to provide a manipulable strip 20 which can be drawn upwards by finger means when this strip is raised sufficiently from the strap surface it forms an ovular handle through which the hand can be inserted for carrying purposes alternatively the handle means may be added to the strap assembly as a discrete element as shown by ring 40 in fig4 according to this embodiment a circular type band is threaded onto adjacent straps and drawn toward the center of the assembly until it extends crosswise between opposing pairs of transversely disposed straps at the midpoint or point of intersection 19 this is a practical alternative to the handle shown in fig1 because it avoids the tearing which can result from the repeated use of an integrally formed handle and it allows the user to add to the strap assembly a new handle in the event that a replacement becomes necessary or desirable a preferred embodiment of this invention provides for using the present device in combination with the container shown as 21 in fig1 the side walls 22 and end walls 23 of this container are of such height that the user may erect therein a vertical stack of any desired dimension but in general stacks.