Ah, where to start with Really Useful Boxes? They are a modern Wonder Product in my opinion! I get excited over household storage solutions as it is, but the list of possible uses for these is endless, and the choice in colours, sizes and even styles is vast. You get some that are aimed at administration and office work (and you get suspension files specifically for them!), you get those that are designed for CDs, DVDs, under beds, on shelves. Even stacked on top of each other. Drawer systems with teeny tiny ones for storing jewellery, screws, nails, beads etc are widely available too.

An alternative use that you may not know about is in animal keeping, particularly with snakes and small rodents. They can be used to house a huge array of animals though, with only minor customisations - drilling of air holes or adding of sections of mesh. The best thing about these in pet keeping above other storage boxes, is that they are perfectly square/rectangular inside instead of losing floor space and having odd nooks and crannies which make cleaning out a pain. Also a huge bonus is the handles on the boxes; these clip up and over the handles on the lid, making them super secure. There are even companies which manufacture racking systems to fit Really Useful Boxes, aimed specifically at breeders and those with huge collections of snakes! Their ability to be stacked (with or without lids) is another bonus for those looking to house large collections without having to pay out for a rack.

They are so so strong, I never feel paranoid about them bursting or breaking, even when crammed full of stuff. I use them for animals (amphibians, invertebrates) as mentioned, as well as storage and these boxes just continue to perform. I even have little blue and pink ones for storing hair accessories and other girly paraphernalia! These were the first ones I ever bought and I first saw them in PC World of all places. I just thought they looked great and had to have them. Truly, for a plastic storage box they do look good. I think it's due to their shape, the handles and the neat lids. Even the coloured ones are semi transparent, so you can generally see the contents without opening them. I also used my stash of Really Useful Boxes when moving house and it's amazing just how much you can actually get in the bigger ones. You can really pack since they are strong and don't bow or bend.

I am planning to use two 9L Really Useful Boxes at the end of the month for transporting two turtles 500 odd miles. I am perfectly confident with their durability, safety, and inescapable lids to do this on such a long journey and I'm sure my turtles will be very comfy in there!

Prices vary hugely with sizes and styles, but overall they are definitely not the cheapest. However, they are probably the best value, all things considered. I'm sure I'm not alone in having experienced cheaper plastic storage boxes getting cracked, losing clips that keep the lids in place and so on. This has never happened to me in many years of using Really Useful Boxes; I have never had to throw one away, or had them suffer any kind of damage. They certainly deserve their name, their usefulness just goes on and on since they are so highly adaptable.

A point worth making is that in terms of pet keeping, they are massively cheaper than alternatives (such as aquariums, cages, wooden vivariums) and you get much more space for your money which is important to me, since I strive to not simply provide my animals with the bare minimums..

I would definitely recommend Really Useful Boxes for storage, animals, moving house and transporting stuff if you can afford the initial outlay. You can be rest assured they will pay you back pretty soon by not breaking, and doing almost whatever you want them to do. If only they would pack themselves for moving house though, that would certainly earn them an extra "Useful" in their name!