Pro tip: I used to keep my game collection in a closet, but now it's a full wall in my living room

For years, I kept everything boxed up and only pulled out a game maybe once a month. After a game night in Denver where a friend had everything on display, I changed my mind. I built some simple shelves and now my 40+ games are out where people can see them. It's led to way more spontaneous plays. How do you all decide what to keep out versus what to store away?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela401mo ago

Oh man, the dust factor is real... I keep my absolute favorites out, but anything with a dark box or a matte finish just shows every speck. My copy of Azul looks tragic after a year on the shelf. So now I only display games with glossy boxes or lighter colors... the rest go in a cabinet. It's a weird way to choose, but it works.

wendyc531mo ago

Hot take: Dust is the real final boss. What about just putting the whole shelf behind glass doors? I saw someone do that with an Ikea cabinet and it looked really clean. You still get the display effect without the constant wiping down. My system is a mess, I just keep anything we play often on the open shelf. The rest are in bins sorted by player count.

the_lucas7d ago

Used to be firmly in the "keep it all hidden away" camp (dusted twice a year, max). But after seeing someone's copy of Parks just sitting out, I realized how much of a conversation starter an open shelf can be. Now my compromise is a mix - the bright, glossy boxes like Ticket to Ride and Cascadia stay out where people grab them, but stuff with weird shapes or dark covers (looking at you, Agricola) stays in a cabinet. Still bothers me a little bit, but the trade-off is worth it for those random Tuesday night games.

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