Storage Crates

[Heluvaname]

Not exactly a Tool, so hope this is the right place to ask this!

I'm looking for a storage system to accommodate larger items (larger than screws etc) and was looking at "Really Useful" type plastic crates. Really Useful Storage Boxes 20 litre to 42 Litre
Advantages seem to be semi-clear (so contents can be seen at a glance), water/dust proof, and a range of sizes.
Disadvantage is cost!

I'd be looking for a mix of their 35XL and 42 litre boxes, perhaps with a few smaller ones as well.
I'm also concerned that as they are sealed, will the contents "sweat" when stored in a log cabin (ie as the temperature fluctuates)?

Does anyone have any direct experience of these, and hopefully a more cost effective alternative?

 

[Lorenzl]

You can buy direct from the manufacturer as well; I can't remember if it is cheaper but the range was larger last time I looked.

We probably have a couple of hundred at work of different sizes and they are the most popular storage box. The are a better quality and stack well and as you know they also have a very larger range and some boxes have inserts and tray's available.
The lids are closed tight with the fold up clips. I would recommend them and you could always melt/drill a couple of holes in a discrete location if you are worried about sweating.

 

[Pedronicus]

I buy all my storage boxes/crates, etc ready for our house sale/buying from Plastic Box Shop. Primarily the Wham Recycled Clip Boxes.

 

[eribaMotters]

Not exactly a Tool, so hope this is the right place to ask this!

I'm looking for a storage system to accommodate larger items (larger than screws etc) and was looking at "Really Useful" type plastic crates. Really Useful Storage Boxes 20 litre to 42 Litre
Advantages seem to be semi-clear (so contents can be seen at a glance), water/dust proof, and a range of sizes.
Disadvantage is cost!

I'd be looking for a mix of their 35XL and 42 litre boxes, perhaps with a few smaller ones as well.
I'm also concerned that as they are sealed, will the contents "sweat" when stored in a log cabin (ie as the temperature fluctuates)?

Does anyone have any direct experience of these, and hopefully a more cost effective alternative?

We currently have over 40 of them, mainly 35L and 64L. I store workshop stuff and household bits in them. Only this morning we opened some of the 64L boxes that our son in Australia has clothes stored in. After 3 years the clothes smelt a little stale, but otherwise perfect. I have a high top 35L XL for my Tormek grinder, but these are difficult to source at a sensible price. The majority of ours have been bought from Sainsburys Homebase, Robert Dyas and Argos. Tesco do 9/12L sizes and we also have a few of these. I plan to get more as these are good sizes for screws etc as when full you can still lift them.
They are without a doubt the best storage boxes we have bought.

Colin

 

[Stanleymonkey]

I do like their boxes. If I've ever left anything outside or in the garage (unheated) over winter the lids can become brittle.

 

[Ozi]

I like those but as Stanley monkey says they do go brittle, I now use a mix of those and keep heavier items that damage the clear bins in glass reinforced Lin Bins, you can often pick them up secondhand but look before you buy there is a huge range of qualities

 

[robgul]

IKEA has a range of plastic boxes in lots of sizes - work fine for me with lots of different items in them - in the loft and in the shed. Lids are loose fit but I think they sell some clips for them?

BUT my favourite storage crates, which I have arranged like "drawers" in a custom built wooden rack, are the boxes that the ocado man "donated" about 7 or 8 years ago

 

[Jameshow]

IKEA has a range of plastic boxes in lots of sizes - work fine for me with lots of different items in them - in the loft and in the shed. Lids are loose fit but I think they sell some clips for them?

BUT my favourite storage crates, which I have arranged like "drawers" in a custom built wooden rack, are the boxes that the ocado man "donated" about 7 or 8 years ago

I like those too but they do tend to collect sawdust!
Mine are Sommerfeld!!!

 

[pgrbff]

I do like their boxes. If I've ever left anything outside or in the garage (unheated) over winter the lids can become brittle.

Mine are in a cellar and no issues with lids.

 

[pgrbff]

Not exactly a Tool, so hope this is the right place to ask this!

I'm looking for a storage system to accommodate larger items (larger than screws etc) and was looking at "Really Useful" type plastic crates. Really Useful Storage Boxes 20 litre to 42 Litre
Advantages seem to be semi-clear (so contents can be seen at a glance), water/dust proof, and a range of sizes.
Disadvantage is cost!

