For Beginner Figure Collectors #17: Storage of Figure Boxes

By TReina - Saturday, August 13, 2016 - No Comments

To All,

If you remember, for the last session we've covered the methods and items which I use to store my figures. But the storage problems don't just end there. What about the figure boxes themselves? Do you keep them as well? I do, not only because most boxes I have look nice, but also because it's safer to put the figures back into their boxes and blisters when you move. And furthermore, the price of a pristine figure with an undamaged box tend to be higher than one with a damaged or without a box.

Then here comes the problem. How do I store these boxes?

Most people store them in a large space or room such as their closets or storerooms where they might have a larger area and will be forgiven even if they cramp all their boxes into them. I personally don't do that as I can't stand how messy my room would look eventually if I just simply chucked everything in. Also, it would be a headache for me if I had to source a figure's box out of that mountain.

However, if you would still like to store it in your closet or storeroom, but would like the items to appear much more organized, I would recommend using cardboard boxes. They are easily attainable sturdy and be a really great help if you ever intend to move!

If you order figures directly from Japan, or have a lot of cardboard boxes on hand at the moment, rejoice! That's definitely one way to store your figures. If your figures can fit into the cardboard box for shipment over, there's no reason why they can't fit in for storage! And it'll keep the dust off your boxes as well!

Or if you are some organizing freak like myself, you might want to invest in some large plastic boxes instead. Not only would it help to keep your figure boxes dust-free, but the transparency of these boxes would help you locate the figure box you want without opening every other lid, like you be if you forgot which cardboard box contains the figure box which you are looking for!

Be sure to get those with straight sides (or at least as straight as possible) so you'll be able to maximize the space usage. And if you don't like the looks of these, there are others by Ikea as well~

But even still, if you get a constant intake of figures, there would definitely come a day when space would become a problem again. What to do then?

While facing this problem, I decided to flatten those boxes without blisters and store them in larger boxes. For instance, I flattened Chibi-kyun chara boxes and boxes for rubber straps and other merchandise and placed them in the larger Ichiban Kuji Prize Figure boxes.

Then I took out all my Nendoroid boxes and placed them on top of my detolfs. I have always thought that Nendoroid boxes looked lovely lined up, especially with all the bright vibrant colors and I'm definitely not mistaken!

Here's a few ideas how to display your Nendoroid boxes! You could stack them up like the owner in the first picture did, or keep them in the space between your detolf and the wall.

So for now, I have smaller Chibi and trading figures' boxes flattened and shoved into prize figure boxes. And I have those prize figure as well as my scale figure boxes stored into cardboard boxes and plastic containers, which are stowed away in my storeroom. They are about to take up the entire storeroom, and I'll have to find another space to store my newer boxes away soon but that's worries for another time.

For now, it's just "Out of sight, out of mind".

On display, I have my Nendoroid boxes all lined up above my detolf cases in my room and above the detolf cases in my living room, I have lined up the more visually appealing figure boxes. Forgive the lack of photographs as I'm mid-way through my renovation and moving the colored plastic strewn all over my detolf is just... no way.

Personally, I do find the space above the detolf (especially the wall area) to be quite a waste, and having figure boxes up there just doesn't cut it because I don't want to risk those falling. Getting a few tapestries up there might be a good idea too, but for now, I'll count on my boxes taking that space up until I find a better location to stow them away.

From Your Fellow Collector,

Reina-rin