The Problem

My base is overflowing with random junk and I cannot find anything.

The Solution

Storage in Abiotic Factor is about slot efficiency and radiation management. Here are the verified numbers from the wiki and how to use them.

Storage Crates (Wiki Verified)

The Small Crate Math Two Small Crates (18 × 2 = 36 total slots) are cheaper to build than one Medium Crate (30 slots). Early game: spam Small Crates. Upgrade to Compact Crates once you have the materials.

Radiation Management The Hazard Crate is unique — 30 slots with 100% radiation shielding. Put Power Cells, alien meat, Unstable Isotopes, and anything radioactive in Hazard Crates immediately. Radiation spreads to adjacent items in regular storage, ruining an entire crate if one radioactive item sits there. The Hazard Fridge (24 slots, 100% shielding) is the upgrade path for perishable radioactive items. The standard Refrigerator slows food spoilage when powered — keep it on the food branch of your power grid (see star topology setup).

Backpack Inventory (Wiki Verified) Base character inventory is 12 slots. Hotbar items weigh 25% less — put heavy items like Water Coolers on the hotbar during transport.

Organization Strategy Sort by category, one crate per type:

1. Weapons & Ammo
2. Armor & Gear
3. Food & Cooking (in Refrigerator if powered)
4. Medical (Bandages, Splints, Antidotes, Medkits)
5. Resources & Materials
6. Radioactive (Hazard Crate ONLY)

Crafting Bench Integration Stack rows of crates within Crafting Bench range. The Storage Access Module upgrade on your Crafting Bench automatically pulls ingredients from nearby crates — so you never have to dig through storage mid-craft.

Duct Tape Repair Duct tape repairs only 5 durability per use. For high-durability items like the Ionized Coreplate (80 durability), repair early and often — waiting until near-zero means burning through multiple duct tapes.

Source: Abiotic Factor Wiki (Inventory page, Storage Crate page), TechRaptor backpack guide.

Step-by-Step

1. Start with Small Crates (18 slots, cheap). Spam them early — two small crates (36 slots) beat one medium (30).
2. Build one Hazard Crate (30 slots, 100% rad shielding) before storing any radioactive loot.
3. Upgrade to Compact Crates (42 slots, 50% shielding) as you gather materials.
4. Place all crates within Crafting Bench (see Crafting Bench upgrades) range so the Storage Access Module can pull ingredients.
5. Label each crate by category — Weapons, Food, Medical, Resources, Radioactive.
6. Put heavy items (Water Coolers) on the hotbar for 25% weight reduction during transport.
7. Carry duct tape for field repairs — remember it only restores 5 durability per use.

Common Mistakes

• Mixing radioactive items into regular crates — radiation spreads and contaminates the entire crate.
• Building one Medium Crate (30 slots) when two Small Crates (36 slots total) are cheaper and give more space.
• Not placing crates near the Crafting Bench — the Storage Access Module cannot reach distant storage.
• Keeping food in regular crates instead of a powered Refrigerator — spoilage wastes hours of farming (see farming guide).
• Not upgrading backpacks — a Makeshift Backpack (+3 slots) is a day-one craft that pays for itself immediately.