• Shop
    • All Products
    • Journey to Clean
    • Freezer Meal Boot Camps
    • Year of Intent
  • Cart
  • My account
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Homepage
  • About Me
  • Printables
    • All Printables
    • Holiday Printables
    • Party Printables
    • Food/Recipe Printables
    • Cleaning Printables
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Freezer Meals
    • Appetizer
    • Main Course
    • Side Item
    • Dessert
    • Soup
    • Breakfast
    • Salad
    • Lunch/Snack
  • Gift Guides
    • All Gift Guides
    • Stocking Stuffers
    • Easter Basket Ideas
    • Gifts for Kids
    • Gifts for Him
    • Gifts for Her
  • Home
    • Cleaning Posts
    • Organization Posts
    • Productivity
    • Meal Planning
    • Our Home
    • DIY
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Journey to Clean
    • Freezer Meal Boot Camps
    • Year of Intent
  • Cart
  • My account
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

Lamberts Lately

Lamberts Lately

A Home and Family Blog by Leslie Lambert

  • Homepage
  • About Me
  • Printables
    • All Printables
    • Food/Recipe Printables
    • Holiday Printables
    • Cleaning Printables
    • Party Printables
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • freezer meals
    • Appetizer
    • Main Course
    • Side Item
    • Dessert
    • Soup
    • Breakfast
    • Salad
    • Lunch/Snack
  • Gift Guides
    • All Gift Guides
    • Stocking Stuffers
    • Easter Basket Ideas
    • Gifts for Kids
    • Gifts for Him
    • Gifts for Her
  • Home
    • Cleaning Posts
    • Organization Posts
    • Productivity
    • Meal Planning
    • Our Home
    • DIY

How to Organize & Store Board Games

· In: organization

Share
Pin1.3K
Share
Tweet
Email
Print
1.3KShares

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

Affiliate links used in this post. Read more about my link usage here.

A major achilles heel of organization in our home has always been our board game cabinet. Guys – it was a mess. Don't believe me?

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

See – bad. Really bad.

It was tragic. Absolutely no rhyme, no reason, and definitely no organization. We basically just shoved board game boxes back in the cabinet puzzle-style – if it fit, it went.

Many of the boxes were also on their last leg. We were barely holding many of the flimsy, cardboard boxes together each time we played, which meant the organization of the materials inside suffered even more.

I've been meaning to organize board games for a long time. A few months ago, I searched high and low for a streamlined way to store each board game, but that turned out to be a little tricky. Boxes really aren't an option because there are so many different lengths and widths needed for different games…you have no idea how different each game is until you start comparing them!

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

But, I think I've finally nailed down a really effective (and easy to maintain) storage solution to organize board games in our home. It's an easy process – you just need a few hours and a few simple supplies.

Affiliate links used in this post. Read more about my link usage here.

How to Organize Board Games

Supplies Needed

  • Rubber Bands (various sizes – I like these because they're super cheap and perfect for most board game cards!)
  • File Bags in Assorted Sizes (I ended up needing two packs of these and one pack of these for this project, but every home will vary – get a rough count of your games before you order.)
  • Printer/Laminator
  • Zip Ties

Step 1: Start with a clean slate.

As with any organization project I do around my home, I take everything out of the space I'm organizing and start with a totally clean slate. It's easier to fill up an empty space in an organized way than to try to shift around what's there.

Let's all just have a moment of cleared-out zen. Isn't that nice?

Step 2: Organize games by size and storage type.

With all of your games out in the middle of the floor, start grouping the boxes together by size. This is especially important if you ordered various sizes of file bags. This grouping doesn't have to be perfect; it's just a chance to start seeing where to use what bags.

I also had a small group (over to the right) of games that needed to stay in their original packaging. There were a few reasons you might have these: the game is too big/oddly shaped to go into a bag (looking at you, Hungry Hungry Hippos), the packaging is used as part of the game, or the box was small and in good shape.

That third option was especially applicable for our card games – it made zero sense to take those out of a box that was easy to store and fit the cards perfectly, so I decided to keep those.

There was also a collection of random game parts that had accumulated in the cabinet. Just put all of that to the side in one big group; we'll deal with it later.

Step 3: Pair file bags with games.

The best part of this whole process is throwing out those broken, old, cardboard game boxes! Start matching your game groups with bag sizes. I simply laid the boxes on top of the bag to do a quick check for fit.

You're going to need to use a lot of rubber bands. Any kind of cards or sticks were simply bound together with rubber bands. If there was still an original small plastic bag that held cards or game pieces, I kept it – no need in throwing away something that can still be effective.

