Collapsible storage solves an obvious problem and introduces a less obvious one. Which type suits depends almost entirely on whether the box will spend part of the year empty.
The Case for Folding
A box that collapses flat takes almost no space when it is not in use.
For anything seasonal, that is a genuine benefit: Christmas boxes stored flat for eleven months, camping gear boxes flattened between trips, boxes kept for a move.
It also makes buying several less daunting, since the empty ones are not occupying a cupboard while you wait to need them.
The Case for Rigid
Strength. The hinge lines that allow a box to fold are also where it gives under load.
A rigid box carries more weight, stacks more securely and holds its shape when partly filled. For anything at the bottom of a stack, or anything heavy, that difference is not marginal.
Rigid boxes also seal better against dust and damp, since folding designs have more joints.
Which to Choose
- Seasonal contents, empty half the year: folding
- Bottom of a stack or heavy contents: rigid
- Long-term loft or garage storage: rigid, for the seal
- Moving house: folding, since they store flat afterwards
- Frequently accessed: rigid with a front opening
Ranges carrying both types, of the kind at olarhike.net, allow the choice to be made per use rather than committing a whole household to one format.
Where Folding Boxes Fail
Under sustained weight along the hinge lines, which is exactly what happens at the bottom of a stack.
Also when repeatedly folded and unfolded, since the fold lines fatigue. A box collapsed and rebuilt twice a year lasts considerably longer than one handled monthly.
Fabric and Wire Designs
A third category worth knowing about. Fabric boxes on a wire or card frame collapse completely and carry very little.
They suit light contents on a shelf, particularly clothing and soft goods, and they are not storage boxes in the stacking sense. Sagging under weight is what they do rather than a fault.
Lids Matter for Both
A lid that latches keeps dust out, allows stacking and stops the contents shifting.
Boxes without lids are open bins rather than storage, which is fine for a cupboard and poor for a loft.
Buy One First
For anything you intend to buy several of, one box lived with for a fortnight reveals whether the size, the access and the strength suit.
Six of the wrong box is a considerably more annoying mistake than one.
Matching Sizes
Whichever type, buying one or two sizes rather than assorted ones is what makes a storage space efficient, since matching boxes stack squarely and mismatched ones waste the gaps.