As your board game collection grows, you’re probably thinking of how you’re going to best store them. Specialized board game shelves offer a modular and customizable solution for organizing your games, providing easy access while keeping them safe and preventing the dreaded board game mess when you finally open them to find everything has spilled out. We’ve a mixture of tips, products, and a few controversial ideas for all your board game storage…
What are the best board game storage ideas?
Store Board Games Horizontally
There’s a real temptation for board gamers to store their games vertically. The likely reason behind this is because of books – we store books in this way, rather than stacking them one on top of the other. Most books have standard or similar size, and so most bookshelves in our homes accommodate this. However, traditional cube shelves may not be ideal for storing board games, as certain items may not fit well on them. When we go to place board games on bookshelves, as many of us do, we then think we should do the same as our books, especially if that shelf also contains books. While it can be aesthetically pleasing – you’re much better to store your board games flat!
Most board games come with an insert, which, while suitable for keeping components from moving too far, rarely hold the games from the top in a way that will stop them from slipping when flipped on its side. Especially games with cards, where only a paper stocks width of gap is needed for one to get loose, you’ll consistently find that storing upright leads to a messy clean up any time you want to play a game. Or it’s worth at least figuring out which games have tighter inserts, and which don’t, and flipping accordingly. If you would rather stack vertically though, try…
Board Game Storage Trays and Inserts
If you look at your board game and think – it’s rather messy in there – there’s a good chance someone else did too. That means that there are some fantastic third-party storage opportunities within your board game box, and many publishers have realized this. Some will work with companies to produce them as part of their retail offering, some will provide sizes ahead of time so that storage boxes can be made ahead of time, and some just make great universal options.
Organization starts from within – keep your board games stored right on the inside, as well as the outside.
One popular option is Game Trayz, who began with storage trays for board games, but now offer a wide range of board game “enhancements”. If you’ve bought something like Overboss from Brotherwise Games, you’ll recognize these as included. These are fantastic for the likes of Wingspan, where Stonemaier Games tend not to include any inserts at all. Another is Folded Space, who create foam inserts that you slot together to build a more custom secure insert for your game. Both are especially fantastic for when you start adding in expansions too and want to keep it down to one single box.
Lastly, you can DIY your board game storage without too much difficulty. The more traditional way to do this has been to purchase foam from hobby stores, and either create walls within the board game box to separate the components, or dig out wells within it to keep them in. The newer, increasingly common way has been to 3D print the storage. This tends to work best with smaller games, given the time and cost, but STL files (which are specific to 3D printers) can be downloaded from many different sources, from Etsy to specific 3D file marketplaces, but will hold your components perfectly.
Use Board Game Bands
The alternative to the above is to consider holding the game closed in some way. Traditionally, as you’ve probably seen around many a Clue or Monopoly game, families would pop an elastic band around the game to hold it closed. Whilst it certainly did the job, it also often damaged the box – either as the band dried out, causing wear on the box, or by weakening it to the point that the cardboard around the bands would split. Hobby board games are both more treasured, more unique, and often more expensive than traditional mass market games, and as such, it’s best to leave the elastic bands behind.
Keep your games within their box with a board game band. This is one from Enhance Tabletop.
Silicone bands are the most commonly seen, but you can also get those which are an elasticated fabric from the likes of Enhance Tabletop. These tend to have a little more give than traditional elastic, and a wider band. The downside to this is that when you go to store your games on the shelves, they’re much less likely to sit flat or flush against the others, but it’s a popular option for many.
To keep your favorite board games organized and visible, consider using storage solutions that allow easy access. This enhances family gatherings and game nights, ensuring that your treasured games are always ready to play.
Classic Board Game Storage – Go to Ikea
The board game storage standard is an Ikea Kallax. These cubed units are reasonably priced, safe and secure, and tend to fit board games in perfectly. However, modular board game shelves, such as BoxThrone, can be a great alternative to traditional options, enhancing the display and accessibility of your collection. If you’ve wondered where to store your board games, or how you can do so efficiently, most gamers will recommend you an Ikea Kallax.