Each game's bag got the original instructions (I'd love to go through and laminate all of these, I just haven't done it yet), as well as smaller parts of the games grouped together. For example, this one is Kerplunk – I used a rubber band to group the sticks and used one of the smaller bags that came with my set of file bags for the marbles. With this set of file bags, you'll get several of those little bags – they're great for smaller sets of parts that don't have an original bag. Of course, plastic sandwich baggies would be totally ok for this, they just might not be as durable.

In this game, you can see those original plastic baggies grouping together cards and game pieces. I didn't see any need to group bigger parts (like spinners and the actual board) in the bag – no need in overcomplicating things.

Let me tell you – it felt SO good to throw all of these busted old boxes away!

Step 4: File in the cabinet and sort by size.

Once your games are neatly tucked away in the bags, it's time to fill your space back up in an organized way. I went from biggest bag to smallest , but if you really want to, you can sort alphabetically/by game category. I thought the biggest-to-smallest organization would be the most likely organization method to stick for our family. This was all of the games that were taken out of those original boxes – these games used to take up almost the entire cabinet! Now they fit into one shelf, leaving room at the bottom for the more awkward games, card games, and even some puzzles we had been storing in another cabinet.

Step 5: Label your board games.

Originally, I was going to use my Cricut to print vinyl lettering for each bag. You could totally still do that, but once I started stacking the bags vertically in the cabinet, I realized you wouldn't be able to really see that when trying to find a game. I wanted my organization to be pretty, but more importantly, I wanted it to be easily used/maintained.

So, I pivoted a little. I decided to make 3×3″ print-outs of each box and laminate to tie on the bag zippers with zip ties. To do this, I just used my friend google image search – you should be able to find most (if not all) of your game boxes this way. Taking pictures of your boxes as you throw them out is an easy option too. I wouldn't recommend actually cutting out the boxes because of the various sizes – most would be too big, and the ones that weren't wouldn't look uniform in your final cabinet.

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

Copy your images into a site like canva and print! The laminator makes them super durable.

Remember that scary before?

Here's the after…

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

SO much better! Now, we can actually see what games we have by quickly flipping through the cards.

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

Like I mentioned, with the additional space, we were also able to store some of our puzzles that were in another cabinet in this one. I simply store those in vertical file-style so we can easily see what we have. The bagged games go on the top shelf and the more awkward/original packaging games are on the bottom.

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

And, I told you we'd go back to the random pieces I found when cleaning out the cabinet. As I went along, I matched the lost pieces to their games. Now, I have this little basket that the whole family knows as the place for lost game/puzzle pieces. If you don't know where something goes, it goes in the basket. Then, once a month (on my Journey to Clean “organize TV areas” day) I go through these pieces and reunite them with their games. That way, they never get too out of control!

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

Knowing where everything is in this cabinet makes our board games infinitely easier to use. We've actually starting using/playing with these board games again! They're easy to find, easy to grab for a quick game, and easy to put away. Use this method for a quick and simple way to organize board games – this project can be knocked out in an afternoon.

This post shows how to organize board games in bags for a simplified and streamlined storage solution. Creative ways of labeling games make this method even easier to maintain! Includes tips for organizing puzzles too.

Check out more of my home organization posts here!

READY TO ORGANIZE A HOME YOU'LL LOVE?

Subscribe to the Lamberts Lately newsletter for the latest from the blog. You'll also get access to the newsletter-exclusive printable collection, full of home organization printables!

Thanks for signing up! Check your email to confirm your subscription and get the password for the printable collection.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit
Share
Pin1.3K
Share
Tweet
Email
Print
1.3KShares

By: Leslie Lambert · In: organization · Tagged: board games

you’ll also love

8 Must-Have Instant Pot Accessories
My Secrets For Home Supplies Inventory Management (with free printables)
Mini Instant Pot Freezer Meal Boot Camp: 10 Crowd-Pleasing Recipes!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Claire says

    at

    I have one piece if advice that works well in our family. Those little game box tags you attached to each bag? Print a duplicate and attach them all to the inside of the game cupboard like a game box gallery wall. When you want to play but haven’t decided which game, open the door and you’ll see pics of your entire selection.

    Reply
    • Leslie says

      at

      That’s a fantastic idea!

      Reply
  2. Courtney says

    at

    Our card games are the boxes most destroyed. There’s a little box called “Really Useful Box® Plastic Storage Container With Built-In Handles And Snap Lid,” that I’ve found at craft stores, bug box stores, or office stores for fifty cents to $1. The cards fit perfectly in it, and they stack! Label and done!

