Store records: cartons and boxes for vinyl collection

A well-organized vinyl collection needs clean cases, a suitable storage location and stable boxes. Cartons protect against dust and help with sorting. However, they do not compensate for damp rooms, direct sun or too high loads.

Store plates upright

Set up records with their covers as vertically as possible. High stacks load the lower specimens. In a semi-empty box, suitable separators or a stable support prevent the shells from falling diagonally. At the same time, the box must not be so tightly filled that individual plates can only be pulled out under pressure.

Inner sleeves and outer sleeves fulfill different tasks: The inner sleeve protects the plate, the outer sleeve protects the plate cover. Choose materials intended for the long-term storage of phonograms. Any packaging film is not automatically suitable for this.

Check inner dimension and weight

LPs, singles and special editions require different formats. Measure the largest case including additional protective case. Plan some space to remove and for separators. Manufacturer information such as ‘for 50 LPs are only benchmarks: thick gatefold covers and box sets require significantly more space.

Weigh a filled sample box. A large box can quickly become unmanageable, even if the plates fit in. For frequent changeovers, several smaller units are often more practical. Handles, floor and possibly stackability must match the actual weight.

The correct storage location

• Choose a dry place without direct sunlight.
• Keep distance from radiators and other heat sources.
• Protect boxes from soil moisture and do not place them directly on damp walls.
• Avoid severe fluctuations in environmental conditions.
• Check lids and covers regularly for dust, moisture or deformations.

Arrange the collection clearly

Sort by artist, genre, year of publication or its own comprehensible order. Labeled cut-off cards make finding easier without writing on covers or directly sticking labels on them. A simple list of box number and content helps with larger collections and moving.

On rare records a photo of the cover and condition is useful. Write down existing features separately so that searches do not require unnecessarily frequent removal.

Storage box or shipping box?

A storage box is not necessarily a transportable shipping package. For parcel shipping, it requires a suitable external packaging, secure fixation and protection of the edges. When moving, secure the boxes closed, upright and against slipping. Heavy objects do not belong to board boxes whose carrying capacity is not explicitly designed for this purpose.