whichever shelf you need to access. This type of system can increase storage capacity by as much as 50% compared to traditional shelving layouts.
Track shelving is popular in walk-in coolers, freezers, healthcare storage areas, sterile processing departments, laboratories, and stock rooms where a lot of supplies need to be stored and organized within a particular space.
Metro offers two high-density storage systems: qwikTRAK, a more traditional system with floor-mounted tracks, and Top-Track, an overhead-mounted system that keeps floors clear.
Benefits of track shelving:
- Increase storage capacity by up to 50% in the same footprint
- Eliminate wasted aisle space
- Maintains accessibility to storage areas
- Works with multiple shelving types
- Improves organization and visibility
3. Invest in Adjustable Shelving That Grows with You
Inventory changes and needs may vary, and a shelving system that works today may not be ideal a year from now. That’s why one of the best ways to maximize your storage potential is to have shelving that can adapt to changes.
Fixed-height or welded shelves can create wasted vertical space when shelf heights don't match the items being stored. Adjustable shelving allows facilities to customize shelf spacing based on actual storage needs, helping maximize every cubic foot of available space.
By repositioning shelves as inventory changes, organizations can often add storage levels, accommodate larger products, or improve organization without purchasing an entirely new system. Modular shelving systems also provide greater long-term flexibility as operations evolve. Adjustable configurations help eliminate unused space between shelves, creating a more efficient storage environment that can adapt over time.
Metro Super Erecta wire shelving and MetroMax heavy-duty plastic shelving systems adjust in one-inch increments and can be added to as needed to account for inventory changes. Super Adjustable Super Erecta and MetroMax Q have quick-adjust capabilities to easily reposition shelves, while EZ-ADD shelves can be added to existing wire shelving units without tools.
Benefits of adjustable shelving:
- Accommodates changing inventory
- Cuts down on wasted vertical space
- Supports future growth
- Improves storage efficiency
- Extends the life of your shelving investment
4. Eliminate Front Posts with Cantilevered Shelving
Most shelving relies on a four-post system for strength and stability. While this traditional style works in most applications, it can create obstructions when loading, unloading, and organizing products. It can also reduce usable storage space and accessibility, especially when storing oversized or bulky items.
Cantilevered shelving gets its support entirely from the rear, eliminating the need for four posts, leaving the front of the shelves open and unobstructed. This design improves visibility, simplifies loading and unloading, and makes it easier to store a wider variety of products.
Metro SmartLever® cantilevered shelving is specifically designed to maximize storage capacity and accessibility. By eliminating the front posts, SmartLever can provide 30-50% more storage capacity than traditional four-post shelving within the same footprint. The open-front design improves access to inventory, and the shelves can be adjusted to adapt storage configurations as needs change. SmartLever also works with various Metro shelves and SmartWall grids and accessories, which turns a basic shelving system into a full workstation.
Benefits of cantilevered shelving:
- Open-front design improves accessibility
- Eliminates front post obstructions
- Increases usable storage capacity
- Improves visibility of stored products
- Flexible and easy to reconfigure
5. Add Storage to Your Workspace
Kitchens, labs, and healthcare facilities all often require work surfaces in addition to storage. And while they often occupy a substantial footprint within these facilities, many tables provide little more than a flat work surface. By incorporating storage directly into the workstation, organizations can increase storage capacity without adding separate shelving units elsewhere.
Metro TableWorx® line of stainless steel tables enables facilities to take advantage of space above and below the work surface with risers and accessories. Overhead shelving, storage grids, hooks, bins, and accessories help keep supplies off of the work surface without adding to the table’s original footprint.
Benefits of TableWorx stainless steel workstations:
- Provides storage above and below the work surface
- Keeps supplies close to the point of use
- Reduces workstation clutter
- Customizable accessories
Make Better Use of the Space You Already Have with Metro
Running out of storage space doesn’t necessarily mean expansion is in order. In many cases, it’s possible to make better use of the space you already have with strategic decisions.
Wall shelving, high-density track systems, adjustable shelving, cantilevered storage, and storage-integrated workstations each address a different source of wasted space. By identifying where storage inefficiencies exist, it’s possible to increase capacity, improve accessibility, and create more productive work environments without adding a single square foot.
Visit metro.com to view our full range of storage solutions or find a sales rep near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best shelving solution for small storage rooms?
High-density track shelving is often one of the most effective solutions for small storage rooms because it reduces aisle space and can increase storage capacity within the same footprint. Wall shelving can also increase storage without taking up floor space.
What’s the difference between adjustable and fixed shelving?
Adjustable shelving, such as Metro Super Erecta, allows you to reposition or remove shelves to individual preferences, so the same unit can be reconfigured as inventory or equipment changes. Fixed shelving, such as bolted shelving, is fixed in place and cannot be easily adjusted, if it can be repositioned at all.
How is cantilevered shelving different from wire shelving?
Traditional wire shelving uses four corner posts for support, while cantilevered shelving is supported from the rear. This creates an open-front design that provides unobstructed access to stored items, improves visibility, and makes loading and unloading easier. Wire shelving can work with many accessories and be used in high-density track shelving systems.
Is wall-mounted shelving safe for wet or humid environments?
Wall shelving is safe for wet environments, including dish rooms, as long as the material is suitable for the application. Metro SmartWall Life, for example, is designed for wet/humid environments, with 304 stainless steel components, a heavy-duty plastic polymer shelf, and a lifetime warranty against rust and corrosion.