    Reply
  3. Aimee says

    at

    I just started this project. Overall, I like the concept. I’m a bit frustrated to discover, though, that SEVERAL games simply don’t fit in even the largest bags. Othello, Sorry, Aggravation, This game is Bonkers, Monopoly, Life, Upwords, Twister (the spinning piece is so big! 12 3/4″ square).
    So disappointing! Any chance you came up with great ideas for those odd sized games? Life, Upwords, Othello and Operation I don’t necessarily mind leaving as is, since they fill their boxes well, but the others I hoped to condense.

    Reply
    • Leslie Lambert says

      at

      That’s unfortunate – sorry about that! I don’t have any of those games in our collection. I do have a couple of odd-sized games (Hungry Hungry Hippos, Crocodile Dentist) that I just leave out on another shelf since they’re kind of awkward.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Next Post >

5 Ways to Refresh Your Home for Spring

Primary Sidebar

 

 

Hey Friends! I’m Leslie.

I’m so glad you’re here! Lamberts Lately is a place to share my greatest passion: home. I love to discuss food, organization, home projects, productivity, and the occasional battle story.

Read More

 

My Products

Categories

Archives

join the fun!

sign up for the latest from the blog and access to exclusive printables

Lamberts Lately is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Disclaimers & Privacy Policy

Footer

Categories

  • Recipes
  • Printables
  • Organization
  • Home
  • Holidays
  • DIY
  • Cleaning

Shortcuts

  • Homepage
  • About Leslie
  • Shop
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • My Account
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy/Disclaimers

Follow Along

Alright, stay with me. This recipe (and even the i Alright, stay with me. This recipe (and even the ingredients in it) sound so weird, but this flavor combination is bonkers! These baked avocados were inspired by one of my favorite restaurant appetizers years ago, and to this day it's one of the most popular recipes on the blog.⁣
⁣
Click the link in my profile to get the full recipe. https://lambertslately.com/2013/07/baked-avocados-recipe.html⁣
⁣
#avocados #bakedavocados #bacon #avocado #chili #appetizer #appetizerrecipe #foodblogeats #tasty #bonappetit #instagood #instayum #instafood #cooking #picoftheday #photooftheday #nomnom #foodie #yummy #onthetable #thefeedfood #buzzfeedfood #foodstagram #top_food_of_instagram #heresmyfood #HomemadeFood #dailyfoodfeed #foodblogger #food
Huge new post on the blog! I finally figured out h Huge new post on the blog! I finally figured out how to make your own DIY Peloton Tread using a few supplies you might already own and a couple of simple apps. Get the Peloton experience without the Peloton price!⁣
⁣
Click the link in my profile to see the full details of my setup. http://www.lambertslately.com/diy-peloton-tread⁣
⁣
#peloton #onepeloton #pelotontread #pelotonapp #treadmill #precor #running #treadmillrun #homegym #diy #garagegym #homeworkout #runninggirl
I gave my DIY Peloton posts a much needed facelift I gave my DIY Peloton posts a much needed facelift - they're on the blog today! I'm talking all about the newest apps I use to make my DIY Peloton experience as close to the real deal as possible (but for like half the price 😮).⁣
⁣
Click the link in my profile to see the posts. https://lambertslately.com/diy-peloton-bike-1⁣
⁣
#peloton #diypeloton #pelotonbike #onepeloton #workout #exercise #athomeworkout #homegym #diyhomegym #garagegym #mpaceline #cycling #biking
This summer bucket list is perfect for preschooler This summer bucket list is perfect for preschoolers, kids, and teens - lots of ideas for the whole family! You can also get a free printable list to organize every activity.⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
Click the link in my profile for over 100 ideas and this free printable. https://lambertslately.com/2019/05/101-ideas-for-a-family-summer-bucket-list-printable.html⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
#bucketlist #summer #summerlist #summerwithkids  #summerideas #kidactivities #kidfun #teenagers #parenting #printables #freeprintables #printable #uniteinmotherhood #momsofinstagram #organized #sahm #momlife #summeractivities
This easy recipe for homemade pizza dough is made This easy recipe for homemade pizza dough is made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker! It has a quick prep and rise time and is perfect for pizza night with a family.⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
Click the link in my profile to grab the recipe. https://lambertslately.com/2019/03/pizza-dough-in-an-instant-pot.html⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
#pizza #pizzadough #homemade #homemadepizza #instantpot #instapot #instantpotadventures #pizzanight #dinnerideas #weeknightdinner
Load More... Follow on Instagram


This blog is a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program and makes a commission on qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 Lamberts Lately Publishing LLC

 

Loading Comments...