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Zoom · Mar 9, 2003, 11:57 AM

I've got maybe 800 CDs sitting in two big wooden cases, taking up lots of wall space... and now that I've got a DVD player that plays MP3 disks, I basically never use the CDs.

I want to archive them into some sort of storage (physical storage). I'll ditch the jewel cases, but I'd like to save the liner notes.

Case Logic has a product that looks promising (KSW 264) that holds 132 CDs with liner notes, and that's about the biggest one I can find. The thing costs $55, though, so I'd be looking at buying 6 of these things- that is, shelling out $330 (plus tax and/or shipping) to do this!

That's just too damn much. Anyone else have a better idea? I don't really need this to be portable, so some sort of CD filing cabinet would work, as long as it's not too big.

I built the existing CD cabinets that I have, so I wouldn't mind building a wood enclosure for something, if that's what it takes. In other words, if there is an expandable sleeve system with hardware that can be mounted on a custom cabinet/drawer, I could do that. But I'd prefer a ready solution.

Google searching didn't really turn up anything, but I'm not exactly sure what I'm searching for. I'm guessing it's not a standard commercial Best Buy shelf product.

Ideas anyone?

Uncle Skeleton · Mar 9, 2003, 11:59 AM

I've taken to storing CD's (that I don't use much) in the 50- or 100-disc cakes that blanks come in

Zoom · Mar 9, 2003, 12:22 PM

I want better access than that. If I really wanted to just mothball them, that would be perfect - and I've actually done that with some CDRs and old SW CDs that I don't expect to use, but are too important to pitch.

I want something that will let me organize them easily and keep the liner notes with them.

If I was designing this thing personally, I'd want some sort of sleeves that can be taken out and moved around individually, like rolladex cards. These sorts of sleeves exist now, but I don't know that they will hold liner notes or that someone makes a large container for them (more than 100).

zigzag · Mar 9, 2003, 02:16 PM

Zoom, I have a similar problem, and my solution is to simply remove the CDs and liner notes from the jewel cases, place the CDs inside the liner notes, and place them vertically in a narrow box (a shoe-box will hold a couple of hundred CDs) that allows me to browse through them, file-style. I like it because it's simple, compact, flexible, free, and allows instant access. I've tried every other kind of pre-fab storage system, and none are as satisfactory - I find that anything that impedes instant access (including vinyl sleeves) is soon abandoned.

If you're handy, you could build a nice cabinet for this purpose. Or use CD-ROM storage units.

Of course, I haven't gotten around to organizing all of mine, but it's my plan. I find that it's an easy way to carry a lot of them, say, in my car.

The only drawback is that your CDs aren't on display, which is one of the pleasures of owning them, but when you have more CDs than you have display room, it's a good solution.

Zoom · Mar 9, 2003, 04:07 PM

Originally posted by zigzag:
Zoom, I have a similar problem, and my solution is to simply remove the CDs and liner notes from the jewel cases, place the CDs inside the liner notes, and place them vertically in a narrow box (a shoe-box will hold a couple of hundred CDs) that allows me to browse through them, file-style. I like it because it's simple, compact, flexible, free, and allows instant access. I've tried every other kind of pre-fab storage system, and none are as satisfactory - I find that anything that impedes instant access (including vinyl sleeves) is soon abandoned.

That's an interesting thought, but I'd be worried about the CDs getting scratched. I wonder if I could find some cheap sleeves that would hold a CD and the liner notes, and then put those in a box of some sort, loose. That's not a bad idea if I could find a sleeve that would work. Hmm. I know they sell packs of sleeves for the Rolladex-style carriers. I wonder what those cost in bulk. Do they hold liner notes?

What do you do for multi-CD sets, or CDs without liner notes?

zigzag · Mar 9, 2003, 07:10 PM

I haven't had a problem with CDs getting scratched as long as I'm not careless with them. The liner note paper is smooth and isn't going to scratch a CD. Plus, if you transfer everything to mp3/iPod, you're not going to be handling them that much. It's not ideal but I prefer it to anything else I've found.

For multi-CDs I can usually slip the discs into separate parts of the liner notes, or I just keep them in the jewel boxes. For CDs that don't have liner notes, I use the paper or vinyl CD-ROM sleeves available by the box at computer stores. Unfortunately, the ones I've seen don't hold liner notes comfortably, or I would use them for all of my CDs.

I had a rolodex-style CD holder years ago, with vinyl sleeves that held the liner notes as well as the CD, but found it too cumbersome. It was too hard to get the liner notes and CDs in and out of the sleeves, and I like having easy access. Plus, the rolodex mechanism took up too much space. Thus my idea of just sticking the CDs into the liner notes and keeping them them in boxes.

Zoom · Mar 9, 2003, 09:23 PM

Well, just when you thought you'd seen it all...

I decided to Google "CD sleeve" and just see what came up. Check this out...

http://www.sleevetown.com/

In particular, here is a list of all their plastic CD sleeves and paper sleeves.

Offhand, I'd say this was perfect! There were other hits in Google, too, so there are even more options that this place. I'll have to look around a bit and see what's out there.

zigzag · Mar 10, 2003, 01:23 AM

Yeah, I already have a box of the MultiTime safety sleeves. They're great for CDs but too snug for booklets - the flap gets in the way. But that gives me an idea - trim the flap off, and you might have something.

All I know is that if it's too fussy, I won't use it. I'd like to see a simple transparent sleeve that's an extra inch wide for easy access.

I would call the company and ask which type would best accommodate booklets as well as CDs.

Zoom · Mar 24, 2003, 03:31 PM

I got my samples from SleeveCity, and they were nice, but I've now found some from http://www.mmdesign.com/CD-Sleeves.htm that look better. I want a sleeve that will hold the back cover, too (the paper behind the hub in a jewel case) and this place has those. They're sending me samples. It's nice to know there are so many options out there. I was shocked. Just google "CD sleeves".

There are also nice DVD sleeves and cases out there, if you're interested in those.