Eventually, the way the game is saved needs to be re-worked entirely because the current patchwork system leads to exactly the situation we so often find ourselves in; we move something inside to protect it from thieves or decay, and wham, crash, loose everything that was inside the hut.
However, until this change is done, interior areas should be saved at least twice as often as outdoor areas, or potentially every time an object is placed in them, as they (and here I'm guessing) would place less load on the server than an entire outdoor cell. More importantly, it would make these interiors a safe way to store large items.
Never again should I loose four seedlings, two moths, a chest, and a sausage maker all at once.