What kind of loft storage boxes should you use?

We’ve talked about tidying, organising, and minimalism recently. However, we undoubtedly still have stuff we need to put away in storage so it would be useful to figure out the best way to store it all, right? Okay, let’s have a look at some options for loft storage boxes. 

 

Based on our years of experience in the loft business, we’ve found it best to categorise and properly label stored items. This makes it easier to locate things later on when the need arises. But what should we actually use to store those items in and what would offer the best protection? Ideally, you should use good quality boxes because they are easy to stack and locate. Let’s have a look at exactly what kinds of boxes we are actually talking about here. 

 

There are four common types of loft storage boxes that you can use: 

 

1. Cardboard boxes 

These are a cheaper option but are really only designed for temporary use. For instance, for when you’re moving house or doing a renovation and your stuff will only be in storage for a short period. We don’t recommend using them for long-term storage, for three reasons. Firstly, cardboard isn’t that sturdy so your stuff will not be protected well and can be easily squashed. Secondly, they are prone to fire or water damage including dampness (and therefore mould!). And thirdly, creepy crawlies like to inhabit them and could damage your stuff (and potentially give you a scare the next time you open them… yes I’m scared of spiders!). 

 

2. Wooden storage boxes or crates 

These are a reliable and environmentally-friendly option. Your stuff is well-protected as they are very sturdy. We recommend these if your loft is very wide so your weight capacity is high. The disadvantage of using wooden boxes is their weight, they are pretty heavy so this is really only a suitable option if you don’t have too many things to store. Also, some types of wood when untreated or stored for too long with lots of moisture, get inhabited by tiny wood bugs. We recommend that the area you are going to use these wooden boxes is well-insulated. Argos and Ikea have a good selection of wooden boxes. 

 

3. See-through plastic boxes 

These are ideal because you can see some of the contents of the box plus they are easy to label and are stackable. You must ensure that if you are going to stack them, that the box is made of sturdy material otherwise it will break underneath the weight of another one on top. We found boxes from Ikea to be of decent quality as long as you are only stacking them of up to 3 for the smaller ones and up to 2 for the larger ones. Don’t be tempted to stack them up over 2-3! They might fall over when you try to retrieve something or the bottom boxes could start to crack and eventually become unusable. Wilko stores have a good selection of plastic boxes with lids too. 

 

4. Heavy-duty plastic boxes 

If you’re planning on storing items for really long periods then you might want to consider going for this type of box. They are generally more sturdy than see-through boxes, made from thicker plastic and have a stronger structure. The lids are also usually better quality and less likely to crack over time. Some varieties come with wheels for ease of transporting plus they can be fully water-resistant which makes them ideal for important documents or photos. We found a good selection on Amazon by simply searching for “Heavy-duty plastic boxes”. Plus there’s a site called with a wide selection of what they call “super tough” boxes called: www.plasticboxshop.co.uk 

 

So there you have it. We hope these ideas for loft storage boxes are helpful to you when you’re figuring out how to store your items in your loft or garage. 

 

The Loft Access Company have over 22 years’ experience in all things loft related - including installing loft insulation. If have any other questions or would like to book in a no-obligation survey, please get in touch. Thank you for reading!