Multimedia storage is usually made to fit the type of media being stored, sometimes reducing the overall area needed to hold a large number of items. Certain designs, such as rotating shelves, can preserve organization and accessibility while hiding the majority of items out of sight. Physical multimedia items are usually of a regular size, so many of these storage solutions include slots in which individual pieces may fit. Others are designed to fit the maximum number of different types of media possible by being adjustable.
Usually, multimedia storage is thought of in terms of what types of items the storage unit will hold. One of the most common types of storage is for CDs, as these items are small and do not necessarily require large bookshelves. CD storage units can be freestanding, but smaller items may fit on walls or desktops. Many multimedia storage units of this type have slots for each individual CD, which can be very useful if someone likes to keep CDs in order, because the items will not shift when removing an individual CD.
DVD storage is very similar to CD storage in that the items usually have slots, but it can be different because the shelves are larger. This type of multimedia storage is sometimes designed in such a way that a television can be placed on top of the unit, which keeps these related items close together for convenience. Sometimes, storage units may accommodates both DVDs and VHS tapes, although these items are becoming increasingly rare.
This type of storage furniture comes in many different designs and can be made from various materials. The design of the furniture also affects what types of media can fit in it. Among the different styles common for multimedia storage, units resembling bookshelves and those that look more like cabinets are common.
Photo storage is often designed to both display and organize photos, often on a coffee table. Boxes for photos commonly use a frame as the top of the box, making this an attractive way to hold a number of pictures. Some photo storage solutions also take care to protect the photos from sticking together, although these are often bulkier than photo boxes.
With more and more digitized media, it is becoming increasingly popular to store media in the form of disk drives and media players. These items often both store data and allow it to be used, although they are sometimes connected to televisions or other players. Given that these items are usually more closely related to mp3 players and computer storage devices, there are very few pieces of multimedia storage furniture of this type.