Topic: Disc storage?

[evilchris]

Alright ... With 700+ factory-pressed CDs and 400+ DVDs, the sheer volume of storage needed for all those jewel cases and DVD cases is staggering and, to be honest, is eating a huge hole out of our storage closet at the apartment.

I've looked into DiscSox and JewelSleeve options, but paying $0.50 per album is a bit more than I was hoping for.  I'd like to keep all of the artwork in-tact, in case I decide to sell or loan the physical media, but that's proving to be difficult. 

At the absolute minimum, I'd like to keep discs and liner notes together for CDs, plus discs and cover art for DVDs.  Sleeve-style storage is best, for space and weight reasons, but I'm open to just about anything.

Thanks.

[kskreider]

Yes, ditch the cases.  In my opinion you should have made the swap to sleeves a while ago. 

A while back I found the Caselogic 2PFR-500 (now discontinued) for ~$75 which was 500 double-sided vivyl sleeves with insert tools.  I bought two or three of them, hacked an IKEA MALM dresser for storage, and never looked back.  Now that the dresser is full of audio CDs everything gets cataloged as data onto numbered spindles and gets played back via a Rockbox'd Gigabeat. 

I really wish my problem was only 1100 discs.  Consider yourself lucky.

[anodyne33]

I didn't want to ditch cases, so i picked up some cabinets that are meant for retail stores form the used cd store i used to manage when it closed. I went from this:



to this:

[nickgregory]

I have these

http://www.can-am.ca/

expensive, but great

[jlykos]

I use the big Case Logic CD notebooks that hold like 200 CDs in each one.  I put the CD on one side and the booklet on the other, take apart the cases to save the back insert, and then throw the cases away.  And I purchased a bookcase at Target to hold everything.  Problem now is that the entire bookcase is used up with the CD notebooks.  When you have over 2,000 CDs, these things will happen.

I'll probably end up purchasing a terrabyte hard drive and FLAC'ing everything at some point, but that will take approximately forever.  We'll see what happens.

[Nick's Picks]

http://tinyurl.com/56qkmb

[evilchris]

I use the big Case Logic CD notebooks that hold like 200 CDs in each one.  I put the CD on one side and the booklet on the other, take apart the cases to save the back insert, and then throw the cases away. 

This is what I'm leaning toward, with a box for the box sets and digipacks.  How do you store the tray cards?

And I still need a DVD solution.    I'm thinking that I'll probably do something very similar to this, then store all of the case artwork in file folders or something.

[evilchris]

http://tinyurl.com/56qkmb

I still have a ton of physical discs to store (10 boxes is too much!). 

And ripping/tagging/etc. my DVD collection is more labor-intensive that it's worth right now.

[kskreider]

Not to mention that the hdd option is best only as a back-up to physical discs.  However. everything fails at some point.

[ts]

a ton of options on this site: http://www.cdrackshoppe.com/index.html. problem is you need lots of wall space.

i've been fighting this same battle for years now. my solution was to stop burning some of the rolling cabinets in the links above are nice though.

[cmoorevt]

I just went thru the jewel case>sleeve conversion a year ago.

I started by purchasing a few of those 6 inch high Sterilite tubs they sell at walmart.  I use model 1956: http://www.sterilite.com/Category.html?Section=Storage&ProductCategory=39#

These seem to stack pretty well and they make one model that has wheels on the bottom so that you can stack a bunch and roll the whole thing out of the way.

In order to keep things from sliding all over the place, line the inside bottom of the tub with that stuff they use to line the bottom of kitchen cabinets.  

Then get some heavy poster board and cut it into strips to make rows/dividers.   Run the dividers the width of the tub, so in this case, 16 inches long.

Then purchase some of those double sided sleeves and start loading up the rows.  I prefer the Fellowes brand sold at Staples because it contains the little tab on the top on which you can write the artist/album.  

http://www.fellowes.com/Fellowes/site/products/ProductDetails.aspx?Id=90659

Cover art goes in the front sleeve, disc in the back.

