How do you store your miniatures?

[maldroth 14xp 1]

I’m just getting back into the hobby and going through my old project tubs of unfinished items with the 2024 intentions of getting some finished table ready items. I realized I don’t have good storage options so I ordered some travel bags and storage foam. I’ve seen some use magnets and racks in bags as well. Curious what you all use and add some pictures I’d love to see how you store your minis.

[amachan 25663xp 2]

Let me provide you with the worst storage solution, but there is order in my chaos even though you can’t take a step in my apartment without coming across a miniature….
The nicest solution is this:

But that gets full pretty quickly so then comes what is underneath.

And more underneath that.

For scenery I have this:


And that is just the finished stuff.
To go even further, there is work in progress projects.




2 Carrying bags full of unfinished stuff.


And tub full of just plastic sprues and whatnot that are just completely unbuild or anything.

And I am just going to leave it there as there are miniatures literally everywhere around my house, I got another tub with model kits, a crate full of resin 3D prints and I can go on and on.
But to get to the point of your question, any good storage solution will reach its limits, especially if you’re as mad as me. For carrying I have 2 bags from Feldherr, using their foams I can usually get stuff that fits my needs and fits those bags and I use those foam trays for storage as well so I can swap them in and out of the bags to carry with me what I need. This does mean that I have to get foam trays for literally everything I do and I am nowhere near getting there. I myself am looking at magnetic trays that can be fitted in a bag and easily stored away and am currently looking at the Greenstuff World solution. Maybe it can work for you too? Here is a link. https://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/275-for-miniatures

[sundancer 42908xp 1]

Well. There is some minis in the background of my videos (Basically all my X-Wing ships) That’s the most display like storage if have. The rest ist (more or less) stuffed in some kind of boxes. Some with protective padding some just in a box and my SW:L mini have their personal storage containers. (see here: https://www.beastsofwar.com/project/1347328/ )

Could do better

Would do better

But I lack the space and money XD

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 1]

If you’re painting for gaming rather than display, for I recommend plano boxes that you can get online and at the local store. They’re inexpensive and stack, so you won’t have misc boxes all over the place. This will store human-sized miniatures and smaller and somewhat larger. I used to prefer the 3700 with 3-28 compartments, but they’re more than I’d like to pay online. The issue is to find a model that’s inexpensive and will be around for the next several years.

It’s once you get to the rather large miniatures and assembled miniatures that have lots of brittle things sticking out of them all over the place I’m looking for storage, myself. 😛

[orinoco 5362xp 1]

I got a load of battlefoam years ago in black Friday sales, but it takes up a lot of space so is mainly in the attic apart from a couple of bags that are handy for traveling with Deadzone or Dead Man’s Hand.  I now use really useful boxes as you can get more into them. You can add a metal sheet to the bottom and magnetize your figures if they are going to get transported around a lot. Look for the 4 litre ones (which also stack with the 9 litre ones).  Other sizes are good for terrain.

If you’re in the UK Asda often has offers on the really useful boxes.  Also Hobby Craft do their own version which are 5.5 litre (the really useful boxes will stack on top of theses but not the other way around).

[taochi 6267xp 2]

 

I use cookie tin boxes and magnetized bases (either single 2/4mm magnets or sticky 25mm/28mm magnetic bases).

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 1]

Found these steel food containers you’d find at buffets, at $36 for six, including lids! Being cheap and lazy, I’ll stick to using the plano tackle boxes for the large and smaller figures, but this might work for magnetized even bigger figures (which you’d stick on the sides of the box). 7″D x 4.25″W x 2.5″H. Use wastebasket rubber bands to keep the lid on. Need to measure some mini’s before buying…!

Search on “HNEDSEN 6 Pack Stainless Steel Hotel Pan With Lids” since the link doesn’t show correctly in this thread.

[phaidknott 7023xp 1]

I do things “old school” and use the old “Box File” (dunno what they call them in the US).

You have to be a little careful in purchasing them as a lot are basically made from Cereal Box “card” with plastic stiffeners (or basically they are no use whatsoever). You’ll usually find these for sale in shops like Home Bargains in the stationary section, DO NOT BUY.

Instead look for some with thicker sides, they might cost more but al least they will last you for years (an example below if you look at the separate pictures). In this case £23 for 5 (or  £4.60 each) for a pack of “Star Online Eco Marble Box Files”. They are a LOT tougher than the corrugated cardboard Feldherr cases (but then you get what you pay for).

 

You can then look to having either custom foam inserts made (or use the “pluck” stuff), or use a steel sheet in the bottom for magnetic basing, or even just stick “rails” of bit of balsa in the bottom to stop figures from sliding around.

The “supremo” model are these OSCO models, they cost somewhere between £10 and £15 EACH, but they are built like the proverbial brick s..thouse and will probably last longer then you will 😀

Faux Leather Box File – Black (BKPUBF1)

These are probably the thing if you are going to store an “expensive” army with custom cut foam inserts (I’m using them to store my Necromunda gangs). And although they sound expensive, they end up costing a similar price to some of the upper end figure storage boxes. You of course store these thing “sideways” (or flat) on a bookshelf, but they are easily transportable in a car (although a motorbike would be right out).

 

 

[maldroth 14xp 0]

Very creative solutions. I know one I’m going to try is some small wooden boxes that are sold at a craft chain here in the US called Joann’s Fabrics they are not much more than $5ish and with some flexible steel stuck to the bottom will hold my magnetized DBA Romans. DBA I have in mind a “set” sort of finish that I can take out almost like a board game.

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