You guys are familiar with these ubiquitous yellow-n-black 27-gallon totes, right? In my opinion, they aren’t the best totes from a survivalist standpoint but sometimes the not-best becomes the most ubiquitous and by virtue of that ubiquity it becomes the de facto ‘standard’. A good example of this would be the old VHS vs. Betamax war in the home video market back in the day…Betamax was a superior format, but VHS was cheap and it was everywhere…and it drove the better product into the dustbin of history.
So, I have a bunch of these totes for storing things I want to protect from..well..everything. What I did not know, but that I should have guessed, is that there is a surprising thrid-party market for accessories for these things. Case in point, I was up at Lowes picking up some things and saw these:
A set of internal dividers for those yellow-black totes. I suppose you could whip up something similar using an Xacto knife and some heavy duty cardboard. But..I’ll take the easy way when I can. Assembling them and fitting them in the totes gives you this:
Handy for some needs. But as I mentioned, there’s a bunch of third-party support out there for these things.Another notable accessory, which is currently available at Costco (or, at least, my local CostCo)…a wire shelving rack.
What is it I don’t like about these totes. Really, three big complaints: a) a more tactical color would be nice, although other companies do make versions of this in OD, though. 2) the tote tapers from the bottom to the top…the footprint of the bottom of the tote is smaller than the footprint of the top of the tote..like a funnel. This means stacking things uniformy is pretty much impossible. I understand why this situation exists – if the tote were straightwalled it wouldnt drop out of the mould as easily as a taperd design. But…still annoying. III) The lids for these are designed to facilitate stacking these totes, and thats a good thing, but the tradeoff is that lid will collect any liquid or debris that accumulates on top. Also, they really cant take too much weight on them. A couple of totes full of Christams lights and decorations? No sweat. Canned goods? Gonna be an issue.
But, as I said, the ubiquity of these totes, and their price point ($6.99@ at CostCo today) makes them the most common tote in this size that youre gonna find virtually everywhere. And, since these things are all over the place, with the large numbers out there the aftermarket sweeps in to bring us the aforementioned accessories.
Usually these totes are about $10 at most places, and my CostCo, as of late, haas them at $6.99. For that kind of money, theyre a nice way to keep stuff off the floor, outta the wet, free from dust, and just generally keep what limited space you have looking orderly.
Commander:
Why would you need totes that are camoflaged?
You aren’t going to store them outdoors and I doubt you’ll be carrying one into a skirmish.
I take your point about them tapering. It does make filling them a pain!
As for the lids possibly retaining water, I wonder how many you are using in areas that damp…
All that said, another useful piece and I look forward to many more!
Ceejay
First off, I didnt say camouflaged…I said “a more tactical color” which could be solid black, brown, OD, or a couple other colors.
“You aren’t going to store them outdoors and I doubt you’ll be carrying one into a skirmish.”
Because their existence isn’t strictly binary…there are circumstances other than ‘carrying one into a skirmish’ and storing them indoors.
If, for example, I have to transport them to the Beta Site, the last thing I want is people spotting the bright yellow totes in the back of my vehicle from a distance. Or if I have to stack them on my porch or by my truck as I’m moving them. A screaming yellow tote is a bit more eye-catching from a hundred yards away than a subdued color one. From a practical standpoint, its only the lids that are bright yellow so I suppose it isn’t that big a deal to rattle can the lid if I feel its that important.
Wouldn’t an absolutely average tote get less attention than an OD/Milspec one?
Also, if some little scrote got into your storage area, which are they going to check first, the OD one ore the ordinary one? If they can’t tell which might have NVG’s and which might have your Christmas lights it might slow them down.
Cheap flimsy totes,but sellling point is cheap. Design is for stacking/shipping/ storage. Looked at rack system and was not impressed, totes hang on lips, unsupported on bottom with no load carrying ability. For whatever you paid for dividers a sheet of Luan or 1/4 plywood and a few minutes with a saw would yield a fully custom divider system. The Post Office style totes are so far superior as to make these a joke ( except these are not water resistant due to top configuration.
I don’t recall where I first saw someone’s “2×6 and cinderblock” shelving for ammo cans but within a day ,yself and one of my brothers had bought enough lumber and blocks to each build a big set of shelves for our ammo stockpiles in our basements.
One tip if you have a basement that might not always be perfectly dry: use half-height solid block on the bottom and cut a moisture barrier out of cheap vinyl flooring to keep the bottom wood shelf from wicking moisture up.
Unless you live in an area with serious seismic activity, those shelves are not going to budge. And they will make keeping track of your ammo — and accessing it as desired — far easier than having a big pile of ammo cans where the stuff you want is always at the back and 3 or 4 layers down.
A similar shelving system could easily be made for totes. It will support them by their bottoms so no fear of the handles/edges failing under a load (at least while they’re sitting on the shelf) and some cinderblocks and boards are cheaper than any purpose-made commercial rack/shelf.
