📖 Cellar Secrets: Hoarder-to-Survivalist Storage Hacks for DST
Don't Starve Together: The "Cellar" Explained – Mods, Uses & Strategies
Important note: Don't Starve Together (DST) does not include any "cellar" or basement structure in the vanilla game – the concept of a cellar in DST comes from player-made mods.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore how cellar mods work, how to build and use them for mass storage and food preservation, and the strategic advantages they offer. We'll cover the popular Storm Cellar mod (and its variants like Storeroom), the Basements mod that lets you create an underground hideout, recent community discussions and updates, as well as tips, best practices, and known issues.
Summary: Players searching for "Don't Starve Together cellar" are usually looking for solutions to store more items and preserve food longer in DST. Since no official cellar exists, the answer lies in mods: the Storm Cellar mod (an 80-slot storage that slows spoilage) or the Basements mod (build an underground room). Below, we break down how to install, build, and use these mods, their features, and community insights.
Understanding the "Cellar" in DST (Official vs Mod Content)
In vanilla DST, there is no built-in cellar or basement structure. The closest official items are Ice Boxes or Salt Boxes for food preservation, and structures like chests or the Scaled Chest (a fireproof chest) for storage. However, none of these are literally called a "cellar," nor do they combine huge storage capacity with spoilage reduction in one structure.
Above-ground cellar structure
Storm Cellar / Storeroom mods: These mods add a craftable "cellar" object – essentially a big storage container (80 slots) often depicted as a hatch or hole in the ground. The most famous is the Storm Cellar mod by Afro1967, and variants like Storeroom by MrM.
Underground basement world
Basements mod: This mod by Tykvesh lets you build a basement interior. You place a staircase or hatch, which transports you to a separate underground room where you can build and store items.
Key Point: If you've seen references to a "cellar" in DST forums, wikis, or videos, they are almost certainly talking about one of these mods. There has been no official patch adding a cellar.
The Storm Cellar Mod – Huge Storage & Fridge in One
One of the most popular DST mods of all time is the Storm Cellar mod (originally by Afro1967). This mod introduces a structure called the Storm Cellar, which functions as a massive storage hole you can build in your base. It essentially replaces a dozen regular chests and also acts as a refrigerator for food items.
Features of the Storm Cellar
- 80 Inventory Slots: The Storm Cellar provides 80 slots of storage, arranged in a 5×16 grid by default (configurable). This is equivalent to nearly 10 normal chests worth of space in one structure.
- Fridge Functionality: By default the cellar acts like an Ice Box, slowing food spoilage. With fridge function on, any perishable food inside spoils at 50% rate (doubling the food's shelf-life).
- Fireproof & Durable: The cellar cannot catch fire and can't be destroyed by Giants by default.
- Can Be Hammered to Relocate: You can hammer it down if you need to remove or move it (but all items will drop).
- Emits Light When Opened: When you open the Storm Cellar's inventory, it lights up providing a small radius glow.
How to Install and Enable the Storm Cellar Mod
- Subscribe to the Mod on Steam Workshop (DST Storm Cellar by user shtornovi/Afro1967)
- Launch Don't Starve Together, and on the main menu choose Mods
- Find "DST Storm Cellar" in your Server Mods list and check the box to enable it
- Configure options if desired (fridge function, slot layout, etc.)
- Load/Generate your world with the mod enabled
Crafting the Storm Cellar (Recipe & Requirements)
Crafting Recipe
To build the Storm Cellar in-game, you need an Alchemy Engine to prototype it. The crafting recipe is:
- 20 Cut Stone (60 Rocks total)
- 20 Wood Flooring (80 Logs, 60 Cut Grass)
- 1 Gold Shovel (Regal Shovel: 2 Gold + 2 Twigs)
Tip: Due to the large recipe, building a Storm Cellar is usually a mid- to late-game goal, typically after your first full year in-game.
