Vinyl Asylum

Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

Return to Vinyl Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Recommendations for moving LP's in local (cross-town) move

67.183.53.153
Posted on July 19, 2016 at 05:36:56
caffeinator
Audiophile

Posts: 1729
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 22, 2003
 Hi, all,

Seeing the thread below about shipping lots of LP's prompted to ask the forum for their sage advice on a similar challenge - moving a few hundred LP's in a cross-town (about 5 miles) move. I would like to find some kind of reusable tote boxes or containers to do this in a few trips - has anyone seen anything the right size that holds about as many LPs as one would want to carry to/from the car from/to the house?

I have a couple of those tolex-covered LP carriers, but they are too expensive to acquire in quantity. Other suggestions?

TIA,

David

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
Milk Crates, posted on July 19, 2016 at 05:55:07
Batman
Audiophile

Posts: 4194
Location: Western Pennsylvania
Joined: March 31, 2000
Contributor
  Since: June 16, 2000
 And then keep em' when you get there to store LP's




 

RE: Recommendations for moving LP's in local (cross-town) move, posted on July 19, 2016 at 06:01:52
The Dill
Audiophile

Posts: 2197
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: July 1, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 3, 2016
 U-Haul has boxes designed for records, they hold 60 to 70 each.

 

I got your solution right here..., posted on July 19, 2016 at 08:09:21
ASHRA
Audiophile

Posts: 4141
Location: Philly
Joined: March 28, 2004
 Trader Joe shopping bags. Each bag will hold from 35 to 55 LPs more or less. And they have easy to use handles. Easy on the back and stack-able.

Check out this previous thread.

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=vinyl&m=1057318


Still spinnin'...

;^)

 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!, posted on July 19, 2016 at 08:34:05
teenage diplomat
Audiophile

Posts: 896
Location: burke, va usa
Joined: February 3, 2001
 The trader Joe's paper bags won't handle the weight of more than a few LPs. The paper handles WILL rip right off the bag, spilling your vinyl to the ground. Learned that painfully...

 

Yes, everything else pales especially money wise. nt, posted on July 19, 2016 at 08:39:08
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

When I moved 6,000 LPs one mile I used:, posted on July 19, 2016 at 09:12:15
Smelly_Socks
 McDonalds Frozen french fry boxes.
They do stink slightly, but a few shots of Febreze solved that.
I collected the over 100 boxes over two weeks.
(Some McD's are nicer about saving them than others)
Marking them with felt tip pens as to what (Jazz, Rock, Classical, and approx alpha.)

After the move I was able to break down the boxes and return them to the McD dumpster for recycling.

The boxes were about the right size. and I moved them in my car backseat.
Where I moved to allowed me to use storage lockers in advance of the move in date. So I was able to load up the two lockers, then clear them out at my leisure.

And aside from the packing tape, and felt tip pens, the cost was zero.

 

Come on! Batman is 100% on the money!, posted on July 19, 2016 at 09:32:41
MannyE
Audiophile

Posts: 2088
Location: Miami Beach
Joined: March 4, 2001
 The venerable MILK CRATE is the unequaled champion of moving LPs. If you are concerned about the rough edges, line the crates with thin cardboard (I am not, but some might be) and the edges will be protected.

 

RE: milk crates, a trusty tool for Lp afficionados..., posted on July 19, 2016 at 10:26:35
user510
 A simple and rugged method to hold quite a few pounds of albums each crate. Perhaps the old milk crates that the milk delivery drivers of the 1940's and '50s used are getting a bit scarce, but there are facsimiles available at your local Staples and Office Max stores. Marketed as stackable hanging file holders they are approximately the same dimension, not quite as sturdy yet quite able to hold your Lps in the same manner as the older milk crate.

Another option; Lp shipping and storage boxes (heavy cardboard) from Sleeve City. I'm using this type of container at the moment for my current Lp library.

