For the time being, maybe you could just buy a very small CD holder that holds only a few CD's.

Well, I just found one reason to save the original cases. Today the kids gave me a bunch of old CDs they want to get rid of. I did have a stack of old cases (they keep them in binders). A few of the CDs went with the cases I had, the rest were empty or broken. Now, when I go to the used CD store, they won't take them without the original cases. So if you may ever want to sell them, you might want to save the cases.

Marie, I'm...thinking about a small CD holder. I have a tendency to spread things out if they're not all kept together, so all my CD's are in a shoe box, then I just throw a couple in my gym bag.

RJVT, There are used CD stores??

Yes, we have a few around here. In fact, some of the "new" CD stores also accept used CDs. Otherwise, my kids would not have gotten so many new (to them) ones for the holidays!

Most cities, I would think, have used CD stores. DH collects CD's and DVD's (this is where my organizing gets into trouble because he never puts them back) and we've sold quite a few CD's throughout the years. That's the reason I won't get rid of the cases. As, RJVT said, if you should ever decide to sell any CD's, they need to be in in their cases.

Julie, you don't even want to see how I store my CDs. I am SOOO bad. That might be why I got an iPod for Christmas so I don't have to deal with them as much!!!!

Sheryl

My brother stores his CDs in a folder, but has kept the cases (in storage) in case he wants to sell any. I loaded my entire CD collection into my laptop and use iTunes to burn mp3 CDs. Each takes between 100 and 120 songs, so I can keep the CD in the player for a while before changing it and don't need to lug a folder around unless I'm going travelling. I put the original CDs in storage so they aren't in my way, and store the mp3 CDs in a folder.

Whatever you do, don't throw away the cases or inserts, in case you want to sell them later.

I do the same as Netla. All of our music is stored on the computer thanks to iTunes. We download it to our iPods. We also have an AirPort so we can play our music wirelessly to our home speakers. We have no need (thankfully) to keep our CD's nearby. They are in storage in their original cases.

We have taken our DVD's out of their cases & put them into one of the binder type holders because of space issues. We also put those cases in storage.

Julie, would an iPod work for you? A Shuffle is only about $100 & it holds about 16 hours of music. To me, that's much easier than carrying around CD's & switching them out. I like mine so much I even listen to it when I go to Wal-Mart.

Kittiemom,

I have less than 15 CD's and the walkman works fine since I only use it at the gym. If there is something good on TV, I'll plug the headphones into that instead. LOL

P.S. Doesn't it cost extra money to get songs on the ipod via itunes?

We have a large collection of CD's (my husband is a drummer and plays for the symphony)so we have several drawers full of CD's. I keep them in the original cases so I can read the tops to know what is what and it protects them more. I have a soft small CD carrier I use for the gym, that I just fill before I leave and return to the drawers when I get home.

Brenda

Make a copy of the songs you want to listen to as you exercise (just the favorite tracks) and haul the copies to the gym.

Leave the originals (in their cases) at home.

P.S. Doesn't it cost extra money to get songs on the ipod via itunes?

It costs money (99 cents each) if you buy the songs on the iTunes Music Store and download them to your computer. But you also can play the CDs on your computer and import the songs with the iTunes software (which is free) and put them on an iPod that way. That would be free since you already have the CDs.

Lazygardens,
That's an excellent idea... but I thought music CD's were copy protected??

Julie

Some CDs are copy protected ... but most aren't.

And if you use Linux instead of Windows, very few CDs are copy-protected.

Julie,
If you were meaning copyrighted, I think this kind of copying falls under what is called "fair use" under copyright law.
Tim

you can make an extra copy of music you have purchased IF AND ONLY IF that extra copy is for your own use.

Either to protect the original (as suggested here), or to create a "party mix" or something.

The moment you give that CD to someone else, you're in violation of copyright law. Though most people don't get caught if they're doing it on a small scale (such as giving a "mix" to a friend).