Could easily apply to WHFB aswell.

This is one for all of the players / collectors that have managed to amass numerous armies / systems and various editions of models etc.

How do you keep track of what models you have, how do you store them when in use / not in use. Do you file them alphabetically or hap-hazardly in randon boxes / tubs?

I've been in the hobby since Rogue Trader days, in excess of 20 years in the hobby. As you can imagine I've amassed various models / armies and systems for various war games.

The collection is currently spread between two locations - Parents house (attic / understairs storage / spare bedroom 1 / spare bedroom 2) and my own home (garage / utility).

I switch between my active 40K armies on a regular basis, these are all neatly stored in gaming carry cases and I can locate fairly easily the army I need at the time.

My problems start to arise when I want to add in new units / utilise older models into my lists. I know I have the model (Genestealer Patriarch) but where did I store it, I end up searching high and low for the model without luck and eventually give up only to find the model in the most unlike place (amongst my Bretonnian models) 2 months later when I've moved on from that list / idea.

Does anyone have ideas / use a more origanised storage /retrival system or are you all just as bad as I am? Would love to organise my collection better:D

I've just re-stored all my bits. I got some see-through plastic tubs from IKEA & each tub has an army type in it, or where there are too many for one tub I split it across a couple. I think it's organised

1 tub - vehicle parts
1 tub - small vehicles (sentinals dreadnaughts etc)
1 tub - IG spare parts (guns, accessories, sprue custs of body parts)
1 tub - IG models (fully made in various tages of paint/condition)
1 tub - SM parts
1 tub - SM marines
1 tub - SM characters & metal models
1 tub - chaos parts & models
1 tub - orks

I was very surprised how much I had!

Full armies go in carry cases, but are a bit higgledy-piggledy ATM, I'm hoping to get some nice new KR cases for my birthday!

Right now I have 2 bookcases (one 2m high x 0.8m wide, the other 2m high x 0.6m wide) with models organised by codex and unit type, then into squads. I do have models in cases, but only those that I used at the Feb meetup that I haven't sorted out unpacking yet. I only use boxes to store models that I haven't built yet, or that are collectors items or stuff I don't want out on the shelfs (like my box of RT era IG).

I can normally find pretty any much any model I'm after, unless it happens to be in the unbuilt boxes - although I have started labelling the boxes now to make it easier to find stuff.

Previously I had a whole wall with shelves covered in everything from High Elves to one of each Blood Bowl team.

Don't have that amount of stuff now (yet!) since I started the hobby again after uni so it just all sits in cases marked with the contents.

Ljundhammer wrote:I've just re-stored all my bits. I got some see-through plastic tubs from IKEA & each tub has an army type in it, or where there are too many for one tub I split it across a couple.

When you say ‘tubs’, do you mean a storage system like DIY enthusiasts use to store nuts / bolts / screws and washers etc. Or do you mean individual tubs as in ‘ice cream’ tubs / ‘lunch boxes’etc.? I like the ‘see through’ idea though.

Ljundhammer wrote:I'm hoping to get some nice new KR cases for my birthday!

I’m contemplating purchasing some aswell – I’ve even gone so far as to choose the various tray sizes I would like.

Spack wrote:Right now I have 2 bookcases with models organised by codex and unit type, then into squads.

If I understood you correctly, you just have the models stood on a shelf? Do you not find that they become dusty over a period of time?

Where do you store all the bulky OOP box sets? e.g. Dark Future / 2 x Space Hulk / Deathwing / Genestealer / 2 x Blood Bowl / Talisman / Mighty Empires / Mighty Fortress / Space Marine / Heroquest / Space Crusade / Adeptus Mechanicus etc.? What about your extensive FW collection?

PaddyF wrote: so it just all sits in cases marked with the contents.

Still better than me! Mine are in various sized / shaped cardboard boxes all unlabelled

Keep the suggestions coming

mortiferum wrote:

Ljundhammer wrote:I've just re-stored all my bits. I got some see-through plastic tubs from IKEA & each tub has an army type in it, or where there are too many for one tub I split it across a couple.

When you say ‘tubs’, do you mean a storage system like DIY enthusiasts use to store nuts / bolts / screws and washers etc. Or do you mean individual tubs as in ‘ice cream’ tubs / ‘lunch boxes’etc.? I like the ‘see through’ idea though.

They're like ice-cream tubs - though I had to get prettier ones on the wife's insistance! I can't be bothered with organising into arms, guns etc into individual items - if I need it, it's likely to be there, if it's not I'll bodge it!

