Storage boxes come in all shapes and sizes, and in different materials. Plastic boxes may be considered favourite, as it is still possible to view the contents. However, with careful labelling and archiving, cardboard storage boxes are just as good and a more economical alternative. The benefits of buying cardboard boxes are that you have a selection of sizes and gauges. If a lot of books are to be stored, you must take care not to overfill the cardboard boxes so they cannot be lifted. Particular care must be taken with glassware and other fragile items, and bespoke boxes can be purchased for these items. Shoe boxes can be used for smaller items.
When packing the storage place, make sure you put the heaviest items in the most robust cardboard boxes at the bottom of the pile, and gradually build up the store so that the less robust items are on top ensuring that they are not squashed flat, or otherwise damaged.
If you are archiving files, there are bespoke boxes for this purpose available on the internet, complete with handy carrying handles and space for writing the contents on the outside. Ensure that you always have the labels facing in the same direction for ease of location and retrieval of the files. These days, however, technology has made it possible to develop document management systems (DMS) to create electronic filing and archiving systems, so it may be that archiving files in cardboard boxes will become a thing of the past.
When putting household items into storage, between moves for example, you should ensure that the area is clean and, above all, dry and weather proof. Cardboard boxes can deteriorate rapidly in extreme wet conditions, even if they are of heavy gauge and robust. You do not want your belongings to be ruined due to lack of care by the supplier of storage area, or because you have not taken enough care in packing the items yourself.
