Organizing your table games involves creating efficient storage solutions based on how often you play them, ensuring both accessibility and neatness.
Effective Strategies for Organizing Your Table Game Collection
Keeping your collection of table games, such as board games, card games, and dice games, tidy and accessible makes game nights smoother and protects your investment. A primary method involves sorting and stacking game boxes strategically.
Sort and Stack by Frequency of Use
A key technique derived from efficient storage practices is to create stacks of board game boxes. The goal is to maximize ease of access for your most-played games while storing less frequently used ones out of the way.
- Sort: Go through your collection and group games by how often they are played.
- Frequently Used Games: These are your go-to games for regular play.
- Less Frequently Used Games: These might be complex games, party games for specific occasions, or games you're taking a break from.
- Stack and Place: Arrange your sorted stacks on shelves based on accessibility.
- Lower, Easier-to-Access Shelves: Place those games that you or your kids play on a regular basis here. This makes grabbing a favorite game quick and effortless.
- Upper Shelves: Store games played less often on these higher shelves. They are still available when you need them but don't clutter prime storage space.
Manage Smaller Games and Components
Many table games come in smaller boxes, bags, or are just sets of cards or dice. These can easily get lost or mixed up.
- Use Bins or Storage Boxes: For any games that are in smaller boxes or bags, it is highly recommended to use bins or storage boxes to corral them into one place. This keeps related items together and prevents small games from being scattered or overlooked.
- Labeling: Consider labeling your bins or shelves, especially if you have a large collection or multiple people accessing the games. Labels can help everyone quickly find what they are looking for and put things back correctly.
Additional Tips for Organization
Beyond sorting and containing, consider these supplementary strategies:
- Vertical Storage: Whenever possible, store board game boxes vertically rather than horizontally. This often makes them easier to pull out without disturbing the stack.
- Component Management: Inside the boxes, use plastic bags, tackle boxes, or dedicated inserts to keep components like tokens, cards, and dice organized and prevent them from mixing during storage or transport.
- Assess Your Space: Determine the available storage space (shelves, cupboards, under beds) before you begin organizing. This helps you plan where different categories of games will go.
Here is a simple overview of the storage strategy:
| Game Type | Storage Location | Containment Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Frequently Played | Lower, Easy-Access Shelves | Stacked Boxes |
| Less Frequently Played | Upper Shelves | Stacked Boxes |
| Small Games/Components | Any Available Shelf Space | Bins / Storage Boxes |
By implementing these methods, you can create an organized system for your table games that is both functional and visually appealing, ensuring that game time is focused on fun, not searching for pieces.
