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Not-Ugly Vinyl Record Storage Options (Beyond the Kallax, Because Brian’s Driving Em Crazy With Records Everywhere)
I LOVE A NICHE POST FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEM. Welcome to the roundup that I was born to write! I’m glad you’re here! Here’s the background: a while back, Em mentioned that Brian’s burgeoning record collection was getting out of control and that the Hendersons are in need of some new storage options.
And this is a problem that I know VERY well!!! My record collection is enormous. Prior to joining the team at EHD, I worked at labels, in streaming, and spent years on a vinyl startup, so I also have hundreds of LPs hanging out around my apartment.
But here’s the thing: trying to find visually attractive ways to store these records is THE. FREAKING. WORST. The universal go-to choice is the IKEA Kallax, and while it’s sturdy and affordable (I had a full warehouse outfitted with these at my last job!), it’s not necessarily an aesthetic fit for every home. So today, I’m here with a collection of not-ugly vinyl record storage solutions for all types of decor styles!
But first, some parameters to help you on your future search:
- They’re Big: For simplicity’s sake, let’s just say that the average LP is 12.5″ tall by 12.5″ deep. Units with adjustable shelves or open backs will be your friend.
- They’re Heavy: In my experience, it’s safest – for your furniture and your flooring – to assume that 50 records will weigh about 30 pounds. LPs are DENSE. The aforementioned 50 records will also only take up about 13″ (read: not that much space), so you need to keep shelving’s weight limits in mind. Do not overload!
- Store Them Upright: You want to keep records as vertical as possible at all times to prevent both warping and damage to the outside sleeve (which can happen if there’s any unbalanced pressure). You also want to keep them out of direct sunlight if possible, but I digress.
- Keep it Local: If you’re into mid-century pieces, check Craigslist/FB Marketplace first for vintage pieces that were specifically designed for vinyl. If MCM isn’t your style, I’ve got you with picks below 🙂 And honestly, once you get into larger collection territory – like, 300 or 400+ – it’s probably worth connecting with a local woodworker (or with one of the Etsy makers below!) to make something custom for your needs.
- My Recommendations: Since I always get asked, this is the best turntable for starting out (get it with the built-in preamp), and these are the best speakers to pair with it. It’s actually the setup I use because it’s beautiful AND it sounds great 🙂 (Suitcase turntables are affordable and very cute, but anything with the speaker attached to the unit and without an adjustable arm will damage your records a bit during play.)
- You Might Snag an Etsy Discount: THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT! A handful of the following pieces are handcrafted and available on Etsy. Add them to your favorites (or to your cart) and give it 48 hours – the seller might send you a deal! I’ve gotten discount offers on the below ranging from 10% all the way to 55% (!!!), which means major dough back in your pockets. You can buy a new record with those savings!
Now that we’re on the same page, LET US BEGIN…
Vinyl Record Storage: Small Size
1. Vinyl Record Storage Holder | 2. Mid-Century Style Record Holder | 3. Minimalist Steel Vinyl Record Stand | 4. Wooden Ball LP Stand | 5. Vinyl Record Display Shelves | 6. Iron Record Storage Rack
If you’re just starting out (under 50 records), these are perfect for you. #5 is a great entry point – it’s a simple, sweet wall-mounted option for those interested in displaying a handful of albums as decor. I’d recommend #1 and #2 for any growing collection – both hold around 50 LPs and can be placed on top of an existing tabletop or sideboard, or bookshelf. They’re compact, AND you can flip through your records while they’re forward-facing, which is way easier than trying to find things based on the spine. #6 is very cute, but I’d remain cognizant that these should not be placed in direct sunlight and that they should be left with some breathing room to keep your records safe and undamaged from weight or pressure.
But for me, the real winners here are #3 and #4 – they’re unexpected, functional, design-forward, sturdy, and easy on the eyes. (#4 might actually be the most beautiful vinyl record storage rack I’ve ever seen – the ball is so tactile, fresh, and dynamic. I put one on my Christmas wishlist 🙂 (I know, I know – I already have cabinets full of LPs across both coasts, but this would be a perfect way to stash a few of our most frequently-played records within reach!)
Vinyl Record Storage: Medium Size
Onwards to the medium options for my pals with ~100 records! Before we get started: YES, there are full-sized bookshelves here. NO, that does not mean that you have the freedom to pack all of the shelves with LPs. These are choices for medium-sized collections only! Please be mindful of weight limits (again – records are thin but dense) so you don’t end up with shelves bowing or breaking.