Unsurprisingly, putting a lot of games together results in a large box. But is it too large?
So much so in fact, that it’s a point of note amongst board game designers when planning the box for the game. Many will try to fit the parameters of Kallax size, and those that don’t – the Everdell Complete Collection for example, though more on this later for a different reason – can be called out for making it difficult to store. Whilst not all sides of a board game are the same, many will try to make the height a Kallax suitable one, and as a result, a Kallax has become the best option for your board game storage.
Store in a safe place
Perhaps obvious, but worth mentioning – you should store your board games in a safe, non-humid place, ideally out of direct sunlight. That prevents the risk of mold and sun damage. There’s been many stories over the years of board gamers who have stored their games in a basement and suffered a flood. Accidents will happen, but if you can mitigate these risks, you’ve got a better chance of preventing the worst from occurring.
Additionally, having a dedicated game closet can provide an efficient storage solution, keeping your games neatly arranged and easily accessible.
Buy Big Box Versions or Collections
Many board gamers will buy and fall in love with a game, and when an expansion is released? They’ll probably buy that too. That’s fantastic for getting more game, but tricky for available space. If you’re willing to either commit to a game franchise
entirely, or know you love it enough to go through the effort of selling your own ones, then buying the whole game with expansions in a single box can be a winner.
The aforementioned Everdell Complete Collection is one such beast, which contains the base Everdell game, plus its five expansions. Each are housed in a specially created game tray that means you can store the entire game for much less space than owning each individual one, with the benefit of consistency between the components, and everything in one space. Big Box versions of games are the same, they offer the base and the expansions, but likely just don’t want to commit to saying the game is complete. Carcassonne is an example of this, it offers the basic game and eleven expansions, with space built to hold all of the tiles needed.
Keep all your board games in a single (admittedly large) box to save space.
The upside to this method is keeping everything neatly stored in one place, which is an absolute win for gamers with multiple games in the series. It guarantees you’ve got everything you need, and no expansion goes forgotten, even if the expansion is out of print (on most occasions). However, the big box aspect of it is real – it will take up a huge amount of space, which can make it difficult to justify taking to board game nights outside the house. It will also cause you to part with your own copies of the game, which can sometimes be just as filled with nostalgia as the game itself!
To manage this, consider organizing your collection in a dedicated game cupboard. This can help maximize space, manage clutter, and improve accessibility for your board games and card games.
Condense your board games for more storage
Like buying Big Box versions to keep board games and their expansions in a single space, you can simply decant an expansion into the original box, or vice versa depending on the game – especially when there’s a particularly big box with extra space, there are no extra expansions coming, or if you only ever play the games together. This method helps to store games more efficiently, making it easier to manage and organize your collection.
Also Read: Best Card Storage Ideas for Your Collection
Often board game designers will try to make expansions follow a similar box format to the original, to make it more pleasing on your shelf (as well as for ease of costings), but that means that they can result in big empty spaces within the box. Exploding Kittens games are an example of this, often with a small pack of cards held by a cardboard insert in a much larger box. Storing the expansions within the original will save that space.
Many games have a bit of extra space that’s perfect for condensing the expansion into the main box, or the other way around.
It’s worth considering this may decrease your resale opportunities, but if you know you love the games and won’t get rid of them, this is a great way to get some more space!
Controversial tip: Condense your board games into zip-lock bags
One that made the rounds on the internet some time ago, it was something that made some board gamers excited about the prospect of more board game space, and others cringe in horror. Admittedly, with a vantage point of the latter, this tip is extremely controversial, but there will be some who are comfortable with replacing board game boxes entirely. Remove the components, add them to a Ziplock bag, and place them within a box or a tray. As an optional extra, if you don’t want to include the rulebook for size reasons, you could print a QR code onto a sticker with a link to it, or to a how to play video.