The Basements Mod – Build Your Own Basement in DST
Imagine having a personal underground bunker in DST where you can hide from bosses and weather, and where food spoils slowly just by the environment. That's what the Basements mod (by Tykvesh) offers. This mod allows players to construct a basement interior space - like adding a new small cave to your base.
Key Features of Basements
- Custom Interior Space: When you build a basement, the mod generates a small underground room for you. You can enter the basement via a staircase/hatch.
- Safety from Outside Dangers: While you're inside the basement, the surface world's mobs cannot reach you. Hound wave coming? You can pop into the basement and wait it out.
- Weatherproof & Daylight-Free: The basement interior is completely sheltered from rain, overheating, and wild seasonal effects.
- Slow Spoilage Environment: Food spoils more slowly in the basement even without an Ice Box.
- Build & Expand Rooms: You're not stuck with a tiny starting room – you can mine the walls to enlarge your basement.
Warning: It will likely be dark initially when you enter your basement. Have a light source on you! Many players build a Fire Pit inside for light since there's no outside rain to extinguish it.
Crafting and Building a Basement
To build a basement, you craft a Basement Entrance (a set of stairs/hatch) in the Science tab (Alchemy Engine required). The recipe costs:
- 60 Boards (240 Logs)
- 45 Cut Stone (135 Rocks)
- 4 Twigs
- 1 Gold Nugget
Other Notable Mods & Alternatives for Storage
While "cellar" mods are our focus, if you're looking up cellars you might also be interested in these storage improvements:
Additional Structures (mod by Silinterface) adds various structures including possibly larger chests or a Trash Can (for deleting items).
Deep Freezer mod adds an even stronger food preservation box (food lasts much longer). If your goal was mainly preserving food, this mod could help alongside or instead of a cellar.
Geometric Drop and Ground Chest - These mods allow creative on-ground storage solutions. Geometric Drop lets you drop items in neat grids on the floor; Ground Chest then provides an interface to pick up items around you as if they were in a container.
Scaled Chest - This is an official storage (from Dragonfly boss loot) that has 12 slots and is fireproof. In an unmodded game, some players use several Scaled Chests and Ice Boxes to mimic the effects of a cellar.
FAQ: Don't Starve Together "Cellar" Questions
No, DST does not have any official cellar or basement feature. All references to a cellar (80-slot storage, etc.) are about mods. The closest official item is the Salt Box (stores food with slowed spoilage), but it only has 9 slots and is not referred to as a cellar.
It adds a craftable structure called the Storm Cellar – an 80-slot storage hole that is fireproof and acts like a fridge (slows food spoilage). It essentially replaces many chests and ice boxes with one convenient container.
For the Storm Cellar mod: 20 Cut Stone, 20 Wooden Flooring turf, 1 Gold Shovel (requiring an Alchemy Engine). For the Basements mod: roughly 60 Boards, 45 Cut Stone, 4 Twigs, 1 Gold (Alchemy Engine). These may vary slightly if using alternate mod versions.
This is a known quirk after DST's UI update. Use the search bar in the crafting menu and type "cellar". It should appear and you can craft it. If not, you may need an updated version of the mod (see Steam Workshop for "Storm Cellar Fixed" etc.).
Yes, by default the Storm Cellar has the same effect as an Ice Box on any perishable items stored (50% spoil rate). In the Storeroom mod, you can even set it to completely stop spoilage or adjust it. The Basement mod inherently slows spoilage in its environment (like being in a cave).
Unfortunately, yes – if a modded structure like the cellar or basement disappears (due to mod being disabled), any items inside are effectively lost. If you accidentally load a world without the mod, immediately re-enable the mod and rollback to a save when it was active.
It depends on personal preference. They are Quality of Life mods – they don't give infinite items or invincibility; they save space and reduce micromanagement. Many players and server hosts are fine with them. DST is co-op PvE, so as long as your group agrees, using a cellar mod is about making the game more fun, not outright breaking it.