Do not underestimate the risk of water intrusion from above. The same brother had an attic fire a few years back that resulted in serious water damage to the floor below and the basement. His ammo stock at the time was largely in cardboard boxes on cheap bigbox-store sheet metal and particle board shelves. All of which collapsed when soaked from above. Same with boxes of magazines, parts, tools, etc.
He’s a believer in ammo cans now. And for the most part I don’t even say “I told you so” to him.
I was just moving one of these around in the tool room yesterday and had it do the old disintegrate in your hand trick when trying to pick it up. Old age and heat is hard on plastic. Switched to the 17g size a while back because the larger ones are harder to move through narrow doorways and are sometimes too heavy for my rapidly deteriorating back to pick up.
I do have some simple and stackable storage boxes made out of scrap plywood (check craigslist), 2×2’s and/or OSB, coated with left over paint or stain, that are over 20 years old that have done time in +115 degree heat that still look and act brand new. They are also strong enough for me to stand on, and I’m over 200lbs. (blue twisted steel is heavy!)
We use a ton of these at a summer camp that I attend. Over the years, however, the camp personnel have lost over half of the lids, making them unstackable! I have failed to find any place that sells just the lids. Other than that, these work for what we need them to do both there and here at home. Happy Holidays CZ!
I have a bunch of those totes they are the Commander XXL in that size. They are very durable and I like that you can use zip ties on the lids to keep prying eyes away. I used them for moving to a new place and in storage. I just put a piece of duct tape on the center square and put a number on it then I make a spreadsheet with what is in them and so no one is the wiser. They will hold a lot of weight, it says they are rated to 500 lbs. and I have put a about 4 .50 cal ammo cans full of different calibers in them and they’ve held up. With all those cans in them they do get quite heavy so YMMV. It also makes it easier for when you’re stacking in that you aren’t playing Tetris with boxes. Also you don’t have to worry about boxes deciding to just give out at the most inopportune time. They also don’t absorb moisture like boxes do and can destroy what’s in them by growing mildew. Also throw some desiccants in there and they are good to go. I like also that they are waterproof if they’re sealed also keeps out bugs.
I’ve shared my experiences with these totes before, but a summary might be useful..
1- they are not waterproof. I put clear packing tape over the lock holes in the lids, and that helps. They will still wick moisture around the edges of the tops though. An oversized sheet of plastic that hangs down at least 4-6″ placed on top of, and between stacked totes helps a lot.
2- they will collect water in a moist environment. ESPECIALLY when the contents have thermal mass, or will condense moisture with temperature changes. I opened one with a foot of … can’t really call the rotten contents of 40 cans of food “water”. The tote was under a tarp, secure and dry in my driveway. The temp changes and humidity in Houston will pump moist air into the totes, condense it, and over time will fill a tote with water. Some small drain holes in the bottom will help with this.
3- they are NOT all the same size. Choose where you buy them and stick with that store.
4- the lids will fly off in the bed of a truck… I use bungee cords with hooked ends across the top and hooked into the lock holes to help keep them on.
5- they are just a little too big to be handled comfortably when loaded. And they can get VERY heavy.
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FWIW, I’m back to using milk crates for a variety of stuff I want to stack or move, especially heavy stuff. They are great for supporting Aquatainers, keeping BBQ bottles of LP gas from rolling around, and each one will hold just under 30 cans of food. Air can circulate to dry the contents, rain doesn’t accumulate in them, you can see what’s in them, and they interlock as you stack them. Even full of books or cans, I can still lift and move them, which is more of a consideration each year.
They aren’t right for everything, but they have a place, just as the flip top bins do, and the black totes.
nick
Milk crates. mason jars and 5 gallon pails The pantheon of home storage.
We find that the yellow lids on those Costco totes crack easily at the edges when trying to pull them off. You need to be really careful with them. Because the price point is so good, we do have quite a few of them.
I second the suggestion of using the 17 gallon totes over the 27 gallon totes. As I age, I find it easier to move the smaller ones, I also use the 5 gallon totes a lot. No outdoor or high humidity storage though. I store a lot in the attic, so easier to get through the opening. I did add an electric hoist to help me get them up there. For things that need more protection, I use the surplus Pelican cases, More expensive, but solid. Ammo goes in ammo cans,
If a fella was to build his own dividers for these tote, he could build them tall enough that they would provide support for more boxes or any and all other debris that gets piled on.
