The modern pickup truck is quite versatile when it comes to storage. Still, there are many things you can do to enhance the storage capacity of your pickup truck. Here you will find several ways that you can make the most out of the storage space of your pickup truck.
What are some ways that you can improve your pickup truck’s storage capacity? There are many ways to make the most out of the storage capabilities of your truck. This includes safe and secure center console vaults, under-seat cargo storage options, behind-the-seat storage options, toolboxes, and decked out truck bed storage containers, among numerous other options.
Here, you will truly learn about the full storage potential of your pickup truck. Hopefully, you will find a more convenient way to store items in your truck that you haven’t heard of before.
Center Console
The center console presents a unique opportunity to enhance the storage capabilities of your pickup truck. It has the potential to be made into the most secure storage area of the truck. Many modern pickup trucks come with lockable center consoles, but this is not always the case.
Center Console Safes
If you are looking for a more secure place to store your wallet and valuable electronics, there are a number of great center console safes to choose from. For owners of the Ram 1500 truck, then you will find this tray lock vault storage box a secure place to keep valuables stashed away without having to worry about prying eyes in the parking lot. The vault screws into the center console so that it cannot be easily picked up and stolen.
You can find center console safes specifically designed for all of the popular makes and models of pickup trucks. This Lock’er Down center console safe is designed for pickup in the Ford F-150 and Ford Super Duty models of trucks dating back to the 2015 model year. This type of center console safe fits under the lid of the existing center console. It allows for a double layer of security in trucks that already have locking center consoles by requiring a four-digit security code to be opened.
Organization Trays
The center console area of the truck is one of the quickest to become disorganized. I myself am guilty of nonchalantly tossing pens, loose change, and small tools into my center console with little concern for organization. Weeks later, I begin to notice how messy and disorganized my center console is.
Save the time and effort it takes to keep your center console clean by using an organization tray. This tray may allow the opportunity to sort small items such as tools and loose change by size. It also will cut down on your need to constantly clean out and reorganize your center console.
You should be able to find model-specific organization trays if your truck does not already have a tray in place. A good example is this organization tray for the Chevy Silverado 1500. You can see that this tray has a large variety of storage compartments. You can see which storage spaces would be good for loose change and which would be good for smaller hand tools that you may need quick access to.
Those of you who are contractors may be interested in center console organizers designed specifically for contractors. This Rampage Products Contractor Console is designed to be universally-compatible with pickup trucks with bench seat center consoles. The contractor console includes an attached notepad for the contractor to easily take notes in between service requests.
Truck Cab
Although the truck bed offers quite a bit of storage space, the truck cab storage space is a quite bit more secure, and offers more protection from the elements than the truck bed, even if the truck bed has been covered. You especially know this feeling if you are a frequent camper.
I myself am a frequent camper and am always looking for ways to keep my gear secure and dry. The crew cab of my truck offers an excellent opportunity to do that, but I could always use ways to keep the gear in the cab of my truck more organized. One way to keep the items in the cab of your truck more organized is a portable trunk organizer.
Portable Trunk Organizer
This portable trunk organizer collapses in on itself for easy storage in the back pouch of the seat when it is not being used. This pouch is great for keeping food items safe and dry. The usefulness of this item extends well beyond just camping uses.
When I was in college, I used a portable trunk organizer like this to store all my textbooks and other school gear. I was a commuter student at my school and it really helped me avoid having to constantly carry all my textbooks and school supplies in my backpack at the same time.
It is also a great storage space to keep your pets supplies or kids’ toys organized during the duration of a trip. It is not necessarily a permanent storage space, though it could easily become one. It prevents you from having to commit to a bulky storage bin that you only use periodically.
Under-Seat Storage Options
The space underneath the backseat of your pickup truck is one of the more under-utilized storage spaces within the vehicle. It is space that is easy to keep items dry in. It also is a good spot to keep items that you want to keep hidden and out of the sunlight.
One great under-seat storage option is this Husky Liners Under Seat Storage Box for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Keep in mind that just like most center console storage systems, the under-seat storage options are typically compatible with specific makes and models of trucks.
As an example, this under-seat storage box is specifically designed for the 2015-2019 Ford F-150 series of trucks. Regardless of the specific make and model, these under-seat storage systems are all pretty similar. They offer the opportunity to keep all your items organized and dry.
Even though many trucks come with a lot of natural storage space in the back of the cab, this can sometimes be a difficult space to utilize to its full potential. Simply tossing items into the back of your truck cab results in a disorganized mess, especially after you drive around and all the items shift around.
These under-seat storage bins keep your items organized and from being allowed to roll around the cab of the truck and underneath the front seats where you may not be able to find items again for several months. These storage boxes differ vastly from plastic crates in that they are easy to secure to the carpet of the truck.
Tool Organizer for Back of Truck
Tools are difficult to keep organized within the back of your truck, particularly if you are a contractor who has to use your tools every day. It is far too easy to throw your tools into bungled mess on the floor of your cabin at the end of the day.
