As with many comic book collectors, I was experiencing the problem of finding ways to safely store my ever-increasing collection in the limited amount of space I had within my apartment. The stacking of several long and/or short boxes can cause strain upon said boxes and lead to potential damage of the comics stored therein.
When I was placing an order with BCW Supplies for additional bags and backing boards, I was looking at purchasing additional comic boxes but was hesitant due to the aforementioned problem of generating too many stacks of boxes. My bedroom was already beginning to resemble a storage depot and I was not particularly fond of exacerbating the situation. I came across, on BCW Supplies' site, a listing for a "short comic book house" and I decided to investigate further. The advertisement detailed the ease in which multiple boxes could be stacked without the worry of causing stress to the boxes and comics within. The outer shell acted as a buffer and also illustrated the ease in which one could access the bottom box without having to remove the several boxes stored on top - which most collectors will attest is a rather cumbersome task when attempting to access a particular book(s).
Intrigued by the potential, I placed my order for 10 of these short comic book houses, on top of my order for a 10-pack each of backing boards, resealable bags and short boxes (sold separately from the "short comic book house"). Shipping was very prompt and after inspection, I began to assemble these storage means. BCW Supplies has a helpful instructional video that demonstrates the ease in which these short comic book houses can be assembled, as found here:
Short Box House Assembly Demonstration .
After successfully assembling the first one, the rest were less time consuming to complete. Once the tab is securely inserted into the slot and the flaps folded inward, the box is fairly steady.
Inserting the drawer should be done carefully and with one side typically going in first, to avoid the risk of denting it excessively. Once inside the housing, it is securely in place.
Placing the short box, itself, into the housing was easy, as long as you put it straight in. One drawback was when I filled a short box with comics and attempted to place it within the housing, I encountered some resistance. After remedying the situation by further flattening the bottom and side flaps, the box was able to enter the shell and capable of sliding in and out efficiently.
Now came the arduous task of arranging the boxes within my closet. I initially stress-tested the boxes several different ways; by stacking them in columns of five each, placing a full box on top of an empty one, shuffling the inner short boxes to and from different shells and seeing how they would hold up over time with several regular and fully-loaded short boxes stacked on top of them as well. I was pleasantly surprised that the short comic book houses substantially held up to these different tribulations.
Due to only having purchased ten, I was unable to fully create a 4X5 grid but the potential is there as shown in the image presented. With a potential twenty box grid on one end and another such grid on the opposite end of my closet, I will be able to store my entire collection, plus have room for a few hundred future comics, in half the space that six long boxes, five short boxes, four 14-gallon Rubbermaid storage containers and several assorted size cardboard boxes were occupying.
For those desiring durable storage means that minimize occupied space as well as sufficient mobility if one has to move, then I highly recommend an investment in these short comic book houses.
*Notice of Full Disclosure: The writer of this review has not received any compensation, monetarily or otherwise, from the manufacturer of these goods. The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and do not reflect any collusion between said manufacturer and the owner and operators of this site.
