I’ve currently got about 10 cases of wine stored off-site, and am looking to upgrade to about 25 cases. I’ve got two options: stick with box-centric storage (an enclosed shelf) or go with a racking locker which is about 50% more expensive. It’s easier to access wine that way, but that’s money I could spend on wine.
How do people organize their case storage cubbies so bottles stay horizontal and you can access them without too much fuss?
I keep everything in boxes and keep an inventory. I don’t care what the storage looks like, and boxes are more efficient from the standpoint of space utilization. Plus, the bottles don’t collect dust.
Boxes. Use Cellartracker so you know where things are.
Donezos.
Similar to the others. Plastic crates, each with a number. The crates lock together well enough that I can slide entire stacks around to access the stuff in the back. Cellartracker “bin” corresponds to the crate number. Zero attempt to make any sort of logical organization or grouping, because that inevitably gets messed up as things are removed and added anyway.
I use cardboard tubes. Two bottles deep. I absolutely hate case storage. You’ll inevitably want something that is in a box in the bottom back corner and then you have to move everything. With tubes I was about to fit 30 cases in my 28 case locker since I had room on top of the top row of tubes to lay bottles and room in front of the tubes to stand up bottles on the shelf.
Geoff,
I noticed you are in Seattle. Have you looked at Phenol55 in Georgetown? They charge by the bottle and manage everything else to do with the storage. They have a great shopping app to use when you want items pulled and then you can go and pick them up or have them couriered to you.
I have kept overflow from my house, and items for longer term storage for a few years now and the service has been great. In my CellarTracker I just have Phenol55 listed as a location with no bins
Mike
Got any pics?
I’m also a huge fan of cardboard tubes, but I go 3 deep (because my storage locker is deep anough to do that, and still have room for a narrowish box in front is really needed, ie. it’s really deep!). I actually fit more with cardboard tubes than I fit with boxes, and everything is accessible. I use cellartracker “bins” alphanumerically for row/column and it’s super easy to find everything. 3 deep marginally requires a “grabber” depending on how far back I really push, but that’s not a big deal.
When I had 3x3x3 cardboard boxes it sucked horribly when something was at the back, on the bottom. That perpetual re-arranging shuffle was just a pain in the butt. Tubes are awesome!
heavy duty wine 12 packs from uline. store neck down and number the boxes. use the box # in the bin field in cellartracker. then it’s very easy to mix a box, relocate it to storage and return to the cellar when it’s time.
Where do you get your cardboard tubes?
Which diameter do you like?
Uline was more expensive than a more flexible local tube manufacturer for me (but these manufacturers tend to redirect you to someone close). So, just google around and see who makes them in either FL or SC in your case (or look somewhere like this: https://www.cardboardtubemanufacturers.com/category/florida/). Mine made a custom inner diameter for me (that’s better than Uline’s options). I went 3.5" ID and 0.125" thickness which is maybe overkill, depending on how high you want to stack them (I have 10 rows).
If you have the depth, the best Uline option is 4" ID x 36" length, for $2.07 each. You can see their other options here: ULINE - Shipping Boxes, Shipping Supplies, Packaging Materials, Packing Supplies
For price reference I paid $1.45ea for 120 x 3.5" ID x 30" length x 0.125" thickness. I would’ve gone probably for 3.75" ID in hindsight to fit Champagne bottles, but I can fit Pinot Noir into this size (and as I said, you’d definitely want 4" vs 3" ID with Uline).
That’s only a problem if you stack the boxes on top of each other and stack them several layers deep. That can be a pain. But I use metal shelving now, so everything is easily accessible. My shelves (Walmart or Home Depot) are one case deep, but with deeper shelves, you could have pretty easy access.
Don’t get me wrong – I think the tubes are good option. I shared a locker with people who used them. But boxes and shelving are a good alternative.
I did, but they’re extremely expensive relative to my current offsite (Seattle Wine Storage) - literally twice the price if I’m doing the math right ($0.39/bottle/month = $4.68/bottle/year for P55 vs. $1.95/bottle/year for 16-case box storage at SWS). I only visit quarterly so labeled boxes aren’t too onerous.
Hm, I’m tempted to do the tubes. My collection is just starting, but I can see the boxes becoming a big hassle when it’s larger. Also, I’ve been trying to save money by asking for free boxes when I’m at the wine shop, but that’s getting difficult as I’m ordering online more and more now, and the boxes are all different, which causes some space efficiency – so, I’ll probably have to buy something (boxes or tubs) either way. I’m mainly concerned with which option is most space efficient. Does anyone use different sized tubes (e.g., most of them standard sized, some for magnums, some for half-bottles, etc.)?
I like the tubes. But it’s probably not easy to move when you have to relocate to another cabinet for more capacity? Can be a good thing though…
How sturdy are the tubes on the bottom when you’re stacking multiple rows of tubes with full bottles inside?
I was thinking of doing tube, but the more I think of it, the more of a pain it seems to be. I think my tubes would have to be 3 or so bottles deep, and if I can’t find what I’m looking for on the outer layer, I have to start digging bottle by bottle and reaching down these long tubes. I think it’s be easier just to store cases on their sides so I can see 12 bottle/case at a time. Of course, the best way would be to keep it very organized so I don’t need to hunt for anything, but I don’t think that very realistic for me.
Has anyone used tubes for a home cellar?
And, has anyone experienced any mold with them? In other threads people have expressed concern about using pine racking with respect to mold risk; I myself do not share that concern but I would imagine that if anything the cardboard tubes would be more susceptible to mold than pine.
0.125" thickness tubes that I have are probably overkill for a stack 10 or so rows high. No issue at all