Finding a CD Storage Shelf

How To Choose the Best CD Storage Shelf For Your Collection. Great Tips On CD shelves For Your Home.

Choosing the best CD storage shelf for you is a challenge. CD shelves come in such a huge variety of shapes, colors, materials and prices that it's often difficult to know what to choose. It's worth the time to figure out what's the best storage solution for your discs.

A lot of people don't think about this. They stack their discs in a huge pile on an open shelf, and as a rule always want the disc at the bottom of the heap. It's a mess!

If you want to store and display your discs in such a way that you have easy access to them and also (admit it) to show off your excellent taste in music, then read on.

When the discs are piled up on top of others, or double stacked on your shelves, you can't enjoy them as much. Not only that, but by stacking them together you run the risk of damaging your expensive investment. While most experts agree that it probably doesn't matter if you store your discs horizontally or vertically on a CD storage shelf, it's better to store them vertically. Also, keep them in their jewel cases whenever you're not listening to them.

If your collection is always changing and growing, then CD shelves with slots or drawers may limit you. A CD storage shelf system with wide shelves, where media can easily be slid to accommodate a new disc or category, will be easier to rearrange.

Not only is it important to find a rack that suits your needs, you should find one that suits the decor of your room as well. This adds a beautiful and eye-catching touch to your media collection. This also will help you to narrow down the possible choices.

In order to help you choose the best CD storage shelf for you, keep in mind some of the features available:

• Spinners: CD Spinners are great for maximizing your storage space. If you only have a two foot square to work with, a spinner will vertically store and display the greatest number of discs.
• Cabinets: Cabinets are most often selected because they attractively conceal your CDs. CD cabinets are also available with key locks if you are concerned about protecting your collection.
• Racks, Stands and Towers: Simple but classic CD shelves, CD stands and other media towers are available in a variety of dimensions to fit your space.

There are many CD shelves available today designed specifically for discs. Some of them house hundreds, and even expand to house thousands of discs.

How To Choose a Good CD Storage Shelf

When you are looking for an appropriate CD storage shelf to house your CD collection, you should take into account the following:

• How many discs you own, and how many you expect to acquire in the next few years
• Where you plan to put the shelves (on a wall, in a corner, on an existing shelf, etc.)
• Whether you want to store audio and video cassettes as well as discs
• Your budget
• Whether you want your discs close to your entertainment system, or elsewhere

It is important to have a clear idea of the number of CDs and DVDs that you'll want to shelve. Don't forget that while the actual size of CDs and DVDs is identical, their packaging is not. DVDs take up to twice the amount of space that CDs do. Make sure that you are looking at the right rating when choosing a unit.

When planning the space in your home for the shelves, make sure that they won't be exposed to direct sunlight, this will destroy your discs.

Choose shelves that either stack the discs in a way that the boxes are not actually resting on each other. This gives you easy visibility, easy access, and easy cataloging.

Audio cassettes (if you actually own any you're not so young anymore!) need different storage than discs. Since media storage shelves are no longer designed with cassettes in mind, you should check measurements before you purchase.

You can find a CD storage shelf for anywhere from very reasonable to quite expensive. If you intend to continually add to your collection, you should also be prepared to add more shelf space. There are two main options available:

• Buy more CD shelves than you need, and use the extra space for knick-knacks, or
• buy extra units of the same model, and store them until needed.This guarantees that you won't be stuck with a discontinued unit with no way to add another.

Where to Buy a CD Storage Shelf

Doing The Research

One of the best ways to decide what works for you is to look at a variety of styles and compare prices and materials.

We found a huge selection of good-looking media cabinets in a wide range of styles and colors. Some of them have doors and others are open.

Wall-mounted CD shelves are very popular. They are great because they don't take up valuable floor space, and they hold all of your discs at eye level. The variety available is amazing. Just match the CD shelves that you are looking for to your tastes and needs.

Another option is a super-cool CD spinning tower. this is a great way to hold your discs and show them off in a fun, eye-catching way. It's just like looking at discs in a store, but you don't have to pay for them! You'll find over 50 kinds of towers in all colors shapes and sizes!

If you have a serious collection, I'm talking 1000's of discs, then you definitely need a serious CD storage shelf. You can fill your wall with wall units, or an entire wing of the house with spinning towers, or you can check out these seriously big CD wall units. These babies hold up to 2262 CDs, 936 DVDs, 528 VHS, or 456 oversized (Disney) VHS tapes. They are an impressive and efficient way to properly store and display very large collections.They are available in a wide range of colors, and there are models that have open shelves and others with doors on them.

Portable Storage

If you're living in a dorm or a small apartment, consider a door-hanging CD/DVD rack. It's portable, convenient and doesn't cost very much. This over-door CD/DVD rack gives you space for lots of discs and tapes, and the racks are easily adjustable to meet your needs. Door not included...

An elegant alternative to regular CD storage shelves is a unit that hold the discs with dowel rods rather than standard shelves. This has a "lighter" feel than solid shelves. There is a very wide variety of whole-wood, brushed chrome and even tempered glass CD/DVD dowel storage racks available from small to quite big (we really like the glass one).

Apothecary CD Drawers

Apothecary storage units call to mind a simpler time. They are a discreet and super-organized way for you to store your discs. They allow you to categorize your collection, and then store it out of sight and away from dust. They come in natural wood colors, and there is a nice variety of apothecary CD storage units available from 3 to 24 drawers. Most units include personalization labels for the drawers too.

If you haven't found a CD storage rack yet in the color that you have in mind, and you're a bit adventureous You can also find unfinished wood CD and DVD racks which you can then stain to match your other furniture.

Something Different

Are you looking for something "off the beaten path?" Why not take a look at metal CD racks. These ultramodern units are available in the shape of waves, curves, and even juke boxes. They are a definite eye-grabber.

If you're looking for a more permanent storage solution for your discs and tapes, take a look at what one family did in their built-in CD and DVD shelving unit.

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