Getting everything in your home organized is a great feeling of success.
When things are organized, it becomes easier to find, and you feel you have more space in your home.
There are a few things that can seem impossible to store properly, such as lightbulbs.
Lightbulbs come in many different shapes, wattages, sizes, and even colors.
Light bulbs never seem to be stored properly and end up breaking.
If you want to know how to store light bulbs in your home, then read on.
Table of Contents
How To Store Light Bulbs?
Smaller Light bulbs can be stored using egg cartons. Extra bubble wrap wrapped around the globes helps to protect the light bulbs further. In addition, Christmas Ornament storage boxes are suited extremely well to store light bulbs as the sections in between protect the light bulbs from each other. An alternative is a professional light bulb, storage organizer. If you feel crafty you can also come up with your own light bulb organizer using cardboard.
Why Lightbulbs need to be stored
Lightbulbs are common household items, and if you have a lot of people living in your home or you use lights frequently, then you might be needing to replace lightbulbs rather frequently.
It isn’t uncommon to pull a lightbulb from wherever it has been stored and find that it has been broken or damaged and will not work anymore.
It is therefore essential to store lightbulbs properly to avoid the loss of toxins and to avoid damage to the bulbs.
Practical Storage Ideas For Incandescent Bulbs
Sometimes when you buy light bulbs, you might only need one, but they may come in a pack of two or more.
The question now is, what do we do with the spare ones?
Leaving them sitting somewhere is asking for the bulbs to be broken. Here are a few ideas for storing incandescent bulbs.
If you have smaller light bulbs, you can think about storing them in an old egg carton.
With a little bubble wrap around the globe, they can be stored in your egg carton.
The cardboard top will protect them, and the cardboard in between will ensure they don’t knock against each other.
Christmas Ornament Storage Box
The ornament boxes for your Christmas decorations come in many different types and sizes and are perfect for your light bulbs with the individual built-in storage sections.
These sections ensure the light bulbs will not roll around in the box and break or become damaged.
Specially Designed Storage Bin
A light bulb storage box such as Amazon.com: bulbNEST – Light Bulb Storage Organizer.
This product stores a good amount of bulbs and ones of different shapes and sizes.
You can also consider using this box as inspiration for creating your own from some things at home like cardboard, bubble wrap, and a shoebox.
You want the wrap to be able to wrap completely around your light bulb twice. The goal here is to securely pack the globes, so they are not touching each other and are protected by wrap.
Even if something like a cup falls on the unused globes, they will be protected by the wrapping and the lid of the box; clearly label the box, so you know which sort of globes and their wattage is in the box.
Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs are not used as commonly as incandescent lights, but you still need to take care of them in case you are still using this type of lighting.
Halogen bulbs have specific handling instructions.
Take them into consideration when you are storing halogen bulbs.
It is best not to handle these bulbs with your bare hands due to the bulbs being made up of quartz.
The oils and the salt on your skin can cause a breakdown of weak points within the globe.
It is a good idea to wear gloves or wipe the bulbs down after you have finished handling them.
If you would prefer to go with the DIY option, then you need to take into consideration the box or container that you are going to be using.
Think about what was originally stored in the container and whether it is possible if the container still has greasy residues or contains something that can possibly contaminate the integrity of the bulb just like your hands can.
Fluorescent Bulbs
Good storage doesn’t only protect the bulbs, but it also protects the environment and you.
Fluorescent bulbs need to be more secured than the other types of bulbs as if one shall break, it will release toxins into the air such as mercury which can be inhaled.
There are rules and regulations in place to help with how to store and handle these bulbs correctly.
Ensure the bulbs are kept in a dry place as moisture can wreck the box and cause it to become weak. Once weakened the chance that the bulbs are damaged increases.
It is best not to store bulbs for longer than twelve months.
When you are storing light bulbs, ensure you write the date on them. Ensure light bulbs are used within twelve-months.
Conclusion
It seems that the common household item ‘the light bulb’ is always overlooked when things are getting organized.
Packaged in their flimsy cardboard boxes that cannot handle much movement, they are always found broken right when you need one.
All homes need bulbs, so it would make sense to have a great storage option for the spare bulbs to ensure you have them ready and easy to find at all times.
Instead of searching for different wattages and sizes, have separate containers clearly labeled so you know exactly where they can be found.
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Store Lightbulbs
Are Bulbs Sensitive To Temperature?
Bulbs have an electric current that passes through the filament that gets heated up to a certain temperature which then creates the light. When bulbs are stored in the cold, especially the incandescent lights, which can become inefficient when they heat up too much, being too cold means, they will take longer to heat up and create the light.
When I Replace A Bulb, Can I Recycle It?
Check your local area for how lightbulbs in your town can be recycled. Various towns have recycle shops set up for you to bring in your old light globes where some parts will be recycled, and others disposed of in the proper way.