So I just moved and it was a long and excrutiating experience. I do not wish it upon any other collectr0 or hoarder out there, esp. if they really like their stuff. There was so much damaged goods I began to care less and less for it. Anyway, I still care a little bit about what's left of my stuff and was wondering if anyone has recommendations for moving and storage boxes for DVDs, CDs, video games, and books? I'm particularly looking for small boxes that are durable and can be managed/moved/lifted by one very weak individual (i.e., me).
I use a certain kind of handy & durable transparent plastic storage boxes with storage lids that can accomodate such a mixture of full sized DVD cases, standard CD cases, the USA region GBA sized factory game boxes and whatnot from being crushed/damaged and is stackable. Even has handy plastic divider slats to compartmentilize the collection even further to suit your personal tastes/wishes. They'd be sold at Target and the like under various generic name brands. So your best bet would to scour the local Wal-Mart, Costco, or Target and see what comes your way. It's always nice to take a glance and see what's inside 'em plastic storage boxes if something catches my eye to retrieve it -- it's akin to going on a treasure hunt if you will.
Protip: It makes it easier to find a certain title if everything is listed in alphabetical order.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Last edited by PC Engine Fan X! on Sun Jul 07, 2013 3:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
The beauty about the plastic storage bins is the ability to reuse them and store them conveniently. Kind of expensive if on a tight budget, but worth the long-term investment.
do you mind me asking what happened last time that damaged your goods?
anyway, i've seen at least one person here (brentsg, iirc) recommend the boxes over at bagsunlimited.com, they look nice but are a bit pricey and probably overkill if the only purpose you have for them would be for moving storage.
also, why not just get a couple of different sized cheap plastic containers and a few huge rolls of thin bubble wrap and use that to layer the sides and/or in between layers of stuff. i haven't tried this but it's what i was planning on doing soon.
I used some flimsy cardboard IKEA storage boxes that were not durable. What ended up happening is that the bottoms collapsed or the handles tore from the weight. CDs and books weigh a lot! In other instances, stacking them on top of each other began to weigh on the top of the box, so whatever was on top began to crack or warp. Movers are fast, but they are brusque with stuff, so there were boxes that were banged up on the sides, which ended up cracking cases and bending books.
See, in my mind, less boxes and boxes that are packed to the brim = good. In reality, less boxes packed to the brim = heavy, unwieldy, and will damage whatever's inside
I have most of my collection stored and have had it that way for litte over a year now. I just use premium grade cardbord boxes as I'm not moving them around much. Works well and haven't had any warping on the boxes yet.
Keep in mind that price doesn't necessarily mean quality. I've tried boxes ranging from €1 up to €5 and depending on where you buy them a €5 box can be as flimsy as a €1 box when you start stacking them. So be sure to check how sturdy they feel before buying ten of them.
Well padded plastic boxes does sound like a better idea in the long run though. Will be checking into that.
Books are way harder to store/move. For moving, I use paper bags with only one layer of standing books and maybe some light paperbacks laying on top. Never ever stack hardcovers vertically, it will kill the bindings very fast.
Edit: For storage, there's nothing better than proper shelves.
Yep, a proper bookshelf is the way to go for keeping your treasured books, magazines and the like (hardcovers, paperbacks, softcovers, etc). I've got two and they're stuffed to the brim. Considering California is "Earthquake country", both bookshelves are tethered to the walls with screws & washers to stay put for added peace of mind. Ya never know when "The Big One" will happen.
That's the thing, if I get bookshelves I have to fasten them to the wall. The bookshelves themselves were too flimsy for the move, so they're all skewed (they're particle board shelves from IKEA). If I decide on bookshelves, they have to be less than 5' in height, so that they're easy [for me] to move around and fasten to the walls
