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Owning vinyl can already be quite an expensive hobby, but it would be a waste of money if you do not take good care of your records. Every record in your collection carries a bit of personal history, and how you store it decides how long that history lasts for you.
Good storage doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be done right. Understanding how to properly store vinyl records makes your records sound clean and full of life for years to come!
Keep Them Standing, Never Stacked
The most common mistake people make is stacking records flat. It might seem fine for a while, but the pressure from the weight warps the vinyl over time. Next to that, if pressure is being put on the record for an extended period of time, it can damage the depth of the groove in your record, making it sound flat and dull. Always keep your records standing upright, like books on a shelf.
If you have a growing collection, invest in some sturdy shelving, something that doesn’t bow under weight. IKEA Kallax units are by far the most popular choice for vinyl collectors, but anything solid will do as long as it keeps the records vertical and supported.
The goal is simple: keep them straight, evenly spaced, and never leaning too heavily to one side as this can warp a record as well.
Inner and Outer Sleeves Matter
The inner sleeve of your record is the material that touches the vinyl, so having a clean sleeve is your first line of defense. Replace old paper inner sleeves with anti-static polyethylene sleeves. They prevent dust buildup and stop static from clinging to the surface, which would attract even more dust. For the outer protection, you can use outer plastic jackets. This is not necessarily for protecting your vinyl, but more for protecting your outer sleeve. If you have a rare, valuable record, it wouldn’t hurt to give that a bit more protection.
If you are a DJ, I advise storing your records with your inner and outer sleeves facing the same side. This allows you to take out a new record quickly while mixing. If you are not a DJ, you can choose not to do that for the minimal amount of dust to come in.
Store in a Cool, Dry Space
Vinyl hates heat. Direct sunlight, radiators, or hot attics can warp your records over time if exposed to these conditions over and over again. Try to keep your collection in a cool, stable environment, ideally between 15–20°C (59–68°F).
Humidity has been proven to be another enemy of your vinyl record. Too much moisture can damage sleeves and lead to mold. If you live somewhere damp, a small dehumidifier can quietly protect your whole record collection.
Keep Dust Away
Dust might not seem dangerous, but it’s what causes most surface noise and can lead to minor scratches on your record. Before storing a record, give it a quick brush with an anti-static record brush. It only takes a few seconds and saves you from cleaning deeper later.
If you care about your sound and want to take the maintenance of your collection seriously, invest in a record cleaning solution or even a vacuum system. In any case, having an anti-static brush or a microfiber cloth can help you immensely already.
Organize with Intention
This is completely optional, but it can be really useful once you start growing your collection to a serious size. You don’t have to alphabetise everything, but having a system that works for you saves a lot of time searching for the record that you want to play. Group by genre, label, or mood; anything that helps you find what you need without constant flipping. This video is a very good example of how you can organise your collection.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to store vinyl records is not hard to understand, but critical for the durability of your collection. It would be a shame if your precious record gets damaged simply because you didn’t store your record properly when you were not using it.
Applying these simple, yet important rules prolongs the lifecycle of your collection significantly, so you can enjoy your collection for a lifetime!