1. Hand-Welded Vinyl Storage Cart | 2. Midi Storage Locker | 3. Steel Vinyl Record Crate | 4. Wall-Mounted Record Player Stand with LP Storage | 5. Handcrafted Wood Record Player Stand | 6. Walnut Wall Mount Bookcase
I own a now-discounted storage piece from the maker of #1 and #3 and can vouch for the quality – they have a myriad of awesome solutions for collections of every size. Each of their products is hand-crafted by a tiny 6-person team in Ukraine and can be personalized in an array of classic finishes or punchy colors. You can feel good about the sturdy steel construction, too!
I’m also newly obsessed with the joint stand-and-storage combos of #4 and #5. I LOVE THESE, especially for a budding collector. They’re sleek, clean, and welcome aesthetic upgrades to the classic cube storage of yore (trust me – solutions like this did not exist even 5 years ago!).
Now, the classic furniture pieces: if you go this route, you’re going to want to keep the record sizing and LP weight we discussed above in mind (12.5″x12.5″ and ~30 lbs per 50 records, for reference). I’ve used classic bookshelves and cabinets like #4 and #6 in my own home before, and they’re great solutions for those who want to mix all types of media in one place – just make sure you’re not overloading the weight limit of each shelf and that everything has been safely attached to the wall. Vinyl record storage doesn’t have to be so specific – you can work with a beautiful furniture piece, as long as it’s the right size!
Vinyl Record Storage: Large Size
And now…the big guns. Solutions for my pals with hundreds of albums! I’ve sourced a lot of open-fronted options buuuuut if you’re trying to cut down on visual clutter, there are a few credenzas, too. (You can see a bit of my record collection above in the Keaton media console from Room & Board, which I ADORE. That’s also the turntable and speaker setup I recommended earlier – I practice what I preach!)
If you’re planning to go with a piece of closed storage (from here or from anywhere!), PLEASE just verify that the shelves are adjustable. In some cases, you may end up stashing that adjustable shelf in a closet – LPs are tall! – meaning that this will be a piece solely dedicated to your record collection. That said, it’s nice to have a place that can serve as your vinyl record storage and your record player stand all at once.
1. Modular Steel Cube Storage | 2. Steel Record Storage | 3. Modular Metal Shelving Unit | 4. 4-Deck LP Stand | 5. Steel & Oak Media Console | 6. Large Record Player Stand with Vinyl Storage |
If I were starting a collection from scratch, I think I’d likely choose something like #1, #2, or #3 – all are modular solutions, so you can start with one shelf and add on as your collection grows. I’m really enjoying this futuristic, brutalist vibe too – it’s a welcome alternative to all the mid-century LP cabinets out there.
Speaking of brutalist – how chic is that little (ok, ok – fairly large, actually) oak and steel number from CB2? It’s simply begging to stash your record collection! (When it comes to closed storage in general, CB2 will be your best bet for sourcing, as they have an awesome variety of credenzas with adjustable shelving.)
If you’re looking for just a little edge, #4 is also a little Bauhaus-y and unexpected – it’s another one from my favorite Ukrainian maker, and I LOVE that it can stash a huge number of albums (240!) in an ultra-petite footprint (just 13″x13″x49″). And #5 is a budget-friendly pick – it’s a fabulous size in a burl finish that’s easy to mix with other styles.
7. Large Low Bookcase with Storage | 8. Solid Wood Bookcase | 9. Oak Wood Media Console | 10. Keaton Media Console | 11. Browser Standard Bookcase | 12. Handcrafted Record Storage Cabinet
WE’RE GOING FULL-BLOWN FURNITURE, FOLKS! These picks are for those of us who have fully committed to the physical media lifestyle and who are willing to splurge a bit on a solution that will stand the test of time. I have #10 in my own home, as seen above, and I ADORE IT. The Keaton collection comes in a variety of different shapes, too – think wall units, bookcases, and larger media consoles – so you can personalize your setup to perfectly fit your collection. Added bonus: since these are a little less specific to vinyl record storage, they’ll be easy to sell if you ever decide to get a different hobby. (Not likely, but hey – it could happen :))
When it comes to alternatives to the Kallax, I’m bullish on the bookshelf-y solutions like #7, #8, and even #11. I’ve had a lot of luck with stashing records on long, low storage shelves in the past (they’re deceptively strong, and easy to reinforce in case of bowing); Blu Dot specifically designed their tall bookcase to be strong enough for records. I love that this storage makes your collection feel a bit more intentional and a little less “BAM, here’s my record collection in my glossy laminate box!!!”