[evilchris]

I started by purchasing a few of those 6 inch high Sterilite tubs they sell at walmart.  I use model 1956: http://www.sterilite.com/Category.html?Section=Storage&ProductCategory=39#

How many sleeves fit into a single tub?

Cover art goes in the front sleeve, disc in the back.

What about double-albums (ie The Wall)?

[marksk]

i took some empty boxes from copy paper and cut them down to 5.5" in height. i used the cardboard i cut off to make a divider down the length of the box. i labeled the lid on the end and stacked them up in my closet. i think i fit about 70-80 jewel boxes in a box.

[cmoorevt]

How many sleeves fit into a single tub?

What about double-albums (ie The Wall)?

About 400.  I've attached a picture.  I'm using this one for non-commerical discs, so no cover art, but you'll get the idea.  The first row on the left is about 50 sleeves and is half full.  Also, I should note this is Sterilite Model number 1926, not 1956.  I made the first post at work and didn't have the tub in front of me.  Unfortunately I can't find that model on their website.

For double albums I just throw the extra disc in one of the cheap tyvex paper sleeves behind the double sleeve or if I'm really motivated I take the center insert booklet from the jewel case and use that as "cover art" for the second disc.

[Əkoostikal]

I use this: http://www.memorex.com/html/products_detail.php?section=2&CID=7&SID=22&PID=1217&FID=98&opento=7
and these for storage right now: http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p1_Ideastream-Snap-N-Store-trade-Disc-Storage-Boxes-Black_151501_Business_Supplies_10051_SEARCH



The storage boxes are kinda cheap looking but work well so I don't really display them but they are great to hold all the psychical  back-up discs. They will hold approx. 200 cd's in slipcases about 40 more than the info states.

I have been satisfied with this solution so far and pretty inexpensive.

[popskull]

I use this: http://www.memorex.com/html/products_detail.php?section=2&CID=7&SID=22&PID=1217&FID=98&opento=7
and these for storage right now: http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p1_Ideastream-Snap-N-Store-trade-Disc-Storage-Boxes-Black_151501_Business_Supplies_10051_SEARCH



The storage boxes are kinda cheap looking but work well so I don't really display them but they are great to hold all the psychical  back-up discs. They will hold approx. 200 cd's in slipcases about 40 more than the info states.

I have been satisfied with this solution so far and pretty inexpensive.

I use a similar system , only with Ikea Kassett CD boxes and poly sleeves from amdig with tabbed dividers like an old school library card catalog system and sit them on IVAR shelfs, so its easy to get at a specific band or year

[Əkoostikal]

I use a similar system , only with Ikea Kassett CD boxes and poly sleeves from amdig with tabbed dividers like an old school library card catalog system and sit them on IVAR shelfs, so its easy to get at a specific band or year

Those boxes you are using like a little nice than mine. I never thought to look at Ikea, how much do those run $?

The sleeves I use are the Poly ones also, hard to tell by that pic. I found the paper ones a little to cheap feeling for me and those Poly sleeves are tanks. I like the see thru factor so I can put a near full size cover in there If I want. The memorex ones are hard to find though, I found them at Wall-wort 1 time and grabbed them but since have searched high and low with no success but were able to find them online.

[polewka]

I shopped around online for somewhere to store my 6,000+ CD's and DVD's. All these storage solutions seemed a fortune to me. I approached a cabinate maker at a local market and he turned in top notch, designed to my specification (he even came over to look and see what wall space I had to work with) series of 3 cabinets. I got storage in 6 foot high cabinets made of high quality pine and waxed for £300. Holds about 3,000 CD's.

I'm reluctant to throw away the jewel cases, I like looking at the booklets whilst listening to the discs and think the jewels prevent creasing.

Worth shopping around locally IMO. If you know what you want, then someone with the joinery skills I'm sure can knock something together for a fraction of the price. I costed similar to mine at over £1,500 online.

Would post some pics, but ain't no time just now.