You can keep your tools organized by getting a tool bag for the back seat of your truck. Tool bags such as this adjustable hanging bag tool organizer, present an excellent opportunity to avoid the headache of not being able to find the tools you need for your daily work.
Organizer for The Back of Seat
There also exist adjustable hanging organizers for the backs of truck seats that are similar to the adjustable tool bags but are able to be used for multiple purposes. Think of it as a backpack for your seat.
One such organizer is the Lusso Gear Heavy Duty Back Seat Car Organizer. This is perfect for families with young children. The compartments are of varying sizes and offer a safe and secure place to keep toys and supplies. It is also a great option for those who travel frequently with pets.
For the avid hunter or fisherman, there are back seat organizers designed specifically for equipment storage. Take for example this back seat rack, which could potentially be used to hold fishing rods when it is not being used for hunting. Finding a good place to store fishing rods within the cab of a truck is often difficult, as you seek to avoid having to place the fishing rod in such a way that it pokes into the front of the truck cab.
Bag for Under the Seat
An alternative to the storage bin for placement under the back seat is a cargo bag such as this cab bag for full sized trucks. The advantage of this storage system is the portability. It also has a variety of compartments that can be accessed easily without having to adjust the back seat of the truck.
It’s tailor-made for outdoor adventures because it is more portable than a storage crate or storage bin. You can easily pack a bunch of clothes and gear inside and bring it into your tent or cabin at night.
It will fit underneath the back seat of most full-sized pickup trucks. The dimensions of the bag are 36.5” x 13” x 6.1”. It comes with a handle at the top that makes it quite bit easier to handle than some of the storage bins shown earlier.
Truck Bed
The truck bed typically constitutes the majority of the total space taken up by the truck, so naturally it is the primary area of focus when it comes to maximizing the storage capacity of a pickup truck. There are many ways to maximize truck bed space, as will be discussed in further detail here.
Swing Storage
You can take advantage of every square inch of truck storage space by installing a swinging storage box along the inside of the truck bed. The swinging storage box can be pulled out from its connection via a hinge screwed into the side of the truck bed. Swing storage boxes can be accessed without you having to climb into the truck bed.
These types of storage boxes are generally not universally-compatible, so make sure that you buy a swing box that fits your specific make and model. This particular SwingCase Truck Bed Storage Box is designed for use with the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 models going back to the model year 2007.
This swing box can be locked for added security. The interior dimensions of the swing box make it suitable for the storage of a variety of tools and equipment. It includes a tray at the top where you can place smaller hand tools. Contractors and DIY handymen alike will find the swing box a convenient alternative to other toolboxes.
The swing box also takes up less space than traditional truck toolboxes that are mounted directly behind the cab. The specific swing box referenced in this section takes up 16 x 8.5 x 34 inches. Mounted toolboxes can take up a significant amount of truck bed space. As an example, this aluminum tool box takes up 17 x 77 x 24 inches against the cab of the truck.
Aluminum Toolbox
Although aluminum toolboxes do take up quite a bit of space, they definitely remain quite popular for a variety of reasons. They are durable, have a large storage capacity and they are among the most secure of storage options for the back of a truck.
This aluminum truck tool box comes with:
- Stainless steel lock handles
- A foam-filled lid to secure items
- Aluminum construction designed to maximize durability
- Mounting slots that are pre-drilled; making installation easier
- Has enough storage space to be able to hold shovels and other similarly-sized tools and equipment
This toolbox also is available in a variety of sizes, designed to help you find the best fit for your truck bed. So, if you do have a shorter truck bed, a mounted toolbox can still make sense. Since the toolbox is mounted to the back of the cab, there will still be some amount of clearance from the truck bed surface.
The amount of clearance should be enough for you to stick shovels, rakes and other long equipment beneath the mounted toolbox. This is something to keep in mind when you are comparing this toolbox to the swing box referenced in the subsection above.
If you look back at the swing box you will notice that indeed the swing box takes up less space in general. However, the way that it is mounted limits the amount of clearance from the surface of the truck bed. You would not be able to stick anything under the swing box.
If you have a lot of tools, the aluminum heavy-duty toolbox may be the better option. The toolboxes mounted at the back of the cab offer many of the same advantages of the swing box by enabling you to reach for tools without having to get up into the bed of the truck, at least for the most part.
Sometimes you may not be able to reach tools deep within the middle of the toolbox. The swing box, on the other hand, keeps every tool within easy to reach. Accessibility tends to be one of the more underrated aspects of the swing toolbox which is much less popular than the toolbox mounted to the cab of the truck.
Truck Bed Covers
The real major hang-up when it comes to being able to fully utilize the bed of your pickup truck is exposure to the elements and would-be thieves. There is also concern that items stored within the bed of the truck may blow out the back of the truck if they are not properly secured.
There are a large variety of truck covers available. Whichever one you decide to go with really depends on your needs. You should be aware that some types will keep the interior of the truck bed better protected from the elements. Some can be locked down for added security.
