Thread: Question about packing HW stuff

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My HW stuff is crammed into the attic, spilling out of rubbermaid bins and cardboard boxes. I'm going to move all of this stuff into storage until we move. I figure this way I won't be crawling around in the attic in June if that's when our house sells, plus the attic will look Huuuuuge when empty.

Should I just buy more bins, or do you guys have any links to better bins for stacking, storing and moving? I have some heavy duty boxes for my power tools and such, but they are about $15 each. Too steep!

Rubbermaid bin lids seem to be neither weathertight nor tight, period. The bins also aren't very rigid beyond being stacked 2 high.

Thanks for any input you may have!

First, let me say congratulations on your new job Wilbret. It's a good thing the forum is portable. We would miss you if you weren't around.

My thought on your storage is this...have you ever tried those really big ziplock-type bags to keep your things clean and dry? I don't think you will find any truly watertight containers. But the big ziplocks or the space bags you suck the air out of with a vacuum might be a good option for keeping things dry and clean.

Holy accumulation, Batman! I filled a 6x12 Uhaul trailer front to back, almost top to bottom with the Halloween and some xmas stuff.

I am embarrassed to say that we have filled the largest storage unit you can rent with STUFF FROM OUR ATTIC AND GARAGE. Holidays, teaching stuff, tools, camping, etc. Our next house will have a basement or something, I do not care for putting this stuff up again.

I have purchased and filled 8 huge sterilite containers, and some medium and small ones. And several cardboard moving boxes. I'm about to go BUY MORE.

Did I mention I haven't even started in the house yet? I'm not packing up the house, just weeding out stuff so when we sell the house it looks like there is a lot of space.

Oh man Wilbret, sounds like you have a house like mine, only I don't have much of a attic, what there is is full though, I have a basement, but is fill to over flowing. I don't know where to put everthing, it just gets moved around when i try to clean. The problem is two fold, hubby doesn't want to throw anything away, an wants to keep stuff we can't use, plus, I have all my halloween stuff doen there as well as christmas, and craft stuff.
I can't enen imagine having to do what you are doing, thinning stuff out. Is most of it halloween?

I'm not thinning out. HEHE.

I should add that it doesn't fit in 8 containers, I just bought MORE to put the stuff we had loose in them.

Oh Lord! ...I can't quit laughing about what you've said on this thread so far to even come up with a helpful suggestion for you....just wait 'till you have more than one kid, Wilbret.

Hi wilbert, Walmart sells these really big containers. They are about 2 feet wide and about 5 1/2 feet long you can stack them about 7 high in an regulary garage. maybe 8 high. I have about 20 of them I can fit almost any Halloween item in there. Even my animated mummies (taken apart of course) and Donna of the dead along with almost any other prop. The only ones I cant put in there are things I have made that are too big. They are usually out around the holiday times and run about 20$ I know that is more than you wanted to spend, but I have had mine for years and they stack really really well. Good luck

Hey Wilbret,

I can attest to the value of the really huge ziploc bags. The ones I got this year were about two feet wide and three feet deep, and they were really helpful for packing up the odds and ends, especially the things that could be squished without worry like linens (Halloween table runner, pillows, table cloth, etc), and the pieces to Gus, my big green goblin made from pvc and old clothes.

I'm also convincing my husband that I can build a coffin this year, because I can use the inside as storage for other props this year. You might see if there is any way you can also condense your props within one another.

Just some thoughts,
-handy_haunter

The really huge containers get to be too heavy to be practical, especially if I *do* have to put them back in the attic. So, I have to stick with ones I can manage.

We have lots of the big bags... my wife's dad gave us some years ago and we've started using them to pack linens and soft goods. Everything has to go in a box, though... so I still need boxes for the bags. :-)