Gun Safe Accessories & Tips to Maximize Storage
Don’t let wasted space keep you from storing your valuables. Get our tops tips for taking advantage of every square inch.
Published 3.18.2021 | Last Updated 3.28.2025
Storage space is consistently one of the biggest concerns we hear from customers. Without fail, buying too small is the most common regret we hear. While we can’t magically make your safe bigger, we can help you maximize the space you have.
There are a variety of ways to configure your gun safe, especially if you buy a gun safe with a flexible interior. Home safes with flexible interiors can be a huge advantage, as they allow your space to adapt as your collection grows and changes over time.
In the following post, we’ll look at:
3 Ways to Configure a Colonial 23 Liberty Gun Safe
Nearly all Liberty gun safes come with a 3-in-1 Flex™ interior. This patented design gives you adjustable shelving and shelf covers. This allows you to choose how much of your safe has shelving units for storing smaller valuables and how much of your safe has an open interior for easily accessible long gun storage.
The following three configurations can be replicated in bigger gun safes, like Liberty’s USA 48, and in smaller gun safes, like Liberty’s Centurion 18 Flex.
Long Gun Storage + Gun Safe Shelves (EZ-Access)
This is the most common setup for gun safe owners, especially those who are big game modern hunters. Removing the adjustable shelving and shelf covers from the right side, provides easy access for long-gun storage. At the same time, keeping the shelves on the left, allows for ammo, handguns, and additional valuables to be easily organized.
When you use a gun safe shelf in the way, you want to consider what’s the bigger threat: fire or flooding? If fire is a bigger threat, the lowest gun safe shelf should be used to hold the most valuable items. If flood is the biggest threat, be sure to place the most valuable items on the top gun safe self.
Maximum Long Gun & Shotgun Storage (Collector)
Removing all the adjustable shelves and shelf covers gives you the ability to store the most number of long guns and shotguns. This is an ideal setup for those with a large collection of guns. This setup still gives you a small amount of shelf space at the top of your safe for items like handguns or extra storage.
Gun Storage + Gun Safe Shelves (Sportsman)
This setup is particularly ideal for bird hunters who have a large shotgun collection. By removing the adjustable shelves and shelf covers on the left side, you’ll have access to multiple rows of slots for long-gun storage.
Best Space Maximizing Gun Safe Accessories
In addition to a flexible interior, there is a variety of after-market gun safe accessories which allow you to customize and maximize your gun safe storage. The following are our favorites.
Rifle Rods Gun Rack System
The traditional slot storage in a safe is a plush storage solution. Unfortunately, that extra cuts down on the number of guns you can store. Rifle rods allow you to store up to 50% more guns than with a traditional rack.
Each rod is 16-inches long, allowing you to use them with guns of varying heights. They can even be used with scopes, double barrel firearms, and shorter AR-15s. Each kit comes with a fabric loop so that the rods can be installed on a shelving unit without drilling into your safe or safe shelf in any way.
Handgun Hanger - Under Shelf
The handgun hangers are another space-saving favorite. How many times do you find yourself looking at a gun locker and thinking about all the unused space that exists between the items on a shelf and the shelf above? These rods allow you to take advantage of that space. Plus, installation is as simple as sliding the rod into place.
Handgun Hanger - Over/Under Shelf
Depending on your storage needs, the over/under handgun hanger allows you to quickly and easily store two handguns in a minimal amount of square inches. This accessory can be particularly attractive for the Sportsman setup, as it allows you to capitalize on the space above and below the top shelf.
Vaultek Universal Display Rack
This is one of our favorite handgun storage accessories. It fits cleanly on the top shelf of most gun safes and allows you to easily store and organize your handguns. Plus, alternative modules are available — allowing you to customize your setup with options like magazine storage.
Door Panel Storage
Door panel organizers allow you to maximize your shelf space, by taking advantage of the unused square inches between your door and the shelves. We carry two different options designed by two of our leading manufacturers:
No. 1 Gun Safe Organization Mistake to Avoid: Overfilling Your Safe
Hands down, the most common mistake we encounter when it comes to organizing a gun safe is trying to put too much inside. When a safe is overfilled, items push against the door’s locking bolts, disrupting the door’s ability to open properly. This can make your gun safe handle hard to turn or it can cause you to be locked out entirely.
Does Your Gun Safe Require Maintenance?
Just like any other piece of machinery, your gun safe needs regular maintenance to ensure it stays in top working condition—regardless of the high-quality model you chose. Some tasks require a bit of care, such as lubricating the bolts to keep them operating smoothly.
Other maintenance steps don’t involve direct work on the safe but instead focus on routine inspections. Checking components like the locking mechanism, door bolts, and fire seal ensures everything remains in optimal condition for long-term security and reliability.