Redoing the games closet...plastic bins?

December 20, 2007 9:13 AM

Where can I find inexpensive plastic bins that I can keep my board games in that fit the game boards and all the pieces? I've been googling for over an hour and I can't find any 16 x 11 x 2 bins anywhere other than The Container Store. Call me cheap, but I don't want to spend more for a container than I spent on the game in the first place, and at $15.00 each, the Container Store is out. Any advice or recommendations on how you've stored your board games in plastic containers would be appreciated.

Is there a website where I can find containers by size? Currently, from measuring game boxes, I think I would need containers in three sizes: 16x11x2, 8x5x3, and 7.5x10.5x3. I also have no idea what are some good solutions for card decks, both regular and for games like Uno, Phase 10, etc.

Thank you!

posted by riverjack to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

Why not buy some foam core board, an x-acto knife, tape, and build your own boxes? Making a box is pretty simple and if you are creative enough you can adhere fancy papers to the outside and make all the pieces fit in a special side panel.
posted by JJ86 at 9:24 AM on December 20, 2007

Go to a place like Lowe's or Builder's Square. You'll probably find exactly what you need and it will be cheaper than The Container Store.
posted by 517 at 9:30 AM on December 20, 2007

I found a lot of storage bins and boxes at Dollar General and other dollar stores for, well, $1.
posted by ferociouskitty at 9:32 AM on December 20, 2007

I have been in you situation, needing cheap plastic containers in rare sizes. Google failed me too, unless you want to import shiploads of containers from China.

Your profile does not list your location, in San Francisco, I've found very cheap plastic containers in hundreds of sizes and shapes in the kind of small Asian or Mexican stores that sell all kinds of imported crap, on Clement around 6th avenue, or on Mission between 16th and 24th streets.

These stores do not have a web presence, but are very easy to find this time of year. Look for the ones displaying singing christmas tree lights, dancing Santas and inflatable reindeer.
posted by Dr. Curare at 9:36 AM on December 20, 2007

I don't think you're going to find a commodity price for a boardgame-sized box that holds just one game. How about a 6" deep one that holds three for $6.99?
posted by rhizome at 10:07 AM on December 20, 2007

You can buy these ($4.19) and stack them on top of each other. You can also check out the Sterlite hinged-top containers in two different sizes, also stackable, from this search link.

for storing decks of cards, I would just rubber band each card set together and put them all in a larger storage box or drawer, but you could also buy index card ($1.98) boxes if you want them separate from each other.
posted by misha at 3:50 PM on December 20, 2007

Response by poster: Great answers, ya'll. Thank you for the help. I wish I could check out those stores, Dr. Curare, but I'm in Texas and not in a big city. But great suggestion! I've looked around at most major retailers in town (Lowe's, Wal-mart, Target, etc.) and haven't quite found anything in the sizes I was originally looking for. However, I'm thinking now that I might take the game boards and cut them into quarters with a blade and then store them. The squares should fit well into more standard size boxes and I don't think I'd lose any playability of the game...

Thanks for your comments!
posted by riverjack at 6:59 AM on January 2, 2008