And for those of us who want to feel like we’re living in a record store: might I present you with #12? The pull-out bins are awesome and a worthwhile investment for anyone with a huge collection. (This maker also manufactures larger sizes, if you have a massive collection.) In any case, there’s something really nice about bringing the record store bin-flipping experience home.
AND THERE YOU HAVE IT: the vinyl record storage solutions that I have tried (or that my friends have tried) over the past half-decade, along with my recommendations for the Hendersons.
My questions for you: who else has had to figure out where to put their vinyl? Does anyone wanna trade Discogs info? What’s your most valuable record??? (Here’s mine, I think, though I still have a couple hundred that I haven’t added to my account. I actually worked on that album in my past life as a studio rat manager – we had a blast recording, and it’s nice to see that it’s still valuable more than a decade later.) LET’S CHAT!
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: The Reveal We’ve All Been Waiting For! Caitlin’s Mostly Thrifted, Postmodern Regency Deco Living Room
Some of the best money my husband and I ever spent includes: (1) the massive record collection itself, and (2) the massive oak shelves we really splashed out for. They were our first “adult” furniture purchase, but we reasoned we’ll have them forever. No more fear of buckling–the weight of thousands of records is no joke. My only rule is that we only fill every other cube of the shelves, so we have some airy space for displaying other objects, and the living room never looks like a record shop.
Val, where did you source your massive oak shelves? Looking for even larger amount of storage than shown in this round-up. thanks!
I love this post! I may have to get the short roll cart (#6) for an always expanding collection. Another bargain choice is the Ikea PS locker console cabinet ($99). I have two of these pushed together like one long credenza. I store about 200 albums in each cabinet, but I did not install the adjustable shelf.
Just an FYI – I had the #3 target console from the large storage list and it eventually bowed under the weight of the records. I ended up building something custom from 2x4s and it’s working so far!
1. Whoa that shelf is amazing!
2. I saw your location tag and I also live in Nashville, which seems just about right for this post.
3. I’ll be extra creepy and add that I saw in a recent post that you used to work at the agency that my grandfather started ? Small world!
Just saying hi to my fellow Nashvillians! I think there are more than a few of us here who love this blog. 🙂
!!! Wow what a weird coincidence! That’s so cool!
Brooke, that’s amazing. Your whole house looks amazing. Is there a “tour” of it anywhere?
Ah thank you so much Kj!! No I just have what’s on Instagram but maybe someday I’ll get around to taking photos of everything!!
Checked out your insta and those shelves are amazing! My husband collects records and has maybe in the 10,000 range so I can just dream about having such beautiful record storage. He has thousands of 45s in his collection and no one ever mentions storage for them. I guess I’m just stuck with having a closet dedicated to boxes of 45s.
Hey Lucia! I had the same problem. But! You can fit 45s in legal width file cabinets side by side (I just made little dividers out of balsa wood). The drawers hold ~500 each. We got 4 legal file cabinets secondhand and then put an ikea countertop on top (they’re the perfect size). Just got it set up last week so still working on getting everything in it, but here’s what it looks like:![comment image]()
Love all these options! We still have a huge IKEA Expedit bookshelf that works perfectly for our vinyl and books. These tabletop bins made by a small Chicago company are awesome for smaller collections or keeping some favorites in! flipbin.com
1. Whoa that shelf is amazing!
2. I saw your location tag and I also live in Nashville, which seems just about right for this post.
3. I’ll be extra creepy and add that I saw in a recent post that you used to work at the agency that my grandfather started ? Small world!
(Oops posted on wrong thread)
Any suggestions for packing records for a move?
Uhaul small boxes! They fit perfectly and are strong enough for the job as long as you’re reasonably careful. We hauled 18 of them in our last move.
When I moved with about 65 records, I used a large storage bin from Target that was on a dolley.
We have a LARGE collection (think three of the largest Kallax cabinets 5×5 packed). We’ve also moved times in 10 years so yeah it’s a pain. I found that Staples sells a cubed moving box that works well, they are a little pricey but worth the investment!
