Our Favorite Shelving Unit

As organizers, we have lots of favorite products.  This is, hands down, our favorite shelving unit and has been for the past 10 years (since I first discovered it).  It is the Seville Commercial Industrial Storage Shelving.  We have put together about 50 of these shelving units so far this year, so we are pros (check out our video to learn our tricks).  This blog post is to show you why we love them and the best way to put them together.  We have even filmed a short video to help you put them together in the fastest, most efficient way.

We typically buy them at Sam’s Club, but they are also available online at Seville Classics.  Before you rush out to Sam’s Club to buy them, bring a friend.  The boxes weigh 80 lbs, so this is not something you want to lift alone.  Also, you always want to measure your area and figure out what you plan to put on the shelves BEFORE you buy them.  Our rule is to NEVER containerize before we have sorted and purged.

These are our favorite shelving units for several reasons:

1. They are sturdy and hold a lot of weight (200 lbs per shelf).

2. They are on wheels so they are mobile.  You can put them in front of water heaters, electrical panels, heat pumps, etc in a basement and move them to to change filters or service them.  This gives you valuable shelving in spaces where you couldn’t put permanent shelving.  It also makes it easy to move them to clean under or around them.

3. They are adjustable.  You can put the shelves at any height that works for what you plan to store on them.  Don’t need six shelves or have taller bins going on the shelves, then just use five.  Many times when we buy multiple shelving units for clients, we will have one unit with 5 shelves and another with 7.  They are easily customizable for your needs.

4. They are up off the floor.  So, if you use them in a basement or garage where water could be an issue, they aren’t sitting in the water and will better protect what is on the shelves.

5. You can take them with you if you move to a different house.  Shelving in basement and garages rarely add value to your home, so having shelving you can take with you, saves you money since you only have to buy it once.

6. They won’t break like the plastic shelving you can find in many stores AND they aren’t damaged by moisture and therefore won’t warp or rust like the traditional gorilla racks.

7. They come with a pack of shelf liners, so by lining the shelves you can use them for an overflow pantry or for smaller items that may wobble on the shelf.

We have put together hundreds of these and have a few tricks and tips for helping you get it done right the first time.  Now is the perfect time to watch our video so you can prep before you start.  Now, you are ready to open the box.  As with any assembly project, you will want to unpack the box and make sure that everything you need is in the box.  It is extremely rare that we are missing pieces, but it is always better to know before you start.  In our video, I talked about the lines on the poles and the clips for the shelves.  Below is an up close picture of them so you can see exactly what we are talking about.

Up close pic of lines on poles

Up close picture of shelf clips

We hope you love your new organized area since you have now maximized your storage!  Happy Organizing!

If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Organizer Coach and Life Management Expert, Tara Donohue Rudo, helps working moms and families focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.