Survival inventory layout and space management

Once you’ve gathered some basic resources and built shelter, sooner or later you’ll want to safely explore your world. Or maybe, you like the idea of being prepared. Ready for whatever the game might throw at you. Either way, preparation is rarely a bad thing! This beginner-orientated guide may be of help, though as a rule of thumb – never take anything you can’t afford to lose!

General inventory tips

Good inventory management is all about space. While its good to be ready, don’t overload it. You never know what you might yet pick up. For example, why carry sticks and a workbench, when planks alone will do, just in case (optional, but space saving). Don’t pick up unnecessary items and regularly get rid of trash. Drop that one block of sand, or craft a torch with a leftover lump of coal!

Crafting the ender chest might be worth it. Leave one in a safe place, and carry another for remote access to the contents. But be vary, as a silk touch pick is needed to pick up a placed chest. Otherwise, it is a one-time use for an emergency shortage of items.

Especially when going mining, keep your inventory extra clean before it fills with stacks of stone, mob drops, and ores. And stay cautious around ravines, lava or possible gravel cave-ins, obviously. Don’t want to lose that (soon to be) organized inventory!

Storage and organization

Survival in Minecraft is all about the resources you’ve got, both in order to build and prosper, and to actually survive! But how can you store it all, and not get lost? Here are some further tips. Firstly, a rule of thumb before you do anything – don’t pick up unnecessary items from the very beginning! Less is easier to manage, so don’t hoard junk and try to use what you’ve got.

Now, moving on to storage. While a temporary solution is alright in the beginning, you should aim to build a separate storage area in a safe part of your base as soon as. A store room should comfortably fit a few stacked double chests, while allowing space for future expansion as you gather new loot. Ideally avoid creating a claustrophobic maze!

Add in some utilities for convenience like a crafting table or furnaces if desired. A block of lava, secure and surrounded by stone, could act as a nifty bin for your unwanted items. You want the chests apart and in a secure place to ensure that e.g. an exploding creeper doesn’t blow up five full double chests. Moving onto some item categorization;

Categorizing your items

You can label each chest with a sign, or a block that represents the chest contents, either within an item frame or physically placed. Group similar items from the start to make things easier. The categories can be loose at first and get finer over time if you so wish. Store your seeds and crops separately by your farm to save space and time – make an automatic farm if you can. And always have some basics, like food, with you in your base!

Storage categories example 1: Blocks from mining; Important items and ores; Woods and other blocks; Farming, natural items and mob drops.

Example 2: Blocks from mining; Valuables and ores; Tools, weapons and armor; Wood items; Other stuff; Natural and farming; Nether stuff; Mob drops; Enchanted books.

Other inventory posts

This post is part of a small multi-part guide. Click the “Inventory” tag in the sidebar or search for “Inventory” on the blog. Share your own tips in the comments and I hope this was useful!

https://premiumminecraft.com/survival-inventory-management/
https://premiumminecraft.com/inventory-basics-for-survival/
https://premiumminecraft.com/inventory-considerations-mining/
https://premiumminecraft.com/inventory-considerations-nether/
https://premiumminecraft.com/inventory-considerations-end/

Cover image: https://imgur.com/r/minecraft/zEyym8c