I'd be looking for a mix of their 35XL and 42 litre boxes, perhaps with a few smaller ones as well.
I'm also concerned that as they are sealed, will the contents "sweat" when stored in a log cabin (ie as the temperature fluctuates)?

Does anyone have any direct experience of these, and hopefully a more cost effective alternative?

My workshop is in a semi basement with stone walls. No mortar, just earth between the stones. No heating. I have a lot of them and have had no issues with them going brittle. You can often find them reducedin Amazon Wharehouse, the prices regularly change by 25%.

 

[Puggers]

I only use the Really Useful boxes too and for a range of things from screws to veneer offcuts.
As has been said, you can drill them if worried about no ventilation as I do for the veneers.
We’ve got them for other things in the loft as well and not found any issue with sweating/condensation or weakening of the lid.
I’ve bought them from a range of places including Amazon, direct, Hobbycraft stores and Morrisons who often have great deals on them.
Definitely recommended

 

[TomGW]

We have the Really Useful boxes in both the house and garage/workshop and I would recommend them too. Homebase frequently have these in offer, particularly the sets of various sizes and the smaller boxes can be very useful too.

 

[gmgmgm]

Another vote for the Really Useful Boxes - they are tough. We have a lot of them, mostly in 4/9/35/64 litre sizes. I've used some "Wham" boxes and knockoffs in the past, they are no comparison at all.

If you need ventilated crates, look at the "supermarket" ones. Very cheap (£3 each?) on ebay, sizing is 60x40x20 or 30x20x20 (height is variable), and they stack. And have little matching dollies. Very useful for offcuts, or tools which don't need to be kept sealed.

 

[Spectric]

This area of storage should have it's own place, it is something we all probably need / want but don't ever get it to how we visualise it. The only things I store in plastic boxes are things that are not used that often such as plumbing fittings, electrical components and some odd hardware. Having things all neatly tucked away in boxes may look good but lets be honest, do we always decide to get something out of a box if there is something else that will do closer to hand! I like tools to be ready to use, but with many of use working out of small compact spaces this is not always feasable so if you are like me then you try and prioritise your tools so the most commonly used ones are at hand and the others within reach but not in the way. The storage boxes I like for screws and such are these from Stanley, Stanley FatMax Deep Pro Organiser 14½ x 18

Individual boxes within the case and decent lid fasteners, a good portable solution so you can take them to your work area.

 

[peterw3035]

Try Solent Plastics for new, but ask about secondhand. The guy who set up the company now sells on used boxes & crates. I bought probably 30 when I emptied my garage into a container for my rebuild.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I have a few really useful boxes in various (mostly unheated) spots for a few years, no issues yet with brittleness.

definately the best storage boxes i've come across to date (though I do rate the fatmax deep pro organisers, as per spectric's recommendation above, but not quite comparable)

always need to shop around for the best price but I bought a load from rymans a few years ago, which were a good price, I think they also do a student discount which might be a way of saving a bit more if you know any students

 

[BiffoBear]

Really Useful boxes get my vote too. I mainly use the 9L and 18L ones which fit perfectly 4 side-by-side on Costco chrome plated 48" wide metal shelving units. Those are not cheap but very strong and come with castors.

 

[mikej460]

Like others I've bought every make of plastic storage boxes over the years, most end up splitting and splintering. My latest purchase was for 10 ex-Asda crates with hinged lids for £6 each delivered from a local guy on Facebook and they are great, solid as a rock as long as you don't mind the supermarket name emblazoned on them

 

[pe2dave]

Check your supermarkets? I know Wilko have them, various sizes.

 

[tonywatkins]

Try Solent Plastics for new, but ask about secondhand. The guy who set up the company now sells on used boxes & crates. I bought probably 30 when I emptied my garage into a container for my rebuild.

Solent Plastics is a fantastic company. Always helpful and happy to advise on requirements, and competitive too. Rymans are usually a little cheaper for the most common sizes of Really Useful Boxes (though I may be factoring in my student discount – it's nice to have that again in my late 50s!), but Solent Plastics has often offered the best price for other sizes. Their range is incredible. I saw recently that they have some weathertight crates which I plan to get to replace some of the boxes in my shed for storing my hand tools as rust is such an issue.