DVDs and cases... OK in storage? (1 Viewer)

[Skippy]

I'm going to be moving soon and will be gone for 18 months, maybe more. I was planning on putting some of my things in storage and was concerned about my DVDs and their cases.

What I will probably do is buy a couple of 200 cd cases, and just put the discs in those and take them with. I just worry that the cases, boxes, and few discs that I leave behind may not hold up well for a year and a half in a storage container. Anyone had any experience with this, bad or good? If bad are there any other options? Thanks a lot.

Skippy

 

[Skippy]

Nobody has any ideas about this? I just worry about the moisture year round and heat during the summer.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Skippy: I would think the empty cases would be fine as long as the moisture and heat aren't too extreme. You neglect to mention the climate of where they are going to be stored, the conditions under which they'll be stored, etc. Under "normal" conditions (I guess I would define "normal" as any without extreme temperatures and moisture) I would think they would be fine.

Do you really think cd cases are going to save you that much space from the standard Amaray DVD case? Have you checked out THIS THREAD? It details efforts some of us have taken to shrink the amount of shelf space our DVD collections take up. Since it seems as if you are taking your DVDs with you on your move, maybe ThinPaks would be a viable option as opposed to the cost of CD cases.

 

[Skippy]

Mike -
Thanks for the reply. As for conditions... I live in NC, so... it's not too much of an extreme either way. I wasn't planning on getting a climate controlled storage unit. They'll be in moving type boxes. I'd say the heat worries me more than moisture, since I would think the storage unit would be kinda like the inside of a car in summer, ie: the heat builds up and can get much hotter than the actual outside temp. I'd hate to return home to melted or warped discs.

And I should have made myself clearer when I said cd "cases". I should have probably said wallets. Sorry for the confusion. So yeah, I figure 2 200 cd wallets is easier to lug than 2 moving boxes filled with 200 dvds and cases each.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Skippy,

I would buy a couple of plastic totes and put the cases in there if I were you. It would be better than putting them in boxes.

 

[Skippy]

AH-HA!!! Nice idea!! I'm sure that would protect against moisture at least better than a cardboard box. Of course it would be more expensive... but definitly a good suggestion!! Thanks.

 

[Scott Kimball]

Personally, I wouldn't subject my DVDs to a non-climate controlled storage facility in your climate for any length of time. These storage lockers can get up over 100 degrees on a hot day. I'd be worried about the glue softenening and causing problems. Consider how much you have invested in your DVD collection.

Could you put the DVDs in wallets and leave them with a trusted friend / relative if you don't want to take them with you? Without the cases, it would take up very little closet space...

If there is nobody you can leave them with, then perhaps a large safe deposit box / drawer, where it is climate controlled, would be an option.

-Scott

 

[MikeAB]

I can't say much about the storage unit, but as a college student who moves a couple times a year, I have been using cd wallets to carry around my dvds. I haven't had any problems with scratches yet, although the double-sided discs do worry me a little. Constantly carrying a couple boxes of DVD boxes would for me be troublesome (and they probably would get very banged up whenever moved) so wallets have been a great solution for me.

 

[Mickey Brown]

These are DVD's guys, not children.

Put them in a box and store them. Do you know how many DVD's are sitting in big warehouse's now waiting to be shipped places? A lot of those titles will sit for years before being shipped.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Guys,

He's going to be taking the DVD's with him, in a couple of 200 CD storage binders. He's talking about storing the cases themselves and a few DVD's he's leaving behind (why not just sell them if you're not going to watch them for a long time?).

I would check and see if there are any climate-controlled storage facilities around you (do those exist or am I just talking outta my ass? )

 

[MarkHastings]

A Climate Controlled self-storage facility in NC:
http://www.village-self-storage.com/index.php?pg=faq

FAQ #9:

 

[DouglasRobert]

I stored DVDs in storage for awhile when I was moving.

I live in a colder climate and stored them in a non-climate controlled unit.

Stored for several months and everything was fine.


Just a few tips.

1. Keep the number of cases in a box to a minimum. I would suggest 20 maxinum per box. This keeps the box weight down.

2. If you are worried about moisture, you could find a place that sells those packets of stuff that comes in electronics boxes to control moisture. Perhaps someone knows the exact name of the stuff.

3. Store them on top of heavier boxes but not too high either as boxes will fail after storing for a long time.

4. If you can store them inside drawers or some other piece of furniture to keep them safe from potential damage.

5. Put lots of cushioning around the cases if stored in a box.

6. Keep them as far as away from the door as possible, as weather can sneak around the seal. Such as rain or snow.

7. Perhaps storing them in individual plastic storage bags with the moisture packet then in the box may be another way to keep out moisture.

Hope this helps some.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I don't know...I suppose people have considered storing their children in self-storage units...

 

[Skippy]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys!!!

Mark - That was above and beyond the call of duty!!! THANKS!!! That particular place isn't close to me, but that definitely helps give me an idea of prices and such. More reasonable than I expected, honestly.

Once I get to packing "in earnest" next week, I'll have a better idea which direction I'll go. If I don't have too much crap, I may just keep everything with a family member.

Thanks again, everyone, and I'll keep ya updated as to what I end up doing.

 

[Matt Czyz]

Mike, that thread was the funniest thing I've read in months. Thanks for linking it.

 

[Ted Lee]

well, to some of us here, they're just like our kids.

 

[MarkHastings]

Mrs. Lovejoy: "Won't Someone PLEASE think about the Children DVD's!"

 

[Skippy]

ok, well... i ended up getting a good deal on a climate controlled storage unit, so... i went with it. and since it's inside, i packed the cases into regular moving boxes.

all my dvds (well most of em ) are now in two 224 cd binders. the bad part is they're almost FULL!!! heheh.

thanks again everyone for all the suggestions.