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Get It Done: Organize the Media Cabinet
Ditch the worn-out VHS tapes, save valuable storage space and find hidden gems with this quick weekend spruce-up
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
While poking through my meager DVD collection, my friend Wicki asked, "Did you know you have two copies of Bridesmaids?" I had searched high and low for the first one for weeks before breaking down and buying the second one. Turns out it had simply fallen behind the baskets where I store them, because I have to shove DVDs atop overfilled baskets that still have old videotapes stuffed in them.
Perusing the baskets, I saw that Annie Hall was next to Hot Tub Time Machine and decided that enough was enough. It was time to organize my movies, personal videos and music — and it's probably time you did the same.
Perusing the baskets, I saw that Annie Hall was next to Hot Tub Time Machine and decided that enough was enough. It was time to organize my movies, personal videos and music — and it's probably time you did the same.
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| Organize Your Media Approximate time: 1 to 6 hours (depends on how many DVDs and CDs you own and how quickly you can alphabetize) Materials needed: Cleaning supplies, box for recyclables, box for VHS tapes you'll have transferred to newer technologies, storage baskets/boxes, CD/DVD storage binders Tip: Take some shots along the way to remember all of the crazy Betamax or ridiculous home video topics that used to hog valuable storage space. |
| Dive in. Empty all of those drawers and shelves. Do you even own a VCR that will play those tapes anymore? Even if you do, will you ever watch them again? Clean. Wipe down all the shelves and the insides of the drawers. |
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Sort. Divvy everything up into four piles as outlined below.
- Pile 1: Media such as DVDs and CDs that you currently use
- Pile 2: Music and movies you've downloaded to computers, iPods, etc., eliminating the need for hard copies
- Pile 3: Outmoded media with content you want to see again — your wedding video, that hilarious 8th grade dance-off, baby's first steps
- Pile 4: Facts of Life reruns, the trip you took to Yellowstone with the ex you can't stand, old Jazzercise VHS tapes
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Archive, Recycle, Reuse
Click over to Vanessa Brunner's Use It Or Lose It: CDs, DVDs, Cassettes and VHS tapes ideabook to learn how to archive and recycle piles two, three and four.
A concession: You may keep one sentimental videotape. I'm hanging on to Darrin's Dance Grooves as long as I live, because it makes me laugh, and because my best friend and I both wrote down the number from the infomercial to order it for each other without ever discussing Darrin or his dance grooves.
Click over to Vanessa Brunner's Use It Or Lose It: CDs, DVDs, Cassettes and VHS tapes ideabook to learn how to archive and recycle piles two, three and four.
A concession: You may keep one sentimental videotape. I'm hanging on to Darrin's Dance Grooves as long as I live, because it makes me laugh, and because my best friend and I both wrote down the number from the infomercial to order it for each other without ever discussing Darrin or his dance grooves.
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Shed Cases and Organize
Now that you're rid of piles two through four, it's time to tackle the pile of keepers. Ditch the cases and put the DVDs and CDs into binders. This can be a tough step, but I promise it will gain you a lot of storage space. (I could not let go of my commemorative bowling ball-shaped case that houses the 10th anniversary edition of The Big Lebowski.)
Take time to do the alphabetical order thing. It may be tedious now, but it will save you so much time in searching later. If you want to get all High Fidelity about it, organize the binders by genre. In fact, spread out on the floor in front of the TV and pop High Fidelity into the DVD player while you do this boring task. Just be careful not to let John Cusack talk you into organizing them biographically.
Now that you're rid of piles two through four, it's time to tackle the pile of keepers. Ditch the cases and put the DVDs and CDs into binders. This can be a tough step, but I promise it will gain you a lot of storage space. (I could not let go of my commemorative bowling ball-shaped case that houses the 10th anniversary edition of The Big Lebowski.)
Take time to do the alphabetical order thing. It may be tedious now, but it will save you so much time in searching later. If you want to get all High Fidelity about it, organize the binders by genre. In fact, spread out on the floor in front of the TV and pop High Fidelity into the DVD player while you do this boring task. Just be careful not to let John Cusack talk you into organizing them biographically.
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by Nicole Lanteri
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| If the whole binder thing is not for you, find a way to organize and store your DVDs in their cases. Consoles with drawers and baskets are a good way to do this. |
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| Plan for the Long Term If you still feel unsatisfied after this clean-out, you may want to shop for a new console or a media armoire, or plan for some built-in shelves and cabinets. Plan 1: Built-ins. These built-ins were designed around the TV. Note that cabinets for components such as cable boxes and DVD players get hot and should have ventilation. You'll also want to plan for plugs. When it comes to media storage, include drawers and shelves that will fit the way you store things. If you're a binder person, create shelves around their height measurements. If you cannot let go of those DVD cases, plan for drawers or shelves that will accomodate DVD baskets or boxes. More ideas for built-ins around the fireplace |
by decordemon
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Plan 2: A new TV cabinet, armoire or credenza with integrated storage. New media cabinets can be pricey; keep your eyes open at flea markets and garage sales for suitable pieces. You can breathe new life into vintage stereo cabinets and retro buffets with glossy paint and new hardware. These kinds of cabinets make great TV stands and have tons of potential for storing all of your media.
| Reward: Pick a favorite movie you've unearthed, throw some popcorn in the microwave and pick up some Milk Duds — you're having a movie night. Personally, I'm going to have a Darrin's Dance Groove party. |
Ideabook updated on Aug. 10, 2012.
