How to Make Your Inventory Bigger in OSRS

How to Make Your Inventory Bigger in OSRS

In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), your inventory is limited to 28 slots, and there’s no direct way to increase this number. This restriction is intentional, as it balances the game’s economy by forcing players to make strategic choices about what to carry and when to bank items. However, there are clever methods and items that effectively expand your carrying capacity, allowing you to hold more items indirectly. Whether you’re skilling, questing, or battling bosses, optimizing your inventory can save time and boost efficiency. In this guide, we’ll explore the best ways to maximize your inventory space in OSRS, focusing on practical tools and techniques.

The OSRS inventory is split into two sections: the backpack inventory (28 slots for unequipped items) and the equipped inventory (for worn gear). The 28-slot limit is fixed, as confirmed by multiple sources, including the OSRS Wiki and community discussions on Reddit. This limitation stabilizes the game’s economy by adding time to gathering and crafting processes, preventing players from carrying infinite resources. For example, skills like Runecrafting, Mining, and Smithing would become too easy with unlimited slots, causing item prices to crash. While you can’t increase the slot count, you can use items and mechanics to carry more efficiently.

Why Inventory Management Matters

Effective inventory management is crucial for:

  • Skilling Efficiency: More space means fewer bank trips, increasing XP per hour.
  • Combat Success: Extra slots for food or potions can extend boss fights or Slayer tasks.
  • Questing Convenience: Carrying required items without clutter saves time.

Using Beasts of Burden for Extra Storage

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One of the most effective ways to expand your carrying capacity is by using Beasts of Burden (BoBs), which are summoned familiars that carry additional items. Introduced with the Summoning skill, BoBs act like a secondary inventory, though you need free slots in your main inventory to retrieve items from them. Here’s how they work and which ones to use.

Best Beasts of Burden for Inventory Space

The following table lists the top BoBs for inventory expansion, their Summoning level requirements, and their carrying capacity:

Familiar Summoning Level Inventory Slots Notes
Thorny Snail 16 3 Good for low-level players.
Spirit Kalphite 25 6 Decent for early-game skilling.
Bull Ant 40 9 Balanced for mid-level players.
Spirit Terrorbird 52 12 Popular for Slayer and skilling.
War Tortoise 67 18 Great for prolonged tasks.
Pack Yak 96 30 Best in-game, with Winter Storage for banking.

Pro Tip: The Pack Yak is the ultimate choice for high-level players. Its Winter Storage scroll lets you instantly bank one item, saving even more trips. You’ll need 96 Summoning and scrolls, which can be costly but are worth it for bossing or high-intensity skilling.

How to Use Beasts of Burden Effectively

  • Summon Before Starting: Call your BoB before filling your inventory to maximize its use.
  • Plan Item Transfers: Ensure you have free slots to retrieve items from the BoB when needed.
  • Combine with Scrolls: For Pack Yak users, carry Winter Storage scrolls for remote banking.

Inventory-Saving Items for Specific Activities

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While BoBs are versatile, certain items can save inventory slots for specific tasks like skilling or combat. These tools compress multiple items into a single slot, effectively freeing up space. Below are some of the most useful inventory-saving items.

Rune Pouch and Looting Bag

Rune Pouch: Essential for magic users, the Rune Pouch holds three types of runes (up to 16,000 each), saving two slots. The upgraded version from Tombs of Amascut holds four stacks, saving three slots. Obtain it from the Bounty Hunter store or Grand Exchange (noted form).

Looting Bag: Perfect for Wilderness activities, this bag holds 28 tradeable items, saving up to 27 slots. You can only deposit items in the Wilderness and withdraw at a bank. It’s untradeable and obtained from Wilderness content.

Specialty Pouches and Bags

  • Gem Bag: Holds 60 of each uncut gem (up to Dragonstone), ideal for mining or Slayer. Get it from Motherlode Mine.
  • Coal Bag: Stores 27 pieces of coal, great for smelting at the Blast Furnace. Also from Motherlode Mine.
  • Herb Sack: Holds 30 of each grimy herb, perfect for Slayer or Herblore training. Earn it from Tithe Farm or Slayer points.
  • Seed Box: Stores multiple seed types, reducing clutter during Farming or Slayer. Obtained from Tithe Farm.
  • Plank Sack: Holds 28 planks, useful for Mahogany Homes or Construction. Get it from Mahogany Homes.

Important: Most of these items are untradeable and require specific activities to unlock, so plan your grinding accordingly.

Optimizing Inventory with Stackable Items

Stackable items, like coins, runes, and arrows, only take one slot regardless of quantity. Leveraging these can significantly reduce inventory clutter. Additionally, certain mechanics and spells can turn non-stackable items into stackable forms or food, saving space.

Using Noted Items

Noted items are stackable versions of unnoted items, often used for trading or banking. You can use Magic Notepaper to turn items into noted form during activities like Slayer, saving slots for more drops. For example, noting bones or ores allows you to carry hundreds in one slot.

Bone to Peaches Spell

The Bone to Peaches spell (requires 60 Magic and unlocking at the Mage Training Arena) converts bones into peaches, providing food without occupying extra slots. This is invaluable for prolonged combat, especially in areas with bone-dropping monsters Unions like Aberrant Spectre can yield significant rewards, including unique items and resources. However, you’ll need to complete specific quests and tasks to access this area, so be prepared for some grinding.

Tips for Efficient Inventory Management

Beyond using BoBs and specialty items, general inventory management strategies can further optimize your 28 slots. Here are some practical tips:

  • Use Inventory Tags: Categorize items (e.g., “Potions,” “Food,” “Gear”) for quick access during combat or skilling.
  • Bank Regularly: Deposit unneeded items to keep slots free for new loot.
  • Prioritize High-Value Items: Drop low-value items to make room for better loot during tasks.
  • Quick Banking: Use tools like the Imp-in-a-Box or Pack Yak’s Winter Storage for remote banking.
  • Avoid Overcomplicating: Stick to a few broad tag categories to prevent confusion.

By combining these strategies, you can make the most of your inventory, even with the 28-slot limit.

While you can’t directly increase your inventory size in OSRS, tools like Beasts of Burden, inventory-saving items, stackable items, and smart management can effectively expand your carrying capacity. Whether you’re a skiller, quester, or PvM enthusiast, these methods will help you stay efficient and prepared. Start by unlocking key items like the Rune Pouch or Gem Bag, and consider training Summoning for access to powerful BoBs like the Pack Yak. With these tips, you’ll never feel constrained by your 28 slots again.