13 Smart and Stylish Ways to Store Your Board Games
We love a good family game night — and while it’s fun to get into a heated game of Settlers of Catan, you don’t need to bring that contention to your board games after they’re put away in their boxes. Luckily, there are plenty of brilliant and stylish solutions to board game storage that will prevent you from a post-game night meltdown time and time again.
Whether you’re a serious fan who wants your boxes on display or doing the best you can to keep toys, games, and other visual clutter at bay, these seriously smart board game storage ideas will leave you feeling like an organization maven.
1. Utilize existing closet space.
Professional organizer Alison Moulder of Simplicity and Style created “zones” in her home’s playroom (toys, art supplies, games and puzzles, and a reading corner). Otherwise, she says, everything “will just get lost in a big pile.” A formerly cluttered closet proved the perfect place to store board games and puzzle boxes.
2. Make a storage cabinet out of basic shelves.
A simple IKEA KALLAX storage cube system got a major upgrade with added doors, a coat of paint, and oversized gold pulls. We think the DIY storage cabinet would be the perfect place to store all your favorite board games.
3. Put your built-ins to good use.
Utilize your existing built-ins (or add custom built-in cabinetry) to discreetly house your board games without sacrificing style.
4. Streamline open shelving with storage bins and color coordination.
We’re always looking to the brilliant team behind The Home Edit for colorful, chic organization inspiration and are loving this storage idea. Instead of leaving games out on open shelves that can easily be knocked down by little hands, preserve your games separately in stackable bins to preserve the pieces and ensure Gramma Nutt and Queen Frostine don’t accidentally become one of the Settlers of Catan.
5. Invest in cute, clearly labeled bins.
Sometimes a bit of labeling can make all the difference, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to board game storage. Whether you have a game closet or a more public storage area for your games, these customizable boxes by Etsy shop owner AKeyForEveryDoor will bring some color and clarity to your organizational prowess.
6. Ditch the game boxes for labeled plastic cases.
If you have a borderline-unhealthy obsession with your label maker, this hack is for you. Stephanie Dulgarian of the blog Somewhat Simple transformed a messy games cabinet into a streamlined masterpiece by taking her family’s board games out of their boxes and placing them in 8×11” plastic cases that are adorably labeled with her Cricut labeler. (P.S. This is a great task to give your kiddos.)
7. Stock up on mesh pouches for easy storage (and transport).
The family road trip just got infinitely smoother. We’re loving @HelloHappyHome’s hack for board game storage: placing them in mesh pouches and labeling them with their logos. This not only makes your games easier to store, but now they’ll fit easily into a kids’ backpack or your canvas tote to ensure everyone can stay entertained — even on a rainy day at the beach or during a long car ride to grandma’s.
8. Upgrade your living room ottoman.
We love a storage ottoman for housing blankets, shoes, and just about anything else, and it’s perfect for a family or game room when looking for a place to store board games. This beautiful skirted storage ottoman by The Inside is customizable in dozens of amazing patterns that will fit any home’s style and color scheme for $379.
9. Turn your game boards into wall art.
Let everyone know what you’ve been playing at with this framed wall-mounted solution from Infarrantly Creative. No extra storage space is needed — just a blank spot on the wall and some time with your saw. Keep extra pieces in a bag attached to the back so everything’s together and organized.
10. House boxes on slide-out shelves.
This super cool tabletop game storage idea from Homemade By Carmona is great for board game aficionados who want all their options on proper horizontal display. Sliding shelves will make your favorites easier to access in deep cabinets. Dividers make an ideal home for small pieces, like dice.
11. Hide board game boxes in plain sight.
Can’t find space to hide the games from sight, but they’re ruining your color scheme? Try covering up the boxes with labeled plywood instead, as seen on White House Black Shutters, to help them blend in with their surroundings.
12. Store — and play — on a wheeled table.
If you only want to break out the boards on game night, try this wheeled coffee table from In My Own Style to give you both storage and a portable playing surface. Pull out your games when it’s playing time, then tuck them into the corner once the tile-flinging is done.
13. Tuck games into a hanging closet organizer.
Put the boxes away with a minimum of lost closet space by using a hanging vertical organizer like Joyful Homemaking. Bonus: Any shelves left free can always double as sweater storage.