Selling your home? Store your collectables Part 2 of 4

Last time out we discussed protecting comic issues and graphic novels from wear and tear and damage, and how to prepare them for storage if a house move is on the cards. Prospective buyers are a fickle bunch and they may not share your enthusiasm for your hobbies, so it’s best to keep clean minimalist spaces while the house hunters are on the prowl. Just like comics, vinyl records need to be stored appropriately to prevent degradation to the playing surface and ensure a long life for the quality of playback.

Here are a few tips on how you can store your records to protect them from the elements…

Vinyl

Vinyl has come back into vogue in a big way, so it’s vital that you not only keep your collection up to date but to look after your classic records and first pressings.

Step 1: Wash your hands!

The Library of Congress in the United States of America hosts one of the world’s largest record collections, and they have a thing or two to say about managing and handling your vinyl records. Wash and thoroughly dry your hands before packing and storing your records, and be sure to only touch the edges and label areas of the discs themselves.

Step 2: Dust and Grooves

Plastic sleeves will give your records an extra layer of protection, keeping dust and dirt from the covers. Dusty records will make it difficult for the needle to stay in the groove and it will affect playback of your records.

Step 3: Vertical Attraction

Just like our advice for storing comics and graphic novels, never vertically stack your records, and don’t lay them on top of each other, even briefly. Storing records horizontally could warp your records over time, meaning the needle will have to work harder to maintain contact in the groove and it will cause the tempo of the music to fluctuate during playback.

Keep your records vertical when putting them into storage, whether in boxes or on a shelf in your home.

Step 4: What are the best bulk storage solutions?

There are a number of smaller storage option available to the record collector. Made to measure record boxes can be purchased from stores like Love Music on Queen Street in Glasgow, purpose-built and specifically designed to hold your records vertically. There are

many options available, and you’ll need to find the right ones for your collection whether you’re into 12” LPs or 45s.

Step 5: Keep it cool. Keep it dry.

Again, just like your awesome comic collection, you’re going to want to keep your records in a cool and dry place, with little fluctuation in temperature. If your records are in a moist environment you will need to check your records’ plastic sleeves regularly to make sure there is no mildew or moisture trapped between the plastic and your record.

If you’re looking for short or long term self-storage for your epic stockpile of audio bliss, it’s best to use a clean dry storage unit to protect your collection. Here at Aabsolute we have the solutions to keep your records spinning for years to come.

Check out this article if you are looking for cool furniture to store your record collection in. “12-alternative-ways-to-store-your-records”