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If you wish to mount speakers then you can run the wires behind crown molding. You then drop the wires through the wall and connect them to an existing power outlet for power. You need to of course make sure that the walls are hollow in advance. To connect the wires to your system you can run them under carpet or run them along the bottom of your walls and cover them with shoe molding.
Built-in advice:
The components you have will change as technology changes. Leave extra room for those changes including a different size or shape tv. Our house has a built-in entertainment center which sounds great except that the former owners had an old school big screen tv with the speaker at the bottom. We spent a lot of money hiring a cabinet maker to retrofit it for out flat screen tv and components.
Put false backs on any open areas and include larger wire holes than you need so you can run wires easily now and in the future for different components. If you're putting opaque doors in front of the componets that are controlled by remotes make sure you use hinges that allow you to easily prop open the doors. Finally, if you have young children make sure you securely mount the tv to the wall and if possible place the components out of your kids' reach.
The idea of storing everything on TVs, computers, mp3 players, Ipads and Ipods bothers me, because if these items break down, your collection is lost. Also, what happens to those items when those formats become obsolete the next time technology comes along with a new format?
Although they take up a lot of space, I have all my collections in their original formats, including LPs, 45s and 78s, cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, 16mm film, 8mm film, negatives, prints, digital photos, VHS, CDs and DVDs, and have the equipment to play them, all in working condition. I have copied some items to other formats for backup, but I have never ditched the originals. You never know.
By the way, the correct word is "alphabetized".
But in our bedroom I liked showing off the neat collection lined up alond the bottom of the table the tv was on. All subjects were grouped together. It's amazing how many you collect so fast. But that was before the grandson got mobile. After a few times of him showing me how cute ha was pulling ALL OUT we decided they had to be out of his site.
I 'was' surprised how many duplicates I had and also surprise by how many loaned at not returned.
Our oldest son got us the cloud thing, but my husband rarely pulls out a DVD and I still like pawing through them to find something....so I have never bother with it. I loved them out where you could see them. But then I was always dusting them too. I can't believe some of the DVD's they talked me into buying (my daughter begged for the 'Brazilian butt builder'). And some I was mad I spent money for. And I want to know who has my 'Dogma'. It's not here. I can tell now. Good article few think about till they can't find what they want.
Fashionable Entertainment 1
Another way to hide clutter in your busy family room is my storing your sound system speakers inside your entertainment center. A speaker cloth insert can be specified in place of any door panel so that the sound system can be fully integrated within the cabinetry.
Fashionable Entertainment 2
Tall pull-out towers can also offer convenient DVD and CD storage for larger media libraries. Putting a tower on each side of your entertainment center frames the TV and hides clutter.
Fashionable Entertainment 3
Fashionable Entertainment 4
Also, archive family video tapes as well as DVD copies. DVDs aren't lasting nearly as long as originally anticipated and unlike a video, a partially damaged DVD is often totally unplayable. One can reduce clutter in other ways. I wouldn't risk my memories.
Our huge (& often-listened to!!!) music collection is housed in two sturdy, custom-build drawer units in our living room. No one knows the media is there until a drawer is opened. No visual clutter. Guests admire our nice "tables".
And also 'Disgusting Digestion' just in case. But to confuse everyone I threw in 'Famous quotes from Abraham Liincoln'. You almost know what book they picked up by how long they stay in. My kids says they aren't sure if I'm crazy or not, but they love coming home to visit and bring their friends.
The large case holds 1000 (800 really) and the crocodile small ones holds 500 (400) dvds.
I divided my dvds into 8 genres and then alfabetized each pile - to each their own: I have an "action" and "comedy" genre but also "romantic comedy" because I had a lot of movies that fit into that sub genre even though they could easily have fit just under comedy but I know I will sometimes be in the mood for a romcom so it works well to make an otherwise very big pile a little smaller.
Then I laminated ordinary white printing paper that I cut out to fit into a sleeve but with ½ an inch sticking up and hung all the dvds according to genre dividing them with one of those white dividers I made at every new letter. I later on finally found some letters I liked that could rub on the plastic - If I was doing this from scratch and not as an evolving diy project I would have printed the letters on the paper. With numbers gone and letters on the dividers I can add to my collection without having to rearrange everything because a new purchase just plonks right in.
The dj cases slides under my sofa for easy access and I have an spreadsheet with all the titles and even extra info such as year, actors and so on - I keep a printed version in my bag so I'm never in doubt when I buy dvds and that nagging question of:" did I already buy that, did I just think about it or was it that I had on vhs but need to get it on dvd" No more duplicates for me.
The plastic covers from the dvd's are currently stored in my basement but I want to get a binder for all the title sheets so people can sit and browse by cover art since I seem to be the only one that can make any sense of all the movies just by reading the title - I love my movies.
It took several months, but I was able to put all (almost 3000) of them onto a server that can be accessed from any of our TVs. I am not redistributing the movies in any way, but this appears to be a grey area in the eyes of the studios. It is because of this that I have alphabetized and stored the DVDs (in their original cases) in boxes in event of a server failure (I do have a RAID backup for my server). Each box has a content list in the event a friend wants to borrow a DVD and that list is on file across several computers. The key to this is backing up your hard drives, especially when you have over 35TB of information saved. I would not do this with rental movies, there is no grey area there. If someone ever questioned my collection (not that this will ever happen), I want the hard copy to verify I own it.
The best thing about this, my house has much less clutter and I can easily access all my movies through my iPad without searching various rooms and boxes to find a movie. Finding a movie now is as simple as searching a keyword, actor's name, genre or director name.