How do I Choose the Best CD Organizer?

There is a CD organizer to suit almost every music enthusiast and CD collection. Your budget, the size of your collection, the space you have available, and your personal taste should be considered in choosing the right one. CD organizers come in various styles ranging from large-capacity floor-standing shelving units to smaller designs intended to be placed on a desk or entertainment center.

If floor space is limited, consider a revolving CD rack with a small footprint that can hold hundreds of discs. They are available in various capacities and make browsing easy. While most hold the CDs in a vertical position, some CD organizer designs permit storing the jewel cases horizontally, making it easier to read titles when browsing. Be sure the rack revolves smoothly and is stable when fully loaded. Look for designs with slots that will accommodate non-standard CD cases such as double-disc jewel cases, thinline cases, and boxed sets.

Larger CD collections are best stored in bookshelf-type racks. They are available in many different materials to complement your decor. Look for CD organizer shelving designs that offer flexibility with repositionable shelves that will accommodate various types of CD cases and boxes. If you plan to also store DVDs and other entertainment media in the rack, be sure it offers storage space to fit them. If you like keeping your collection neatly organized in order to find a specific disc quickly, shop for a CD organizer that offers labeling capabilities.

Regardless of the type of CD organizer you choose, establish an organizational method and then stick with it by carefully returning your discs to the right place. Whether you choose to store your collection by album title, music genre, artist, or another criteria, being consistent in how you store CDs will keep your collection at your fingertips. Alphabetic index tabs, labels, and similar organizational aids can help you keep track of a very large collection of CDs.

If you're a DJ and often take your CD collection to parties and other events, look for a CD storage case designed for this purpose. Usually built in the form of a suitcase with a handle, DJ CD cases have slots or hanging file frames built into them. Most come with plastic CD sleeves that hold the disc and album notes and take up much less space than CD jewel cases, while allowing the disc sleeves to be dropped into the slots or suspended from the case frame. Confirm that the case allows you to browse the collection easily and that the discs will remain securely in place during transport.