A van is an excellent vehicle for many people who own a small business or do technical or construction jobs. Whether it’s vans filled with carpet cleaning equipment or used to carry roofing materials, cargo vans are plentiful and necessary. Many vans are large enough to hold various tools, and you’re likely to see work vans filled with all kinds of equipment for multiple projects. But, if you have a van you need to outfit with all your tools and equipment, you want to ensure you’re utilizing as much space as possible.
While vans might be larger than many vehicles, they aren’t huge, especially when you start filling them up. To maximize the space, you’ll want to plan ahead and add some organizational aids, such as shelves or other build-outs. Having a well-organized van also keeps everything easily accessible, so you won’t spend extra time looking for items, or display a messy van that is off-putting to customers.
Here are five simple tips for helping you organize your tools in your van.
Tip 1: Determine How Often You Use All Of Your Tools
Before getting started with the actual organizing, it’s vital to take stock of all the stuff you want to keep in your van. Go through your tools and rank them by how often you use them. The ones that you use daily are the ones you’ll want easily accessible.
If there are tools that you only use occasionally, they can be stored more out of the way, as you won’t have to get to them as often.
Tip 2: Determine The Storage Options That Will Work Best
Some shelving or racking system makes the most sense for most work vans. The more tools you have, the more shelving or storage units you’ll need. Luckily, there are many options out there to look through. You’ll first find the exact model of your van and then shop for shelves that work for that model.
For example, a Sprinter van can be outfitted with these shelving units. Aluminum shelves are one of the best lightweight options overall, but you’ll need to shop around to see what fits your needs.
Tip 3: Play Around With The Layout
There are likely many different ways to outfit the van, but you’ll probably want to consider factors such as weight distribution and electricity. Before ordering your organizational shelves and other equipment, make sure to measure your space. You can get the measurements and then have some fun figuring out a helpful layout.
Tip 4: Get Creative
While shelving units are an easy place to start, you can also think about other ways to create storage, especially if you’re running out of room. Here are some creative options to include more storage in your work van:
- Hidden floor compartments
- Roof rack systems
- A false roof
These are just a few ways to add extra storage when running out of space.
Tip 5: Keep Things Secure
Finally, if you have open shelving units or just a lot of tools and equipment in general, you need to plan and implement ways to keep everything secure. Vans will move around, and there will be jostling.
Use bungee cords or floor anchors to keep everything in place. It’s essential for organization-sake, but also so you don’t end up with loose equipment flinging in your face when you open the doors again.
With these five tips in mind, you’ll quickly be able to plan and organize your cargo van just how you like it.