The see through was my wife's act of genius, it means I can see exactly which box I want without rummaging, or labelling anything (I'm too lazy for that!).

Well, I have a foamed box for unused painted models and a box that has all the unpainted stuff that I buy with the intent of using someday. My bits box has the bits organised into separate bags of individual armies. All this is stored in my grandfathers old tool chest (crafted by his own hands from scrap wood) along with box set miniatures that haven't been opened (eg my inquisitor genestealer).
Completed armies have their own figure cases, GW or otherwise and are labelled on the outside. They used to be unlabelled, but had a specific place. When I moved house they all got jumbled up and I couldn't find anything!
The only problem I've had since is when I reorganised the tyranids to be more space efficient which involved changing the boxes about. I've become so used to the original layout that I sometimes have trouble finding a specific model.

mortiferum wrote:

Spack wrote:Right now I have 2 bookcases with models organised by codex and unit type, then into squads.

If I understood you correctly, you just have the models stood on a shelf? Do you not find that they become dusty over a period of time?

Of course they do, but they get dusted off when they get moved to the cases for playing with. Well, sometimes

mortiferum wrote:Where do you store all the bulky OOP box sets? e.g. Dark Future / 2 x Space Hulk / Deathwing / Genestealer / 2 x Blood Bowl / Talisman / Mighty Empires / Mighty Fortress / Space Marine / Heroquest / Space Crusade / Adeptus Mechanicus etc.? What about your extensive FW collection?

I don't have any boxed sets to store, I sold them (well, I have the box + rules for Adeptus Titanicus in the attic, no models/buildings though).

As to FW, they're on the shelves too

Here are some old photos: http://www.ageofstrife.com/gallery/Spack88

I really need to update that album, it's almost 2 years out of date!

Storage... KR Multicase(s), GW figure cases (large and small). Ermm on shelves, in display cabinets.. O.o

Are you getting the idea?
I'm not at all organised

Attic, has the nids, has the LATD, has brettonian led stuff and dark elves and some scenery stuff...Has heroquest and normally space crusade (although thats down at the moment)Has a few boxes of spru.
Downstairs i have 4 GW cases (2 big 2 normal)Which has the orks and various hues of marines from loyalist eager beaver to darned right evil CSM.+ the shelves for vehicles and MCS (all of this can be seen if you click on my sig link)
I have 4 WIP places, paint box (with spare compartments for WIP) Bitz box incredibly sparse, a bit depressing..a not put together yet armies box (that’s one of those scary multi compartmenty ones 50 sub sections for just the right kind of knife)has the skaven and about 20 marines not yet assembled +some WIP.. and then the magical dish (a plate which I use as a pallete which has my 2 or 3 simulatenous current projects on.. When I’ve had enough and remember I’m crap at sculping gluing and painting all of that .lot goes into the attic..so I don’t have to feel wracked with guilt.
Ex library employee i could probably find any model you'd care to think of (if I had it) within a few moments (I have lists for when my brain catalogue fails although I've never gone as far as too have actually lists in boxes/marked compartments....if I was more into it/had more stuff/had a mental breakdown I would)

i dont know what i have anymor, i have a room in Gibraltar for it, got some in storage (positive thats where my crons are), some in Germany (nienburg) and some in a storage depot in Scotland...pretty spread out.

As for organising they are correctly packed in boxes, all books/mags are laid out theme then alphabeticaly.

Same as all my books/cds/dvds, alphabetical

Elvis

Real old stuff is scattered randomly acroos a variety of boxes with no real system. New (painted) stuff is all cased under the games table with 1 or more cases for each army. Unpainted stuff is either assembled on shelves or still in the boxes.

Storage: I keep them in cases.

I have my eldar in two GW figure cases, a chessex slimline case and a padded postal box for the tanks and light skimmers.
My SM occupy a tackle box, another compartmentalised case, and a GW shipping box for the tanks (with padding).
My DH occupy one CrystalCaste Battlehive (small).

I only have these armies. I stopped playing fantasy after my beloved HE were stolen in a housebreak in 1990.
My collection of RP minis is in their own tacklebox.

I don't really have a lot of stuff , still relatively new to the hobby.
Finished minis are in a sabol army case for safe keeping (wish I knew about the KR cases at the time
Have some unassembled kits on the shelf, the other works in progress are in containers on the shelves above the workstation.
I've had to move my modeling area 3 different times in the past year and a half, had a ton of down time due to having a relative living with us (you guessed it, in the same room as my models
I try to keep my models and terrain organized so I can find what I want when I need it.