Photo above is from January 2016. When the time comes to move, I'll simply pull each box of Lps down from the rack, put a lid on it and carry it to the moving truck. Fortunately I'm only dealing with less than 2000 Lps.


-Steve

 

Recycled Plastic!......Not Paper!!!!!!, posted on July 19, 2016 at 11:18:34
ASHRA
Audiophile

Posts: 4141
Location: Philly
Joined: March 28, 2004
 They are a dollar each and we have reused some of them at least 100 times as that is what we use to grocery shop and save on paper. I keep some in the car for flea market LP purchases.

You must not know of Trader Joe's or you would have recognized that their paper bags are brown and look like paper.

Trust me or at least your eyes. Paper would not have transported the quantities of LPs you see in my photos.

I have transported at least 4,500 LPs this way! No way would paper hold up.

Still spinnin'...

;^)

 

RE: Recycled Plastic!......Not Paper!!!!!!, posted on July 19, 2016 at 11:42:32
teenage diplomat
Audiophile

Posts: 896
Location: burke, va usa
Joined: February 3, 2001
 All I can tell you is that my local trader joes uses PAPER BAGS with handles glued on them. They come apart when you look crosseyed at them. I wouldn't trust them to carry heavy LPs. YMMV, or perhaps your TJ's is more upmarket than mine.

 

Wine boxes, they are free at most liquor stores. nt, posted on July 19, 2016 at 11:46:07
dancingseamonkey
Audiophile

Posts: 3455
Location: New Orleans, birth place of jazz.
Joined: May 1, 2006
Contributor
  Since: November 24, 2009
 nt


"Trying is the first step towards failure."
Homer Simpson

 

+1.. When I moved used UHaul box and it's the perfect size for LPs. (nt), posted on July 19, 2016 at 12:20:48
marc-homeslice
Audiophile

Posts: 2888
Location: Bucks Co. Pennsylvania
Joined: March 17, 2003
 --

 

RE: Recommendations for moving LP's in local (cross-town) move, posted on July 19, 2016 at 13:22:04
docw
Audiophile

Posts: 8115
Location: So. California
Joined: July 23, 2004
Contributor
  Since: November 29, 2004
 ASHRA is correct. I like his Trader Joe approach.

I used cardboard boxes which are the small cartons from the U Haul or other local public storage places. Brought an LP over, measured size, then purchased a quantity (about 2000 LPs). Packed them myself, taped down, mover just picked them up and deposited them. No problems.

At work, they were moving offices, and supplied us a wonderful thick cardboard collapsible box which would work as well.

 

go to the liquor store , posted on July 19, 2016 at 13:28:31
richardl
Audiophile

Posts: 3555
Joined: September 5, 2002
 The boxes are not too big(not too heavy when loaded.) and quite strong. about 30 to 50 records per box. Easy and free.

 

Did you look at my link? , posted on July 19, 2016 at 13:55:23
ASHRA
Audiophile

Posts: 4141
Location: Philly
Joined: March 28, 2004
 These bags are machine sewn and have cloth handles.
My photos should make their appropriateness evident. Just my $.02.

Still spinnin'...

;^)

 

These are GREAT..., posted on July 19, 2016 at 16:56:08
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31869
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004



Not cheap, reusable. Bags Unlimited carried them, but I can't access their website.

Here's the only place I could find them in the alloted 5 minutes.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure




 

Did you mean a few thousand VS a few hundred?..., posted on July 19, 2016 at 17:23:19
DeKay
 For a few hundred I would just use wine boxes, or even pillow cases.

For a few thousand the Trader Joe's $1 totes would be an inexpensive option (plus they could eventually be used up performing other tasks & plus-plus their storage would take up little space).

 

RE: Did you look at my link? No, I hadn't, but..., posted on July 19, 2016 at 18:05:56
teenage diplomat
Audiophile

Posts: 896
Location: burke, va usa
Joined: February 3, 2001
 We are talking about two different bags. The ones in your link obviously work fine. I thought you were referring to TJ's standard shopping bags, which are paper with the self destruct handles. My bad.