Use Amazon Hacks for Board Game Storage
Using some everyday items, you can condense some of your everyday board game accessories into a smaller area, saving your larger storage for bigger boxes. These hacks can also help in efficiently storing board games, ensuring that game pieces remain intact and easily accessible. Here’s a few to help:
Use a shoe storage to put board games on the back of your door
You can pick up cheap shoe storage packs or boxes, many of which will hang from the back of your door. These don’t allow you to put a huge amount in them, but you can definitely fit a good number of small card games, or any gaming accessories like dice within them. With see-through storage, it also reminds you which games you have with a quick glance, stopping any games falling into obscurity. This makes it perfect for game night, as you can easily access your favorite games and enhance the atmosphere of your social gatherings.
[Potential affiliate link:
https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Houseware-Pockets-Hanging-Organizer/dp/B07CG
Hanging Storage in the Closet
Similar to the above, you can pick up larger hanging storage that can live in your closet. You will need a larger one for full-size games, but admittedly given the weight of putting many games onto one rack, you may do better with using it for your smaller games and accessories. It might not be an aesthetically pleasing option, but it does let you make use of your existing storage in a much better way. Additionally, this storage solution can help in organizing a game room, making it easier to store and access board games while keeping the space tidy.
[Potential affiliate link:https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Hanging-Closet-Pockets-6-Tier/dp/B07JWZ889
Use a Wine Rack for your Game Mats
Game mats are popular in board games. Often made of a neoprene style material, they make components and cards much easier to pick up and prevents them from moving too much – so you’re much less likely to knock the table and move the game. Whether you have ones that are player specific, but generic to any game, or game specific ones, or even as maps for narrative adventures and RPGs you can easily roll them up and pop them into a bottle holder. This prevents them from getting annoying creases in them, whilst also keeping them out of the way!
[Potential Affiliate link:
https://www.amazon.com/mDesign-Modern-Decorative-Storage-Organizer/dp/B07JH JNCGB/
Store Paint like Nail Varnish
If you paint your board game miniatures, a fantastic storage hack is to treat them like nail varnish. Not only is it worth picking up a nail varnish storage rack (either wall mounted, free standing, or portable) to keep everything in one place and stored well, but you could take it one step further…
[potential affiliate link:
https://www.amazon.com/NIUBEE-Mounted-Removable-Anti-slip-Organizer/dp/B07T XD5RYC/
But you can also paint the plastic nail varnish swatch kits with color over your usual primer, so you always know which color you need, no matter how many paints you have.
[Potential Affiliate link:
https://www.amazon.com/KINGMAS-150pcs-Swatches-Display-Practice/dp/B0868FL Q92/
Conclusion
The board game hobby is one that can take up a lot of space, and so considerate storage is a must. With these board game storage tips, you can have your games stored safely, easily accessible, and ready to play within moments.
FAQ
How do I determine the best storage solution for my board games?
When selecting a storage solution, consider the size and number of your games, as well as how often you play them. Assess your available space and choose options that facilitate easy access while keeping your collection organized.
Can I still use the original boxes if I condense my games?
Yes, many players opt to keep the original boxes for aesthetic reasons or to maintain a complete collection. However, if space is a major concern, using alternative storage methods can help you save room while still keeping your games intact.
What should I do with broken components?
If you have broken pieces, consider reaching out to the manufacturer for replacements, or use online communities to find other gamers who might have extra parts. Alternatively, you can get creative and repurpose broken components into custom game expansions or art projects.
Are there any benefits to storing games vertically?
Storing games vertically can save shelf space and make it easier to see your collection at a glance. However, ensure that heavier boxes are stored on lower shelves to prevent them from toppling over and causing damage.
How can I make my board game storage more aesthetically pleasing?
You can use decorative boxes, baskets, or shelves that match your home decor to create a visually appealing storage space. Adding labels to the containers can also help maintain organization while enhancing the overall look of your gaming area.