What is the secret to putting hanging files in a crate. I have about 4 of these exact Sterilite crates and for the life of me I cannot get the hanging files to go in right. When I put in less they fall to the back. When I put in more it gets crammed and stuck. There has to be a way to do it so it can stay empty. I've seen them all lined up with noting in the folders but what am I doing wrong? I can put them in a filing cabinet just fine. These cutout milk crates though...not at all. I know there's a way it's just ot one anyone has put on Youtube as a "how to" video. So at the end of the day it looks all nice and normal like this:
It looks like in the picture you've posted, the folders are open slightly. Some folders are different in their weight/thickness also; they sometimes hold better in crates. I have my hanging files in crates like the picture above because my filling cabinet's sides are too short for hanging folders.
Is there a lip or track on the top of the crate (I mean its inside the crate, just below the top)? Some crates don't come with the lip that lets you use hanging file folders in them. I ended up using this sterilite hanging file box from walmart because it seemed like the crates from walmart and target were just not quite the right width for the handing files even though it had the lip, so one side of the folder would fall off the lip.
That may be the problem. You need the Sterlite crates. They have a special lip on the inside for the folders to hang. You can get them in many colors at Walmart for under $4.I love the crates for storage! I am planning on separating each 9 weeks' units into a different colored crate.
I noticed that too and was wondering if those are specific ones the OP has; the folders should work in that type of crate. My post was referencing the mentioning of milk crates and how those wouldn't work. Hopefully, it all gets sorted out!
Hmm.. it should definitely work then. I have the same folders as you posted above; the only difference is I have the dark hunter green ones. I'm not sure why it isn't working properly. In your original post, what do you mean they fall to the back?
I've had that same problem with the same kind of crate... I don't know the solution, but my guess is that some folders are better than others!
So it is a process of "marrying" the folders to the crates before plunking down your money? I would think that there should be a way to contact Sterlite and asking how they can sell crates that have apparently been made for one purpose, but are, in fact, useless for said purpose.
When I put them in they seem to immediately fall backwards. The last 10 or so at least. I have some of the green ones too. How many do you put in a crate? The come in packs of 25 and 50.I've had 25 and the last 10 have fallen backwards in the crate even spaced out. Or I get some wonky ones where the white hooks will hook on one side of the crate and seem to not want to stretch to hook on the other side. Every like 2-5 do that. I've stuffed 50 in there spacing them out just so and I still get the wonky and falling.
It usually depends on what the crate is being used for on how many I have in a crate. I have one now that I'm using to separate construction paper by color; it has at most 10 folders in it. My other crate probably has about 25. Can you push in or pull out the white hooks to make them more even? I noticed with some of my folders the hook was longer on one side, and I could pull it to even it back out. It seems like it's a huge balancing act with folders and crates!
I had two milk crates last year with folders. They did tend to bunch together when they were empty, and if the crate was warped at all, they wouldn't hang right. Also, the milk crates have gotten thin, it seems, and flexible. So moving them with the folders inside was problematic, too. I ended up moving them back to the filing cabinet.lol
