Storing Hundreds Of CDs?

mckwant asks: "I'm running into design conflicts with my significant other regarding the number and volume of my/our (well, mostly MY) CD collection. Music covers about 700 disks, with assorted computer stuff tacking on another 100 or so. Question is, if I were redesigning how I pursue storage, HOW? I haven't seen anything that combines reasonable access to the disks ('notebook' style disk holders are out on that principle) while doing better than my current bookshelf-style CD racks."

Comments

IKEA, for all your furniture needs...

[Tumbleweed]

I have a CD tower from IKEA (read here: inexpensive) that holds 444 CDs (assuming 1 CD per regular size jewel case). It rotates on it's base, and it's only 13.5" on each side, so it's got a pretty small footprint. You could easily fit 2 of these pretty much anywhere, and have more than enough space for your current collection, with space left over for yet more CDs.

Mine is black, so it goes well with anything. I'm out of space on it, so it's time to get another one.

Caveats: It took a long time to put together. :(
Also, when loaded, it sinks enough into the carpet to not rotate too well (depends on your flooring, of course). So I got a 'lazy susan' type thing of the same size as the base to put under it - rotates like a champ now.

As I recall, it was something like $80 or so, but I could be completely misremembering. Check out IKEA...

Re:A couple of suggestions

[Kris_J]

Here is a link to the 4CD holders...

Re:A couple of suggestions

[Kris_J]

Dammit, they prevent deep linking. Go to www.dse.com.au and put in the product code "X7426"

A couple of suggestions

[Kris_J]

How attached are you to the inserts? Here in Australia, Dick Smith Electronics stocks a 4-CD holder that's the same size as a chunky old single jewel box. That will probably get your collection down to about a 3rd of current size (if you have as many slim-line doubles as I do). Then I recommend any storage system that presses the cases together, rather than having a slot per CD. You'll fit a good 20% more in with a slot-less CD storage system. I recommend a freestanding tower -- I have one that's also used to store video cassette tapes. e-Mail me and I'll send you some photos.

Failing that, MP3 the music and buy a 30Gig HDD, then archive the CDs.

I beleive Jamie Zawinski addresses this once

[Mr T]

Check out his site www.jwz.org

Here you go for the rack: http://www.jwz.org/bookcase/cd.html

I've got a heafty CD collection as well, about 1000 discs, nobody has ever complained about them before, usually they want to borrow stuff. My solution have been to get some metal shelves from the hardware store and then I've cut pieces of wood about the same thinkness as a CD jewel case and as wide as the shelf and so I can stack them that way. The shop shelves have the structural integrity to support a couple thousand CDs, that has been the big problem with most racks I've seen, they need to support some weight.

Bookshelves

[Baz Quux]

So what's the problem with the bookshelf-style storage? I've got around 500 CD's, and they go really well on a set of shelves I built out of pine. They're similar to what radio stations use - each shelf is just high enough to accomodate a jewel box, and has a stop-rail along the back so all the fronts line up and don't slide all the way back. Pine's really cheap, and the construction couldn't be simpler. Scalability? Either add more shelves, or spend another $20/2hrs building another set.

I'd give more info, but I was just re-alphabetizing my collection, and now I have to start all over again... fsck...
--

replace the jewel boxes with slim covers

[kalinh]

I'm assuming that the MP3 suggestions are not what you're looking for.

The college radio station that I once volunteered at had the same problem. They sourced out a really great product that was basically a small plastic envelope that held one cd with a seperate pocket for liner notes, and a pocket on the other side for the back U-card. The edge of the U-card with the title/artist was designed to bend so that you could put your cds in normal shelves and quickly flip through the collection by running your fingers along the edge. This was incredibly compact, you could hold 50 CDs in the palm of your hand easily. It also gave the satisfaction of random access to the collection and full liner notes/track listings in one place so you could carry a few "cases" to the couch to browse the notes while you listened.

I wish I could tell you where they got these, actually I wish I knew myself.

Try the Container Store

[per unit analyzer]

Try the Container Store, they may have something you're looking for. They have a lot of the usual CD storage devices, but also a couple high-volume options. They are pricy but the nice thing is some of their stuff doesn't look like CD storage.

I put together a Skandia shelving system for my entertainment center. I put four drawers (with CD inserts) along the bottom that hold probably around 400 CDs. It wasn't cheap (well over $1000) but then again it also holds a 32" TV, all my stereo components, multi-media PC, and a bunch of picture frames and the like. It's really sturdy stuff.

They also sell a media storage cabinet that is rather compact for holding 210 CDs.

--z