I'm about to move in with my g/f and selling my house. I'm thinking that my room in my house that is devoted solely to music will never be repeated in any new pad, but I do live in hope. Bah !

[popskull]

I use a similar system , only with Ikea Kassett CD boxes and poly sleeves from amdig with tabbed dividers like an old school library card catalog system and sit them on IVAR shelfs, so its easy to get at a specific band or year

Those boxes you are using like a little nice than mine. I never thought to look at Ikea, how much do those run $?

The sleeves I use are the Poly ones also, hard to tell by that pic. I found the paper ones a little to cheap feeling for me and those Poly sleeves are tanks. I like the see thru factor so I can put a near full size cover in there If I want. The memorex ones are hard to find though, I found them at Wall-wort 1 time and grabbed them but since have searched high and low with no success but were able to find them online.

They list for $7 for 2

[RDunn]

My solution was to get a bigger house   Then lots of wood, a few power tools and a few boxes of nails and/or screws.

[Əkoostikal]

My solution was to get a bigger house   Then lots of wood, a few power tools and a few boxes of nails and/or screws.

WOW!  Nice collection!

is that a "Shine On" set in the lower left of the first pic.?

[popskull]

My solution was to get a bigger house   Then lots of wood, a few power tools and a few boxes of nails and/or screws.

Nice wall mount on the turntable +T for the sharing the DIY effort

[nickgregory]

Robbie definitely has a disease...

[RDunn]

To answer 3 questions at once...

1) Yes, that is the "Shine On" box... good eyes for catching it.

2) Gotta have the wall mount for the Linn Sondek.  It's made by Sound Organization and does a great job.  It's a metal frame and the table sits on a board that rests on 4 adjustable spikes.

3) And I definitely have "the disease".  My wife keeps saying "you need to get rid of some of your music and quit getting more."  For some reason I don't like EITHER of those options.

It's an obsession but it's pleasing!

[RDunn]

Almost forgot... there's a cabinet in a closet with over 1500 DAT tapes.  They used to be on the top of the CD wall, but since I ran out of space, I put the DATs in a closet.

RD

[Taper1]

i still resort to spindles when my binders are full.

< lazy

[stevetoney]

I used the same option as RDunn, but I didn't worry about looks and went completely low cost and DIY since I store everything downstairs in my cool and fairly dry basement family room. 

Lay it out on a piece of paper, figure out how many board feet you need and make a trip to home depot is all that's needed.  Each one of my units is 4 feet wide and either 6 or 8 feet tall.  I put supports in the middle of each shelf space for structural support and to keep the 1x6s from warping too much over time.  The height of each shelf is exactly the height of a jewel case (whether it's a CD jewel case or a DVD case) plus maybe an extra half inch.  I think I've made 5 of them now, but every time I need another, I just add another.  Each takes about an hour to make...and maybe about $20 to $30 in materials.  A couple of 'ell' brackets with wall anchors are needed to stabilize each unit against the wall. 

In combo with this, I spindle all my CDRs.  However, I'm planning soon on archiving electronically via external harddrives.  Same with DVDs, although these aren't spindled.  For people that say hard drive failure is the problem, the answer is to backup in two or more places.  At between $100 and $200 per TB, I can afford to keep it all on multiple drives in case of failure of one the hard drives.  When one craps out, buy a new one and backup again.  Keep that process going until technology develops even better options.

On a related note, one of my favorite investments I've made over the past several years though is my 160GB ipod.  It's not so much the ipod, which I do love, but having 160GB of storage space in my pocket opens up my entire music collection to me.  Whereas in the past, I wouldn't care to take alot of my old CDs off the shelf in order to listen in the car or...say...in my portable CD player (since there was always something NEW that I'd recently bought to listen to), now the ipod has it all stored.  I literally have everything I ever wanted to listen to from birth to today with me wherever I go.  The key is 160GB of space, which gives me enough to keep, in practical terms, everything I ever wanted to hear in my pocket.  Can't live without it and it goes with me EVERYWHERE, including to the toilet!