We have a few of those – as noted, cheap, heavy when loaded, only moderately durable. There’s always a trade off – most of the better totes (Sterilite) are generally clear so anyone can see what’s in them. If you have a Big Lots nearby (most are closing) you can get some cheap there. They used to have the water and air tight ones (useful for long-term food, etc.) and with their ubiquitous 15-20% off coupons they were quite reasonable. They don’t seem to carry them any more, and they are 3 for $85 on Amazon (Yikes!) but you get what you pay for. https://www.amazon.com/IRIS-WeatherPro-BPA-Free-Stackable-Nestable/dp/B084TN9GSV/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3SV7WTVKKU0CK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yg1urJHmy7Cr2OWl4NUFYQFQ1rLk4Ntbl04sNLGYdrayalCFP3Ol8y_o_XA2lKEcIz1jUZFEPzVlp-hTgmW__xAZuxSO8T-P_EUVV-OwPyRV7snlPu8-q3lS6Z7x4czQxCiJTF6IbpvH1acteoNFBdq5O3R4fZUM6r3wAg8P0lGA7GUws_mdfLW6WDSdECoxZa1Z7q_y1kx9wV1Xmdjd4OidUYS9fl8oQI6FP68vuT3HgQA499fiVSbKUbvTGBARVX41949_1hLRsKedPgviOJOS5AEsr9huCH9FxppNiBM.4VJWXXaLLWu7pSUXCqlIJcw6yRYTSr0lJHAOd3amHe8&dib_tag=se&keywords=water+proof+plastic+storage+bins&qid=1733105630&sprefix=water+proof+plastic+sto%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-5
My local Costco carries those and I use them for things that I don’t want to worry about moisture in the air as I haven’t had my place with a basement long enough to know how the moisture levels change over the year.
They actually have some at Walmart’s website that are black with a blue lid, still have the gasket in the lid. Still expensive, but 24 gallon, water, air, and light proof, and stackable.
As Nick noted above,the dimensions aren’t the same between stores for the same volume. Home Depot vs Sam’s Club in my case.
But yes, they are turning into the defacto standard for reasonably priced and durable storage.
Steelheart
The Costco wire rack for them only supports them by the overhanging sides so it really limits the weight you can put in them. I built a shelving unit using 2x4s and plywood that hold 4 across and three high in my basement. Still deciding how to organized my gear as I move. I actually prefer Plano boxes but, as others have said, $$$.
for storing them, those racks are stupid simple yet bulletproof:
https://www.costco.com/.product.100785477.html
Under the bar we have one of these totes that has a cat litter box on top of it. The lid does capture the litter before taken out on the floor which we consider a win. I am using these to store some of my cutlery. A full one weighs about 40 – 45 pounds. The bottom unit with three full above has a lid which shows sign of collapsing on one long edge. Our cats jump on top of it to wrestle and survey the rest of the room. I already removed two that were above that before, but they weren’t full by any means.
Owning that rack would free me of that imminent collapse is all I’m saying. The dividers are a good idea as well if the top edge supports the lid which it appears to do.
Turns out there are also top trays available for the 27 gallon totes, and it looks as though the lids should still fit on top, if the trays are not filled with tall items.
Ordered one for the box in my truck, to check the sizes out.
Dude, you can’t just make a comment like that and not link to the item in question.
https://www.amazon.com/Organize-Universal-27-Gallon-Heavy-Duty-Containers/dp/B0CW92T8GW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=28X8PJZ97KRJ7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GOQilo27TmqnGdfDJ4JZaHJ_8vvtxhAMSTD96ynrVTHoDtRuPvhtcXvDOlSCRVHvr4tVTRw1C4EzXk8mK_sYPkceKr9kAE7sjgc-LIBMiJfvMnsiG2oqfKXMt4funn4INr2QWSEwQpBcvnR_V30_HMfUWD-dj5_ILmwLi6JiftkxdvwndrA60FOOOefeExj1qo3U-xXCoySp9AksYCojy_XSqy8LYP3e_0LYz8khU-i6zMdM3Wo9VABJryGBvVPH0EQOIvL5Tf0GQqjygY9urj45JItS4xzXNHdk7AsvbQI.a0FTGcjmjobTQzS2RcI5uPnin9LYQLGsLMaT1RXy3M0&dib_tag=se&keywords=27+gallon+tote+tray&qid=1733275176&sprefix=27+gallon+tote+tray%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-2
Much obliged for the link sir. A couple of these could be very useful to have in stock.
4-5 years ago my buddy, who worked as a grip on film production crews, said they were not UV stabilized and tend to embrittle outside. And thus, forbidden.
They may have fixed that with a plastic additive by now but how would you know when it only fails when you use it/rely on it?
It’s a tough problem to solve but I don’t think the “bumblebee” totes are the answer, personally.
Just wanted to add, since it was on my mind today, the Rubbermaid brand tubs that are a sort of softer plastic, will fail over time. I got some Christmas lights down from the attic and the tote broke apart in sheets under hand pressure.
It’s not the first time it happened, just the most recent. And I’m pretty sure this particular tub was never in the sun. It seems that just before they get weak, they get a bit shiny or slicker than normal…
There aren’t any perfect solutions.
nick
Got any electrical motors running in your attic, like a/c or heater? Ozone may do some damage to plastic. Certainly does to rubber, like car tires stored in the garage near the water heater or hot air heater.