Project Zomboid – What Is the Best Storage to Use?

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Surviving in Project Zomboid undoubtedly requires several items, but you can’t always carry them all in your inventory. In such situations, you’ll need suitable storage to keep them safe.

While the game offers plenty of storage options and containers, it can be tricky to determine the best one for your needs.

Recommended Read: What Vehicles Are the Best in Project Zomboid?

In this guide, we’ll show you the best storage to use in Project Zomboid.

Our picks for the best storage to use in Project Zomboid are Wooden Crates, Metal Crates, Composters, and Dumpsters.


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What is The Best Storage To Use in Project Zomboid?

There are several types of storage in Project Zomboid. They can be crafted, utilized, or already built in; some are meant to be more specific.

For example, the refrigerator is effective in keeping perishable food, while bookshelves are used to display books.

Although occupations don’t affect how you use the container, traits do.

For instance, the Organized trait increases the maximum capacity of all containers by 130%, while the Disorganized trait reduces the capacity to 70%.

Moreover, many types of containers are craftable. Thus, you need to learn how to level up your Metalworking and Carpentry skills in order to make your containers.

Remember, our picks are based on our personal experience. Whether it suits you or not, you should consider it a valuable reference.

Let’s see the criteria we use to determine the best storage in Project Zomboid!

Criteria to Determine the Best Storage

Before seeing our list of the best storage in Project Zomboid, let’s take a look at their criteria first:

1. Maximum Capacity

When it comes to storing items, the maximum capacity of the container is the first priority that comes to mind. The higher the capacity, the more items you can put in.

2. Portability

Versatility refers to the containers’ capability to be easily carried, crated, picked up, or disassembled, especially when you are frequently on the move.

3. Availability

Many types of storage are craftable, but each of them requires different materials or skill levels. If those requirements are too high, you’d better consider other options.

4. Versatility

You should look for storage that can serve multiple purposes, such as being usable as both a storage option and a barricade.

Top 4 Best Storage To Use in Project Zomboid

Here are our choices for the best storage to use in Project Zomboid.

1. Wooden Crate

The best storage in Project Zomboid is the wooden crate. Firstly, they are easy to craft, requiring fewer, cheap materials and lower skill levels, making them accessible even in the game’s early stages.

Secondly, these crates offer substantial space for storing items, starting at 40 units per crate (60 units if your Carpentry skill level is 7). So, feel free to store any tools, equipment, and even planks.

Thirdly, they are combinable, allowing you to stack three crates in a single tile, saving much space in your base while tripling the storage capacity.

Speaking of the downsides, one thing to note is that the crates’ durability is just average, and they can be easily damaged by the undead.

Be cautious when placing three crates on a tile because if zombies attack, they will break the top crate first.

To make a wooden crate, right-click on the ground and select “Carpentry” => “Wooden Crate”. Make sure you have 3 Planks, 3 Nails, and at least level 3 Carpentry skill as requirements.

2. Metal Crate

The metal crate is undoubtedly an upgraded version of the wooden crate. Its most significant advantage is the enormous capacity, with a maximum of 80 units (double that of the wooden crate), giving you unlimited space to store your items.

To craft a metal crate, you need 2 units of Propane Torch, 1 Welding Rod, 1 Welder Mask, 2 Metal Pipes, 2 Metal Sheets, 2 Small Metal Sheets, 1 Scrap Metal, and at least level 4 Metalworking skill.

Like the wooden crate, you can also organize three metal crates in a single tile, saving significant space while increasing your storage capacity.

No container in Project Zomboid can beat the metal crate in this criterion, with a maximum capacity of 240 in a single tile.

However, it does have a drawback in terms of requirements. Being a piece of metal furniture, it demands many resources to craft, making scavenging more challenging, especially since some materials are scarce in the game.

Additionally, achieving level 4 in Metalworking is pretty challenging for players who lack experience or are in the game’s early stages. Therefore, the metal crate is more suitable for the mid-game phase.

Another aspect to consider is that although it’s made of metal, its durability seems to be equal to that of the wooden crate (based on our experiment). Consider this unrealistic issue when placing your metal crates.

3. Composter

The third best storage we want to show you is the composter, which primarily converts rotten food into compost.

Apart from rotten food, you can place anything in it, including generators, which makes it stand out from regular crates.

Another great feature is that zombies can’t damage the composter, ensuring the items’ safety. Although its capacity of 50 is not too impressive, it’s still efficient for storage purposes.

On the downside, the composter cannot be built inside the house, limiting your management and organization options.

Moreover, while it can work as a barricade to prevent zombies, you cannot disassemble it once you place it. This can be a big trouble when you make the mistake of placing it on an unintended tile.

Check out this post to learn how to make and use the composter.

4. Dumpster

The final container to consider is the dumpster. With its impressive capacity of 60 (30×2), it provides enough space not just for litter but also for various tools and items.

What makes the dumpster unique is its special feature: the ability to delete items. When you have a lot of unusable items and don’t know where to dispose of them, the dumpster becomes the perfect solution.

However, one drawback of the dumpster is its distribution. It spawns randomly in certain locations like grocery stores, restaurants, and warehouses, making getting one challenging. On the other hand, you can pick it up and bring it back to your base, so versatility, in this case, is not a big deal.


That is the best storage to use in Project Zomboid.

Have any suggestions for this guide? Let us know in the comment section below.

Binh Tran

As a game writer, my goal is to craft engaging, informative, and concise articles. Whether it's diving into the latest gaming trends or writing game guides, I'm always excited to share my insights with others.

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