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions!, posted on July 20, 2016 at 08:45:41
caffeinator
Audiophile

Posts: 1729
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 22, 2003
 Thank you all very much for the suggestions! I have at least a few of most of the suggested items so I can try out a few of them and see. I think Milk Crates look the best - I have a few but they're pretty dirty, but can likely acquire enough to do this, or can get wine boxes from the local stores.

I think it's probably more like 1,000 LP's - it's enough to fill about two 2x4 cell IKEA Expedit racks.

 

RE: Thanks to all for the suggestions!, posted on July 20, 2016 at 09:11:33
ASHRA
Audiophile

Posts: 4141
Location: Philly
Joined: March 28, 2004
 All the best with the move. Moving LPs for me has never been something to look forward to. Let us know how you make out.

Still spinnin'...

;^)

 

RE: Thanks to all for the suggestions!, posted on July 21, 2016 at 10:47:28
caffeinator
Audiophile

Posts: 1729
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 22, 2003
 Thanks!

Yes; moving is never a joy, to be sure.

A quick post-script:

The LP move is complete! Took about three trips with the Subaru loaded to the gunwales with boxes and Expedits.

The wine boxes proved to be a gold mine; thanks to all who suggested them! A little caveat - all wine/liquor boxes are not quite the same, and while some were perfect, others were a little short, or a little big (too heavy when full). However, as many came with dividers, now that the LP's are moved, I can use them for glassware and so on...oh, and wine!

I am pretty sure I slightly jumbled my records in the process - trying to carefully remember the orientation of each handful of records, I think I have flipped some as I put them in the box, and perhaps flipped others as I put them back in the Expedit...so, some re-sortation will be in order. Not sure there's a way to overcome this easily, as it's just one of those errors borne of haste and human error, but all ears if anyone's got a suggestion.

Next come the system and system furniture before the professionals take over for the really big and heavy (and not so precious) stuff.

Thanks again, everyone - this is a great forum and community!

 

RE: Recommendations for moving LP's in local (cross-town) move, posted on July 21, 2016 at 17:39:38
Duaney
Audiophile

Posts: 275
Location: Coconut Grove, Fl
Joined: August 5, 2007
 The Gallo or Livingston jug wine boxes are Great for moving. I sent 41 boxes from Miami to Vancouver, Wash to my son and no problem! I also used about 27 last year from Miami to Clearwater and they are free!!!!

Good Luck,

Duane in Clearwater

 

I use the cardboard small UHaul boxes for cheap trips across country , posted on July 22, 2016 at 23:23:33
alaskahiatt
Audiophile

Posts: 7501
Joined: December 9, 2000
Contributor
  Since: November 1, 2005
 or across town. They measure 121/2 X 12 1/2 X 16, and they can also be found in hardware stores , etc. I just break them down after the haul, and reuse them later. If you want something more permanent, my favorite is the Supreme Crate from containerstore.com(see link). I even use these crates for permanent storage on top of my Ikea Expedit shelving.





 

book boxes, posted on July 23, 2016 at 12:01:20
Bill Way
Audiophile

Posts: 1884
Location: Toms River NJ
Joined: May 28, 2012
Contributor
  Since: December 14, 2012
 Standard book boxes from any moving/storage company are 12.5 x 12.5 x 18. Each holds roughly 80 LPs.

WW
"Put on your high heeled sneakers. Baby, we''re goin'' out tonight.

 

RE: These are GREAT..., posted on July 23, 2016 at 23:28:35
Sherlock
Audiophile

Posts: 3747
Joined: January 13, 2002
 2nd this. I used to take a couple thousand records to record shows in these boxes. You can stack them 5 high as well. Very sturdy. I bought them at Bags Unlimited.

 

Page processed in 0.044 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]