Why Plastic Storage Containers Are Better Than Cardboard Boxes
When a lot of people need to store items in their basement or garage, they do so in cardboard boxes. While this strategy can work well to some degree, it's not necessarily the best approach to take. Another option that you should consider is buying a number of plastic storage containers to use instead of cardboard boxes. These containers are available in several sizes, shapes, and even colors, which will allow you to buy containers that will properly suit the items that you're storing. Here are some reasons that plastic storage containers are a better choice than cardboard boxes.
Resistant To Water
One of the biggest reasons to choose plastic over cardboard is that the former is resistant to water. Places such as your basement and garage can sometimes encounter water. While a flood in either of these spaces is distressing, one bit of relief you'll have is knowing that anything you're storing in a plastic container will be safe from the water if the container is sitting on the floor. With cardboard, this isn't the case. The water will quickly soak through the cardboard and make contact with the contents of the box, potentially damaging whatever is inside.
Difficult For Pests To Get Into
Plastic is also good because of its ability to resist pests. Common household pests, such as mice, can easily chew through a cardboard box and damage the contents inside. Mice are far less likely to chew through a plastic container, as this material is harder and thicker. If you're storing food products in your basement or garage, doing so in plastic is especially important because many of these containers have airtight lids that won't allow pests to smell the food and be drawn to it.
Longer Life Span
Even without an outside force, such as water, actually damaging them, cardboard boxes tend to have a finite life span. Each time you open and close the flaps on top of the box, for example, they can tear a little. Over time, the tearing can make the flaps loose, to the point that they're no longer able to do their job. Similarly, if you place heavy items in a cardboard box and remove the box from its shelf over and over, the weight of the contents can put pressure on the cardboard and eventually cause it to tear. Plastic containers are a better choice because they offer a higher level of durability, and thus a longer life span.
Visit a local home store to learn more and buy storage containers.
