Your Tabletop Storage System arrives flat, and it takes about two minutes to get it ready. Watch the video below, or read through the steps underneath it — they cover the same ground.
Check what's in the package
Open the box and lay everything out before you start. Each container comes with:
- The container itself, folded flat
- Two solid side inserts
- Four wooden feet, bagged separately in a clear polybag tucked inside the container
The feet aren't attached when the container leaves us — you'll put them on in step three. If the polybag has slipped down inside the folded fabric, give it a shake before you assume anything is missing.
Step 1: Slot the side inserts in
Open the container out so it holds its shape. Each side wall has a fabric pocket running down the inside, and each insert is labeled — one says left, one says right. Match them up and slide each insert all the way down into its pocket. The labels are there because the two panels aren't identical, so it's worth a quick look rather than a guess.
Step 2: Fold the pockets closed
Fold the fabric flap over the top of each insert to close the pocket. You're after a snug fit — the fabric shouldn't be stretched taut or left loose and rumpled.
You may notice a crease where the fabric has been folded for shipping. That's normal and it relaxes out on its own over the first few days.
Step 3: Attach the wooden feet
Turn the container upside down. You'll see four hook-and-loop pads, one near each corner of the base. Take a foot from the polybag, line its fastener up with a pad, and press down firmly until it grips. Repeat for the other three.
Give the container a gentle wobble once they're all on. If a foot shifts, it hasn't fully engaged — peel it off and press again.
Step 4: Load your records
Turn it back over and you're ready to fill it. Before you do, it's worth reading the section below — how you load the container makes a real difference to how your records sit over time.
Getting the best out of it
Keep it at least a third full
The container is at its most stable once there are enough records inside to support each other. Below about a third, they have nothing to rest against. If you're starting a smaller collection, group what you have into one container rather than spreading it thinly across several.
Let your records lean back
The rear panel sits at a slight angle, and that's deliberate — your records should follow it. Let them tip back so the whole sleeve rests flat against the panel, supported along its full height.
What you want to avoid is pushing them upright. When a record stands vertical inside an angled container, only its top edge makes contact with the panel, and all the pressure lands on that one line. Over months, that's how sleeves pick up a crease along the top.
Think about where it goes
Keep the container away from windows, direct sunlight and radiators. Heat and UV are hard on both records and the artwork on their sleeves, and a sunny windowsill will fade a jacket faster than anything else in your house.
Line them up
The containers are built to sit flush against one another. Two or three in a row along a console or sideboard reads as a proper display rather than a single box on a surface — and it makes flipping through the collection easier, because you can spread things out by genre, artist, or whatever order makes sense to you.
Keeping the fabric clean
A damp cloth is all it needs. Wipe it over, then let it dry completely before your records go back in — the one thing you don't want is damp fabric sitting against a sleeve.
Stuck on something?
If anything doesn't look right, or a part hasn't turned up where it should be, email us at [email protected] and we'll sort it out.
And once yours is set up, we'd love to see it. We run regular competitions for the best customer setup photos — you can enter over at record-roots.com/pages/contest.