Can you elaborate on the potential damage to the records you mention with the suitcase style turntables? I was considering one, but now I may need to look at other options. Thank you for your very informative post!
The balance of these players is usually off enough to warp vinyl records as they spin around.
I am SO HERE for this post. I’ve been working on redoing our record den for the past month. We worked with a carpenter and converted a closet with custom built in shelves for the LPs so they’d be out of any direct light. The bigger challenge was how to store my husband’s massive 45 collection since there are so few storage solutions for those (he has about 2000). After a lot of searching, I figured out that they can fit side by side in legal width file cabinets, so we bought 4 of them and an IKEA countertop that fits perfectly on top and provides a stable platform for the turntable. Don’t judge the photos because we’re still mid-process, but here’s how things are looking so far:
Ashley, this and your 45s solution are also amazing!
For a smaller collection I purchased the Vairo stacking cubes from the Container Store for my teen’s room.
I judge a lot of posts done by design people on record players, and storage solutions. I think this is the best post I have read that takes both the aesthetic and function into consideration. I can tell you actually own a collection.
We use a buffet, and I hacked roll out shelves (like for your kitchen pantry) with table top holders inside. It works great and looks great (get the thumb through vibe without visual clutter.) but we are starting to run out of space (in the pandemic my live music budget is going to vinyl and we just invested in a tube amp ?) so I appreciate your storage recommendations. Enjoy the music ?
Agreed! Honestly, I was expecting this post to be all Crosley suitcase players and Urban Outfitters “vinyls.” It’s really great to see such a well-informed post about records on a design blog!
My spouse and I have about 1000 records at this point, which we keep in two 4×2 Expedits (they’re over a decade old) laid end-to-end, like a long credenza. Annnd on top we have the exact same stereo setup as Caitlin—solid choice! I would only ever trade up from the Expedit/Kallax for something custom, though I’d keep the same simple shape. I just love looking at the spines of my meticulously organized collection—it never gets old.
Any thoughts for the collectors in the thousands? My husband’s collection is enormous and currently takes up over three 5×5 Kallax shelves. Trying to find a less sightly option but very difficult to do without fully splurging on a custom solution.
Companies make doors for other IKEA products, does anyone make doors for Kallax? Or maybe you could DIY some? People are doing interesting things putting caning in doors lately… (I’m assuming the goal of “less sightly” allows for hiding them)
Have the Kallax held up when fully loaded? We also have thousands of records and our current IKEA shelves (not Kallax) are buckling under the weight.
I like these ideas a lot. One idea I got from was to use my old broken oven for a record holder but I need a metal cutter for that.
These are some good options. Everyone gravitates towards the Kallax, but I used IKEA’s Hemnes sofa table for many years. Has pretty good capacity and is solid wood and looks a little nicer than the Kallax.
I recently upgraded to the V Bar Sideboard from Article after searching for something with a bit more capacity and doors to protect my collection from kids. I like that this has a little extra capacity, and I like that it has doors as well as an open cubby to display a few records too.
This article is so timely! I moved to my first solo apartment in June with a collection of about 65 records. I’ve held off buying more (I probably have over 100 titles on my wishlist!) because I couldn’t find anything to accommodate the records, turntable, and speaker. I have a U-turn turntable and can definitely vouch for its quality!
Out of my collection, my favorite album is my dad’s copy of “Rumors” by Fleetwood Mac from the 1970s. It was the first record I heard and the one that got me into collecting!
Caitlin, you’ve done it again!!
Great, informative post, with all the important details.
I gave my record collection to my nephew.
My sister inherited our family collection which is massive! She also has the credenza that stores it … antique, massive, and strong as.
My parents had every, single kind of genre you could imagine. (Marching, reggae, classical, jazz, children’s, pop, Christmas, movie soundtracks, German beer drinking [my dad’s parents were German] rock, you name it. Even Abba?!)
My favourite music memory is every now and then clearing the living room furniture to the edges and all of us sitting around (7 kids) watching our parents dance. Like, ‘proper’ dancing. ?
Those things are waaay heavy!!! I m9ved them too many times!
I’m wondering… best online places to buy records? Both new and used? We currently have a smallish collection, but my husband has asked for more for Christmas:). Just wondering if there’s a good go-to site. Thanks! Great post!
