Search tells you which tote holds an item. Places tells you where that tote physically sits. Together they take you from “which box?” to “which shelf” without a second thought.

Step 1: Tag each tote with its location

Give each tote a location that matches the real world: “Garage, back wall”, “Closet, top shelf”, “Storage unit, row C”. When a search result points you to a tote, the location tells you exactly where to walk.

Step 2: Browse totes by Place

Group your totes under Places and browse by where things sit, not just by name. It mirrors how you actually think about your stuff — “everything on the overhead rack” — and makes a big inventory feel like a map instead of a list.

The Places list in StowQR on iPhone, showing locations like Garage Shelf A1 with a tote count next to each — Browse by Place (left), then open one to see every tote on that shelf (right).

A single Place opened in StowQR — the Garage place showing the totes stored there — Browse by Place (left), then open one to see every tote on that shelf (right).

Step 3: Pin the totes you open most

Some totes get opened weekly, others once a year. Pin the frequent ones to the top of the list, or swipe a tote to pin and unpin without opening a menu. The list stays shaped around what you actually reach for.

Step 4: Sort and filter the list

Sort by creation date, last modified, or your own order. Combine that with Places and pins and the totes list always opens on what's most relevant — no scrolling past the holiday bins to reach the one you use every week. When you move a tote to a new shelf, just update its location or move its items and the map stays accurate.