Think Beyond Square Footage. Here’s How to Triple Your Usable Space Without Paying More.
Let’s be honest: moving your business from your garage to a warehouse is a big deal. And if you’re like most of our tenants, you’re probably wondering how the heck you’ll organize everything.
The good news is that you don’t need as much space as you think. The bad news? Well, if you just haul your stuff in without a plan, you’ll recreate the same chaos you had at home—just with higher rent.
Chris Ferguson, a General Manager at WareSpace, has seen hundreds of businesses make this jump. Here’s his no-BS guide to turning even a small warehouse space into a productivity powerhouse.
The Storage Nightmare You’re Living Right Now
If you’re running a business from home or a storage unit, you already know the pain:
“A lot of people think they’ll just bring their stuff into the space, and it’s going to start working for them,” says Ferguson. “That doesn’t work.”
You’re probably dealing with:
- Inventory scattered wherever it fits
- No logical system for finding products
- Nowhere to receive actual deliveries (try getting an 18-wheeler to your garage)
- Wasted time digging through boxes to fill orders
- Family members threatening mutiny if they trip over one more shipping box
And if you’re using a storage unit? Forget about it. “Both homes and storage units cannot receive trucks,” Ferguson points out. “There’s just no way you could possibly do it.”
Stop Thinking Square Feet, Start Thinking Cubic Feet
Here’s the mental shift that’ll save you thousands: Warehouse space isn’t about floor area—it’s about volume.
“People come in and say, ‘I need a thousand square feet,'” Ferguson laughs. “Then we show them a unit that’s 400 square feet, and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, this will work.'”
Why the disconnect? Because most people think like homeowners, not warehouse operators. At home, you spread out. In a warehouse, you go up.
“It’s like New York City,” Ferguson explains. “They can’t build out anymore, so they keep going up.”
The magic happens when you stop paying for floor space you don’t need and start maximizing the vertical space you already have.
Your 4-Step Plan to Vertical Takeover
Step 1: Figure Out What You’ve Actually Got
Before you move a single box, get clear on your inventory and workflow.
“Start with what you’re storing and what you’re using the space for,” says Ferguson. This isn’t just organizing—it’s business strategy.
- Group similar products together
- Identify your fast-movers versus slow-movers
- Map out how products flow from receiving to shipping
Don’t skip this step. The 30 minutes you spend planning will save you days of reorganizing later.
Step 2: Build Your Vertical Empire with Industrial Racking
Industrial racking isn’t just shelving—it’s the difference between a chaotic storage room and a professional operation.
“Getting off the floor and going up into the racking creates more usable space,” Ferguson emphasizes. “Usable square footage, not rentable.”
- Position your most-picked items at waist/chest level (save your back!)
- Store slower-moving inventory up high
- Use clear signage on racking to mark different sections
- Leave floor space for operations, not storage
One WareSpace tenant selling book accessories organizes their laptop sleeves by SKU in vertical racking—creating an efficient “picking line” that speeds up order fulfillment dramatically.
Step 3: Create an Assembly-Line Workflow
E-commerce businesses especially need to think about daily operations, not just storage.
“If you’re picking and packing, having your bins lined up in the racking makes it easy to go down the line, pull the piece, pack it—all that stuff,” says Ferguson.
- Set up your space so inventory flows logically
- Position packing materials near your shipping station
- Create dedicated zones for receiving, processing, and shipping
- Minimize steps between tasks
Remember: time is money. Every extra step you take looking for inventory is profit walking out the door.
Step 4: Get Creative with Custom Solutions
The best warehouse setups evolve based on what actually works for your specific business.
One refreshment vendor at WareSpace got innovative: “He bought racking that’s angled with wheels on it,” Ferguson describes. “He pulls a case of drinks off, and the next drink slides down toward him.”
- Look for specialized storage for your specific products
- Adjust your setup as you learn what works
- Don’t be afraid to bring in additional organization tools
- Talk to other business owners—they’ve already solved problems you’re facing
The Real-World Results
When you nail your warehouse setup, everything changes:
Triple Your Usable Space Without Paying More
“We market our units as square footage, but that’s just floor square footage,” says Ferguson. With proper vertical organization, you’re effectively getting 2-3 times more usable space for the same rent.
Cut Fulfillment Time in Half
A proper picking line with organized inventory means you’re not wasting time hunting for products. One e-commerce tenant went from chaotic home-packing to a streamlined fulfillment system that lets them process triple the orders in the same amount of time.
Scale Without Moving
With smart vertical organization, you can significantly grow your inventory and sales without needing more square footage—meaning you can invest in inventory instead of rent.
Professionalize Your Operation Overnight
No more apologizing to suppliers about your “home-based business.” With proper dock access and receiving capabilities, you’re playing in the big leagues now.
Moving from your garage to a warehouse isn’t just about more space—it’s about transforming how your business functions. Get your vertical organization right, and you’ll wonder how you ever managed before.