Discogs, the site Caitlin mentioned, is a great place for used
I second this!
For new records, I shop on Bullmoose.com—it’s a local-to-New-England chain that ships!
Look up they have amazing options that are designed specifically for this. A client just introduced me to them since he needed a bunch of storage for records.
LP storage is tricky!! We went with the Crate and Barrel Aspect line- we mixed and matched to build the right solution for our space- and have been thrilled with how solid it is (the shelves are the perfect height and you can pack each one full of LPs).
I love how these look! Did you fill them with records? Did you stack any of the units full of records? We have thousands of records and accommodating the weight is no joke.
I love these. I didn’t know I needed the Aspect line until this comment…but they are now in my cart. Thank you for the recommendation.
I’ve got a largeish collection of around 700 records. I’m using restaurant shelves – steel shelves easily handle the weight – I think each shelf is rated for 600 lbs.
Just popping by to say I assumed this would be a post of cute things that are unrealistic solutions (like how any roundup of bookshelves is for people who own like 20 books).
I was so happy to see that not only was it not that at all, you actually recommended not getting Crosleys, which made me so happy bc not only will they damage your records but their sound quality is shitty.
We have 2 5×5 kallax units (kallaxes? Kallaxi?) which I know we’ll upgrade one day but for now we just keep them in a music room with my husband’s instruments so I don’t have to look at them. We have a small cute wooden box that holds about 50 records, and we keep that out next to the record player and then just change them out every month or so. It’s actually nice to have a small assortment of things we’re into right now to put on instead of having to look through thousands of records at a time.
I absolutely stan the “now playing” section. We use a simple clear acrylic tabletop stand that is intended for leaning a picture frame against. I can load about 20 records on it, which is perfect for, like, “this week’s favorites.”
Sorting discogs by value is super fun! My most valuable right now is
This is so timely. Thank you!
For anyone in Australia, the jex is great for holding a small number of records (fits up to 20).
My husband has close to 1,000 records, so we have used several different Ikea solutions over the years. Currently, an entire wall of our living room is Kallax shelving and I have hated it since the day they arrived. I’m glaring at all 18 cubes as I write this! Cubes everywhere! I hate that the back is open because the records get pushed in too far, since the molding and wall brackets have these sitting about 4 inches from the wall. Also, it’s nearly impossible to find the album I want because husband is messy and the wall o’ records is overwhelming. I am very intrigued by #4 in large storage with the records facing forward so they’re easy to read and the pull-out function is fantastic. However, with our huge collection, I think it would definitely look even more like a record store than the Kallax. Sigh. I think your etsy finds are the best-looking options I have seen, so thank you for sharing! This is something I think about almost daily and you gave me a lot of inspiration.
This was a really fun post! You’re DEF an expert on this one!
Thank you for this post!! My teen son started collecting records 2 years ago and it has not been easy finding storage. THANK YOU!
Such an important topic! Finally! We own thousand of 12” and 7” and it is a storage nightmare.
I looked up Pinterest for years and years. A very cool and modern solution is the Vitsoe Shelf, designed by nobody less than the iconic Dieter Rams!
Thanks so much for the mention!! We absolutely love what we do and specifically working with our customers to create the prefect record storage cabinet they are looking for. We’ve done all kinds of requests (pull-out turntable, flip bin tops, flip UP tops, massive built ins). So glad vinyl collecting is alive and well – its a passion of ours as well.
This is such a great post! Combining my two passions, music and design. 🙂 we have around 1000+ albums at home and while Kallax was a great solution for a long time, I just got extremely tired of the design after a while. The postpositions and material isn’t that much fun…Instead, being on a slim budget, we updated to an even cheaper IKEA solution: the Ivar system. Since its modular we’ve been able to build a whole media unit wall with different heights adding out TV, speakers, two turntables and all the vinyls. Ee had some shelf’s already from the 70s that we could combine it with as well. We painted our white to make it coherent. But I’ll imagine it looking super cool in green or red instead. So far it held up well!
Oops, some spelling mistakes there. But hopefully you get what I’m writing. Found a photo of what I’m talking about . We’ve updated it since by adding even one more section that I just custom build out of scraps and painted white. That’s what I love about it that is so flexible. (Living in a small space that’s a huge plus)
This is such a helpful and fun post! Thanks, Caitlin!
We store our records in the crate and barrel Keenan Credenza and it’s fantastic.