I have been collecting pathfinder minis for about a year now, and have started running into storage issues. Any recommendations for easy ways to store and organize minis?
Thanks in advance,
Illius
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1. The obvious answer. Games workshop miniature army transport, or equivocal: I have 6 Games workshop cases, 3 huge ones ($75) and 3 medium ones($45). I have 1 for underground monsters, one for horde monsters, one for undead, 1/2 of one for underwater creatures... So on and so on. They are pricy, but well worth it.
2. The economy method. Hardware/Craft storage drawers (For bolts and screws like stuff, $28). 32 drawers for 10 medium minis, and 12 drawers for 4 large minis. Get a label maker and label the front of the drawer "Orcs" and ya have yourself some quick access storage.
3. The better homes and garden method. I have a library of bookshelves, each shelf has a 3 foot x1 foot display (2 dollars and some tools and paint) I made out of offset layering then screwing 4 1x4 pieces of wood together and painting them like the underdark, the beach, the mountains, etc. I keep all my Drow on the underdark one, all my undead and demons on the graveyard one, and all my dragons on the very top of the shelves.
If ya don’t get what I’m talkin about I can get pics and links and PM them to ya, I don’t think Paizo wants me linking a bunch of amazon stuff on their boards. Good luck!
If you are going for a dedicated miniatures case, there are alternatives to GW's cases. Check out KR Multicase, Battlefoam, and/or Sabol cases. Cheaper, more flexible setups, and usually hold more. All are still kinda pricey, though.
My game group's collection is mostly held in small(ish) boxes, sorted by type.
Like a lot of other hobby solutions, the hardware store may be your best bet.
Without adding foam, this may not be so great for your hand-painted and assembled minis, but it's great for pre-painted, unpainted, or unimportant miniatures.
I bought a set of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K41E7Y/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=162LFEP6FFE9B&coliid=I2UFBDFW9CGM07
Just stick a few folded sheets of paper in the bottom for boxes that are holding med-small minis to cover the finger holes. For large minis, not even that is required. Luckily I have some built in shelves in my office that hold all of the boxes with room to spare.
Easily labeled once you figure for sure how the minis will be organized and will hold all but the bulkiest of the large minis and scads of non-larges.
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I bought a set of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K41E7Y/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=162LFEP6FFE9B&coliid=I2UFBDFW9CGM07
Just stick a few folded sheets of paper in the bottom for boxes that are holding med-small minis to cover the finger holes. For large minis, not even that is required. Luckily I have some built in shelves in my office that hold all of the boxes with room to spare.
Easily labeled once you figure for sure how the minis will be organized and will hold all but the bulkiest of the large minis and scads of non-larges.
Yo, Everthefool, I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but these are the best hardware store cases for minis of all time!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003P2UOCO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=VZI3EA1X6U7L&coliid=I1OZOK73IZGCRG
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDH3JC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=VZI3EA1X6U7L&coliid=I1CSOS6HN0GQW0
No really, these are good cases for mass, non carry around, non display cases. Just label the front of the drawer. These can easily hold 300-600 minis.
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Yo, Everthefool, I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but these are the best hardware store cases for minis of all time!http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003P2UOCO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=VZI3EA1X6U7L&coliid=I1OZOK73IZGCRG
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDH3JC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=VZI3EA1X6U7L&coliid=I1CSOS6HN0GQW0
No really, these are good cases for mass, non carry around, non display cases. Just label the front of the drawer. These can easily hold 300-600 minis.
SterlingEdge - do you have these? If so could you take a pic of one of the smaller drawers with minis in it? I keep looking at things like this, but never have the minis with me to judge if tall minis will be too tall or winged minis too wide.
I have a couple of these, they're great for moving stuff around too (not cheap).
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-large-pro-organizer-0581151p. html
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SterlingEdge - do you have these? If so could you take a pic of one of the smaller drawers with minis in it? I keep looking at things like this, but never have the minis with me to judge if tall minis will be too tall or winged minis too wide.
The winged buggers do pose a bit more of a problem, but I have a army of gargoyles and harpies in a couple of em. I'll get some pics this weekend, I sent you a message via paizo mail.
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Yo, Everthefool, I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but these are the best hardware store cases for minis of all time!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003P2UOCO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=VZI3EA1X6U7L&coliid=I1OZOK73IZGCRG
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDH3JC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8 &colid=VZI3EA1X6U7L&coliid=I1CSOS6HN0GQW0
No really, these are good cases for mass, non carry around, non display cases. Just label the front of the drawer. These can easily hold 300-600 minis.
I wanted to link this one, but whenever I tried to go to this website my internet crashed.I have a couple of these, they're great for moving stuff around too (not cheap).
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-large-pro-organizer-0581151p. html
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My Evolution of Mini Storage:
Stage 1:
Home Depot Stanley Storage Case
This has many removable partitions which help you to organize which minis are in which compartment. They will also fit most huge minis. After I had about 8 of these cases full, I had to move onto something different.
Stage 2:
Ikea Billy Bookcases with glass doors.
Here's a link for a picture of them:
Billy Bookcases
These worked great for many years. I added several extra shelves which helped to maximize the amount of storage in them.
Stage 3:
Alas, when I filled bookcase #5, I decided I had to come up with a more practical storage solution. I found it in the Ikea Pax Wardrobe system. 1 cabinet holds all my minis. It was an expensive way to go... but its really handy.
Pax Wardrobe
I filled the wardrobe with pull out drawers. Sadly they no longer make the shallow drawers they used to. I had to buy their deep drawers and cut them down a bit to maximize the amount of drawers I could get in it.
Although, while looking at their site just now I do notice that they have a "pull out tray" available:
Tray
Looks like a trip to Ikea for me tomorrow.
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Kor, mind putting up a pic of your "Pax Wardrobe" setup? I like the look of the "Billy Bookcase", too.
Sure. I'm just in the middle of renovating my basement, but I was able to clear some room to take some quick photos.
The Wardrobe
Here is a shot of both sides of the PAX wardrobe stuffed full of all my minis. (All WotC and Paizo pre-painted minis, with the exception of the Colossal Red Dragon. I have to store him separately.)
Wardrobe Close-up
I have slowly been making labels for the drawers. I found some plastic molding which has about a 1/8" channel. I have been creating graphic labels which I glued (using "No More Nails" and clamped them into place) to little squares I have cut out of a 1/8" thick strip of wood. (I save this project for days when I can't contain my OCD :)
The Billy
Sadly, there was no way to store my Star Wars minis in this wardrobe and still have room for future expansions, so had to leave them in a Billy bookcase.
I like Feldherr cases . At Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8/182-6905443-0023722?url=search-a lias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=feldherr+figure+case&sprefix=f eldherr%2Ctoys-and-games%2C475
Or at their site
http://www.feldherr.us/
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I use 2 Stanley organizers that I bolted back to back to house my minis, although I use a small satchel to carry some of my large and huge minis since the huge ones don't fit.
I have around 250-300 minis in it and I use sharpie markers to label the bins for separating the minis into types.
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Old jewelry boxes. Find them at garage sales and thrift stores. It works great for me. Some look like treasure boxes even. Some have doors and shelves. Nice velvet lining.
WIFE LETS YOU STORE THEM IN PLAIN SIGHT!!!