Roll-Up Truck Covers
This is generally the most affordable option for pickup truck bed covers. They protect the interior of the truck bed while still not taking up too much space while they are not in use. Roll-up truck bed covers are simple to install and easy to remove if you are no longer interested in utilizing the cover.
Popular roll-up covers include this Gator ETX Soft Roll Up Truck Bed Cover for the Ford F-150. The installation of this cover does not require the use of drills. It is simple to roll the cover back for access to the truck bed. While the roll up cover is easy to install, it may not protect the inside of the truck from the elements inside.
You may occasionally run into problems with rain or snow leaking into the truck bed if the cover is not able to completely adhere to the truck rail. Another issue comes during times of cold weather. I have personal experience with this problem. During extreme cold temperatures, the cover may become frozen solid.
Even with these potential drawbacks, the roll up cover is an excellent option for those looking for an affordable way to protect the interior of the truck bed from the elements. Though the specific cover referenced in this section was for a 5’6” truck bed, you will these types of covers for every make and model of truck.
I wrote a short review on my preferred soft tonneau cover here.
Tri-Fold Truck Cover
A small step up from the roll up truck bed cover is the tri-fold truck bed cover. The tri-fold cover can be rolled up more quickly than the roll up cover. It also presents slightly less potential for leaks.
One of the more popular tri-fold covers on the market is the Lund Genesis Tri-Fold Soft Folding Truck Bed Cover for the Toyota Tacoma. This cover features a rigid aluminum sub-frame designed to keep the interior contents dry. Another bonus is that these covers should be a little easier to roll-up during freezing temps than the roll up cover in the section above.
This truck bed cover also does not require the use of a drill during installation. An integrated clip and strap system is featured along the length of the truck rail so that you don’t have to remove the entire cover in order to gain access to one part of the truck bed.
Hard Rolling Truck Bed Cover
The hard rolling truck bed cover is among the premier options for truck bed covers. These types of covers are for the consumer who doesn’t mind spending a little extra money for added security and maximum protection from moisture when compared to other roll up truck bed covers.
The BAK Revolver class of hard rolling truck bed covers includes this one tailor-made for 2019-2020 Dodge Ram 1500 trucks. This cover comes with an integrated locking system. Cab and rail side seals should keep most moisture out. When it comes time to access the truck bed, you simply pull a hidden cable located on either side of the truck bed.
The hidden cable releases the mechanism holding the center section of the cover. The cover neatly rolls up until it is against the back of the truck cab. You can’t get much better than that in terms of convenience, provided that you are willing to pay the extra price.
Decked Truck Bed Storage
This is really the premier truck bed storage option. There are numerous storage systems you can buy that act as a cabinet of sorts for your truck bed. This storage option gives you a chance to secure large tools and other equipment that may not fit anywhere else. It is one of the most extensive equipment storage options short of buying a trailer to pull behind your truck.
You can see how useful decked truck bed storage can be by taking a peak at the Decked Pickup Storage System for 6’6” Ford F-150 trucks. This storage system effectively increases the storage capacity of your truck by allowing you to still use the empty truck bed, but now you have a staggered toolbox system below the bed. This particular decked storage system has a 2,000 pound load rating.
The system features drawers of many different sizes for you to store tools, equipment and gear. You don’t have to be a professional contractor to make good use of the system. It is also well-suited for the avid outdoorsman who may have a variety of fishing, hunting and boating equipment that they want to keep with them at all times, safe and secure.
It is a good storage unit for keeping items safe and secure, thanks to an optional keyed lock accessory. Drawbacks to this system include the cost and the fact that the drawers are not completely airtight, to the extent that even the manufacturer of the storage system is willing to admit to it.
If you consider yourself a DIY expert, then you will be interested in the fact that others have made systems like this in their own shops. Take for example the truck bed drawers made by this expert craftsman in this video.
This would be an excellent way to install a similar system in your truck with a lower price tag. The only drawback is that a DIY system may not have the same load rating as this system.
Truck Hitch Storage
One of the most affordable ways to extend your pickup truck’s storage capabilities is to install a truck hitch storage system. These are usually pretty simplistic. They may include some sort of bike rack or cargo carrier. You will often see these in campgrounds, as they are a favorite among outdoors enthusiasts.
One such truck hitch storage system is the Pro Series Rambler Cargo Carrier Basket. This cargo carrier is designed for a 2 inch trailer-mounted hitch. It has a 500 pound load capacity, which is quite a bit for a cargo carrier. You will be able to use this to store anything from coolers to camping stoves to sleeping bags, provided that everything is tightly secured via the use of bungee cords.
My preferred hitch cargo carrier is the Rola Vortex steel cargo carrier which I also wrote a short review on.
In the alternative, you can also always install truck bed extender bars so that you can better utilize the full length of your truck bed. These extender bars are commonly used by owners of shorter truck beds, such as the truck bed for the Toyota Tacoma. They prevent you from having to hang items precariously out the back end of your truck bed, which seems like a disaster just waiting to happen.
If you’re thinking of different ways to accessorize your truck or make it more functional, consider checking out my recommended accessories page. I spent a good amount of time picking out mods that can be useful for most pickup trucks.