Probably Stolen storage bays, inventory sorting, capacity limits, storage tabs and the mods that fix inventory management, including what is vanilla.
Probably Stolen Storage and Inventory Guide
Inventory is the quiet constraint in Probably Stolen. A shop can look profitable and still be stuck because the water is in one bay, the chemicals are in another, and the item a customer wants is buried under six stacks of mushrooms. Storage is not cosmetic; it decides how fast you can sell and how much risk you carry.
This guide covers the storage bay types, the sorting problem, the “storage bay tabs” search, and the Workshop mods that address it.
Storage bay types
| Container | What it holds | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Bay | General stock | The main back-office container |
| Chemist Storage Bay | Chemicals and lab supplies | Keeps chems separate from food |
| Smuggler's Bay | Contraband and hidden goods | Risk-related storage |
| Machine Bay | Machine modules | Not general inventory |
| Fridge | Drinks | 100 credits, 2 Energy/day |
| Water containers | Water | Capacity varies; needs testing |
The names are similar, and that causes real confusion. A Machine Bay holds modules, not products. A Smuggler's Bay is for goods you do not want on the sales floor. A Storage Bay is the general-purpose container.
Is there a Storage Bay Expansion Kit?
“Storage bay expansion kit” is a common search query, but the expansion kit documented in the 1.0 build is the Module Bay Expansion Kit, which expands a machine's module grid from 26 to 31 to 35 cells. It does not expand general storage.
A storage-specific expansion kit may exist in a later patch or a mod, but it is not confirmed in the sources used for this page. Treat claims of a vanilla storage expansion kit as needs testing and check the item's tooltip before buying.
The Starting Storage Coordinator Workshop mod adds storage organisation at the start of a run. That is a mod, not a vanilla upgrade.
The sorting problem
The vanilla inventory is grid-based. You can move items, stack them, and arrange them, but there is no built-in “sort all” button in the base UI described by the community. That is why inventory mods are among the most subscribed in the Workshop.
The Smart Inventory Arrange mod (74,872 subscribers at the time of writing) addresses exactly this: it arranges inventory automatically so you do not spend the first ten minutes of every session dragging stacks.
If you play unmodded, use a manual system:
- One bay for water and food.
- One bay for chemistry inputs.
- One bay for finished products.
- One bay for valuables and modules.
- One bay for contraband, locked and away from the counter.
The exact number of bays you can place depends on the shop layout and your progress. Do not assume you can buy unlimited storage.
Storage tabs and the UI
“Storage bay tabs” is another common query. The base storage UI uses panels and grids; tab-like behaviour comes from separate containers and, in some cases, mods.
The Storage Bay Tabs style of mod organises categories into tabs so you can jump between food, chemicals, and valuables. If you cannot find a vanilla tab button, you are not missing a hidden setting; the base UI is limited.
Check the mod's last-updated date before subscribing. A UI mod that has not been updated for the current patch can break the inventory panel.
Capacity and weight
The game tracks item size through grid footprints. A 2 × 2 module takes four cells; a bottle takes one. Capacity is therefore a shape problem, not just a number.
| Item type | Footprint | Storage advice |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle | 1 cell | Stack by type |
| Food | 1 cell | Keep near the counter |
| Hand or cartridge | 1–2 cells | Valuable bay |
| Machine module | 2 × 2 or larger | Module bay, not general storage |
| Machine | Multi-cell | Floor placement, not a container |
Do not store machine modules in a general storage bay if you can avoid it. They take space and are easy to confuse with sale stock.
A single empty bay is a sorting buffer. When a new shipment arrives, dump it there, sort it once, and move it to its permanent home. This prevents the “everything everywhere” spiral.
Storage and crime
Contraband in a general storage bay is evidence. The Smuggler's Bay exists for a reason: it keeps risky goods separate from the legal stock that a customer or inspector might see.
If Security searches the shop, the location of the goods matters. Keep restricted chemicals and stolen items out of the display and away from the customer path. The crime guide covers the investigation consequences.
Storage and production
Production machines need input nearby. A chemistry line with the Chemist Storage Bay across the shop wastes time on every batch. Place the input storage next to the machine, and the finished-product storage next to the counter.
The same logic applies to water: keep the purifier, the water containers, and the sales stock in one zone. A clean water workflow is a layout, not just a filter.
When to buy more storage
Buy storage when you are losing sales to searching, not when a bay looks full. A full bay of slow-moving stock is a sign to sell, not to build.
The priority order is:
- Fast stock near the counter.
- Restricted stock in a separate container.
- Finished production near the machine.
- Overflow storage for bulk inputs.
If you are constantly moving the same item between bays, the layout is wrong. Fix the flow before adding capacity.
FAQ
How do I expand storage in Probably Stolen? The documented expansion kit is for machine module bays, not general storage. Additional storage comes from more containers and layout; a storage-specific kit is not confirmed.
What are storage bay tabs? A UI organisation feature associated with mods, not a confirmed vanilla button.
What is the best storage mod? Smart Inventory Arrange is the most subscribed sorting mod. Starting Storage Coordinator is useful for new runs. Check compatibility before installing either.
Can I store contraband in a normal bay? You can, but it is evidence. Use a Smuggler's Bay or a separate restricted container.
Community source: in-game storage panels, Workshop listings, and the Steam Community guide hub ↗. Store reference: Probably Stolen ↗. Workshop example: Smart Inventory Arrange ↗.
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