Despite the prominence of digital music downloads, many people today still love the nostalgic element of having a vinyl record in a sleeve and playing a track on an old-school record player. There’s something beautiful about the classic noise that the dragging of a stylus through a vinyl record makes.

Record collections can be pretty extensive, especially if they span over decades, and they will all need to be stored away somewhere safe. Yet, there is a real shortage of living space in the UK nowadays, especially in urban areas. Therefore, you may not have tons of spare storage space available to put your fave record collection into. 

Fortunately, we have plenty of passionate collectors who come through our doors to use our storage units to house their precious collectable belongings. So, given our expertise in storage matters, we at Now Storage decided to create this blog to provide you with helpful tips on how to store your record collection. 

Use a record cleaning brush before storage

Before putting your record collection into long-term storage, you must first check your records are in good working condition. If you find any dust or dirt, press a record cleaning brush on the record and rotate it slowly. 

You can get purchase one of these online or from a music store. This can help to clean any unwanted dirt which may have built up that could stop the record from spinning properly and playing sweet tunes smoothly. 

Record storage crates 

Specially designed wooden crates can do an excellent job of storing your records. Just measure your records beforehand and make sure you get a record storage rack that is a suitable size. Are you a dab hand at DIY? If so, go ahead and cut the wood to make your own record storage crates. This could save you some money.  

Record storage rack 

Alternatively, you can decide to make the most of your wall space and put up a record storage rack. Just be sure that you get one with robust sides. You don’t want your lovely record collection to keep falling off the sides and onto the floor.

Sturdy plastic storage containers

Sturdy plastic storage containers could be ideal for storing your record collection. What’s more, you can get plastic storage containers on wheels that will fit neatly underneath beds.

Just remember that records need to remain well-ventilated in order to prevent tons of dust from piling up. So, it could be a wise idea to remove the lid from your plastic storage containers when storing your records. 

Store records in an upright position

Records are much more likely to stay in excellent condition when they can keep the same shape by being stored upright. Creating dividers in your record crate or rack can help to keep your records upright. 

Use protective outer sleeves 

Album sleeves tend to be made out of card, but if it gets wet, your records could be damaged. So, try using a protective plastic outer sleeve when storing your record collection. 

Keep labelled indexes

If you have a vast record collection, you will want to be able to easily identify artists and songs without much of a hassle. Yes, sorting out a labelled index may take you a bit of time, but it will mean you can find the record you are after easily and then concentrate on sitting back and enjoying the vibes of the track.

Avoid stacking records on top of each other

Stacking records directly on top of each other is another no-no because vinyl records don’t cope well with having weight placed on them, and this can lead to irreversible damage. Treat your record collections with the TLC they deserve!

Hire a self storage unit from a trustworthy provider

Going with a reputable self storage provider that prioritises the security of your belongings, provides convenient access 7 days a week, and has steel-reinforced storage units ranging from 25 to 350 sq ft, as we do at Now Storage, is also a great storage solution for your record collection. 

It may be the case that despite all your best creative storage ideas around the house, you no longer have enough storage space for your record collection. You may be in the middle of moving house and then find your mega record collection in the attic during a sort-out. Well, there’s no need to throw your treasured records away when you have the opportunity to use a self storage facility. 

We have 15 self storage locations in England and Wales and also offer caravan and business storage. Find out here if one of our self storage sites is near you. 

Looking to store your record collection in a pristine efficiently managed storage unit with 24/7 CCTV monitoring? We can help. Get in touch with Now Storage today by calling us on 0330 021 5285 or sending us a message with your queries. We are a team that is always happy to help.