For Beginner Figure Collectors #16: Storage of Figures

By TReina - Monday, August 8, 2016 - 2 Comments

Hi Friends,

This session, I would be covering the maintenance and storage of your figures I would be covering the pros and cons of storing the figure boxes, and sharing how I do it on the next post!

For the storage of figures, my first recommendation to anyone would definitely be Detolf. Detolf is the cheapest large display case and they go for SGD$79 each, from the trustworthy Ikea. They come in dark brown (as seen in the picture) or white. (In no way are we affiliated with Ikea on the mention of their products)

I really wish Detolf shelf heights could be adjusted! I'll kill to add one more shelf inside, especially since the height of each shelf is slightly too wide. All the DIYs I found to add more shelves inside ended up with the Detolf looking less appealing eventually...

The setback of getting a Detolf, as you can see, would be that most figures do not look good on the bottom-most shelf. To get around that, many collectors either display their artbooks or other pretty trinkets down on that last shelf, or prop the detolfs higher.

For propping, most would use Lack wall shelving units. They come in black, white or red, and can hold up to 4 detolfs. Simply place them facing down on the ground and assemble your detolfs on it!

Here's an example of how it'll hold.

Image credit to Tiamat on myfigurecollection

Of course, you can use other items like a TV bench to hold the detolfs up instead. With a TV bench, you might even be able to store boxes, so it might be a better deal!

There are also other display cabinets I'm interested in getting, like this glass door cabinet, which solves Detolf's bottom-shelf syndrome. However, it does have less space as a result (1 less shelf) as well as a hefty price tag of SGD$249. (In no way are we affiliated with Ikea on the mention of their products)

Moving away from display cabinets, I know these are really bad for people facing space constraint issues, I'll like to look at displays which focus more on individual figures. And for that, we will be examining Daiso products!

You get to choose if you'd rather get the tiered or flat bases. Their overall height isn't that different. My general rule would be to get the tiered ones for Nendoroid Petites, One Coins, and Suwarase-tai, and the flat ones for Chibi-kyuns.

These, on the other hand, would be more or less perfect for a single Nendoroid with space to spare on the top. Or you could lie it on its side and place your trading figures in it. I used to use them for Nendoroids but after I got a new display cabinet, I use these for trading figures!

These are very good at keeping Nendoroid Petites as well. You can choose if you'll lie the case like in the picture or on its side. As the case is rectangular, lying it on its side would make the height for each space differ so be sure to choose one which fits your needs better!

When I'm not feeling lazy, I cling-wrap the open-air side to prevent dust, which is one of the annoying problems you face when your case doesn't come with a fitted lid.

Another way to use this it to place your extra Nendoroid parts in it, like I currently do!

From Muji comes another display case. It's like a very large version of the Daiso 4-cell case! They are ideal for storing larger trading figures. Or even keeping Nendoroid face-plates!

And I guess you could possibly try fitting a Nendoroid in there? Although I don't think it'll work out well...

And if you love getting Nendoroid parts from all sorts of Nendoroids for customizing, or just too lazy to open the blister every time to get you Nendoroid parts out to change their poses, why not invest in one of these?

Not only would it be easy to see what you need, but it'll be easy to retrieve them as well. The only problem I can imagine you facing would be remembering which part came from which Nendoroid. But unless you are reselling them, I guess that wouldn't make that much of a difference...?

So these are the various storage items for figures that I use. If you are feeling ambitious, you can always ask for customized acrylic storage boxes. I know that there are quite a few on Taobao. Why not give them a try? As much as I don't trust China for figures (it's a bootleg haven there), I do trust in their display cases.

From Your Fellow Collector,

Reina-rin