Our family LOVES games…. board games, card games, puzzles. They are all happily loved and used in our home. And we may even have more than I would care to admit but that’s OK . You don’t have to minimize everything in your house. BUT you do have to keep it organized.
Games are notorious for causing clutter vomit throughout the home. Broken boxes and pieces scattered everywhere are the most common culprits. So if I decide to “hoard” (and I use that term loosely) anything, I commit myself to keeping it organized and easy to access. If games are going to be my family’s “thing”, we were going to keep them tamed.
This was my game closet right after we moved into our new house. You know how it is when you are moving in: people are helping, you put things where ever you can find space because you are trying to get everything unloaded fast. It created chaos in the game closet and this space remained like this for months.
Recently I was sick of pulling out five billion things to get to the one at the bottom. This game closet needed a good old organization session and I gave it just that!
Steps for an Organized Game Closet
STEP 1: Take Everything Out
If you remember this guide on how to start decluttering, you know I always begin by taking everything out of the space I am working with. For this particular space, I put the items into categories throughout the hallway and kids' bedrooms. The categories I had were:
Board games
Card games
Puzzles
Blocks
Other Toys
STEP 2: Find Storage Bins, Boxes, Etc.
Next I went around my house and gathered anything I thought would be great storage solutions. Small lidded bins, canvas storage totes, and more. I also remembered I had bought these cute makeup bags at Target in their dollar spot clearance. They were only 30 cents a piece and I knew I could use them in some way. During this step, don’t worry about how or if you will use storage solution. Just gather them up and keep them close.
STEP 3: Purge and then Purge Some More
Next it's time to start clearing out the clutter. This is the perfect time to get your kids involved. My 8 yr old and I went through each pile of “categories” to decide what we wanted to keep and what we didn’t. He did NOT want to keep this magic kit I had gotten him. My first instinct was to tell him that we should really keep it since it's so much fun. BUT I let go of the control and let him make the decisions. He wanted to share it with a friend who loved magic…. and I let him do just that. Some other things that went were cheap puzzles that never quite fit together right, card games we didn’t love and a few other things.
STEP 4: Corral Game Pieces into Ziploc Bags
I ALWAYS store game pieces in Ziploc bags inside the box itself. It keeps them together and orderly. It also helps you from losing the pieces. Now is great time to take out small cards, game tokens and dice placing them into sandwich or snack size Ziploc baggies.
STEP 5: Fix Broken Boxes & Replace Storage
Broken cardboard boxes are the worst! Use packaging tape to secure torn corners or flimsy packaging. If the packaging simply doesn’t work or is awkward, replace it! I used those cute little makeup bags to store puzzles, dominoes, and even Tinker Toys. I also condensed a HUGE 4-in-1 game into a small bag and stored the board itself inside a larger tote.
STEP 6: Put Items back in Closet
Now we get to the fun part: putting the items back into the closet. Below is my finished closet. Here are some tips on how to make yours look this fantastic too!
Place similar sized games together
Corral blocks, magnetic dolls, etc in sturdy open containers for easy pickup
Use a large storage box for game boards, little bags and other smaller items
The items you use MOST should go in the FRONT and at eye level. The items you use LEAST should go in the back or up high
Keep a small step stool nearby so little ones can grab their favorites (and put them away)
Add some FUN by lining the shelf fronts with washi tape like I did
Use photo storage cases for card games – they come in 4×6 containers that stack into a larger tote. You can check out the ones I used here.
Get rid of games you never play and keep your favorites – other families may love the ones you don’t so be generous and pass them on
Organizing this game closet was super fun. And it has stayed this organized for months now. What are your best game organization tips?
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