Whether you’re just starting out with making or buying tabletop terrain, or you already have a substantial collection, you will need a place to store it all. No matter if it’s 3D printed, resin cast, or hand crafted, it’s a good practice to keep all tabletop terrain pieces stored in a safe place when they’re not in use. Keeping them safely contained will protect them from dust and damage. It also helps to keep them organized so that you can easily find a specific piece when you need it.
There are varying levels of money that you can spend on your storage system, so the best method depends on your budget. What is the most effective way to store tabletop terrain pieces when compared to cost? Clear plastic storage bins are great way to store and organize your pieces, and they are relatively cheap compared to other methods. If you’re willing to spend a bit more money, then display cabinets or drawer systems might be good for you.
In this article I’ll go over each way of storing tabletop terrain so that you can decide which one is best for you. At the end I’ll also go over how to safely store your terrain pieces for transport or travel.
Plastic Storage Bins
Without a doubt, plastic storage bins are the cheapest and easiest way to store your tabletop terrain. These are just simple plastic tubs with lids. Prices for these vary, but on the low end you can find some for a few dollars or less per container. The low cost doesn’t mean that they don’t work well though. In fact you could buy a few of these for very little money and not have to worry about storage again for years.
They also come in a variety of colors. I prefer clear because it lets me see the contents of the container, but it’s not totally necessary. If you prefer the opaque colored containers, you can always just put a label on them so that you know what’s in them. Labeling really helps if you have a large number of terrain pieces, so you can find exactly what you need at a glance.
Another good thing about plastic storage bins is that they’re usually made to stack on top of each other. This will help you to save space. You can fit a very large amount of terrain pieces in a small area if you stack them together. Just be careful that you don’t stack them too high, or you run the risk of them toppling over. Also, I don’t recommend that you let things get too heavy on any one container. Especially if you bought very cheap containers, sometimes the lids can crack under pressure and the contents can be crushed.
So what’s the downside of these? Well for one thing, they don’t have the nicest appearance. While they keep things nice and organized, they have a pretty cheap appearance. However, that can be solved by hiding them away in a closet or cupboard. Like I said above, they can break under too much weight, but normally tabletop terrain doesn’t weigh too much, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Aside from those minor issues, plastic containers are really ideal for storing your tabletop terrain pieces. There are some other options though if you’re willing to spend more money and want something a bit nicer.
Display Cabinets
Display cabinets are basically just a set of enclosed shelves with clear doors on the front so that you can see what’s inside them. The doors can be either glass or clear plastic, like an acrylic sheet. Like the name suggests, these are very good for displaying items while still keeping them safe from dust and other damage. They’re also perfect for storing tabletop terrain, as well as miniatures.
If you’re like me, a big part of why you like this hobby is because you love to look at miniature models of buildings and terrain. That’s why we buy or make them for ourselves and the people we play our tabletop games with. A display cabinet makes it so that you can always enjoy looking at your buildings and terrain, even when they’re not out on the game table and in use.
As for the cost, they’re definitely more expensive than plastic containers. There’s also a wide range of prices, so you might want to shop around. On the very lowest end you can buy mall display cabinets for under 100 US dollars, but these don’t have the capacity to hold very much. If you don’t have a lot of items to display though then that might not be a bad idea. The prices only go up from there. Larger cabinets can cost in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars.
After a certain price point, the cabinet itself becomes a very nice piece of furniture, which is kind of an added benefit. You can use it to house and display any other items or props for your game, or even just household valuables.
Drawer Systems
There are some drawer systems that would be suitable for storing tabletop terrain. They just need to be deep enough to fit the taller items like buildings or trees. On the cheap end there are sets of plastic drawers, which are sometimes clear. You can find those for around 10 to 15 US dollars. Drawer systems vary hugely, and there are some that are very elaborate, so it really depends on what you can find in your area.
Drawers have all the benefits of using storage containers, but the added benefit of being able to access each bin easily without having to move the ones stacked on top. If you get clear plastic drawers then you’ll be able to easily see what’s in each drawer, but if not then you can always label them, just like storage bins.
A large set of drawers has the benefit of being able to hold a lot of stuff, but the other side of that coin is that it’ll probably be difficult to move around. While individual storage bins can easily be moved one by one, a set of drawers is usually one single unit. Unless you get one where the drawers can be removed completely.
Cardboard Boxes
If you’re really on a budget or don’t want to spend any money at all, then there’s always cardboard boxes. You probably have some of these lying around already. If not, then they can easily be found for free. Any time you get a delivery or buy something, just save the box.
Cardboard boxes will do the job, as long as they’re in decent condition. You can usually stack them up on top of each other, unless they’re really flimsy or worn out. They provide a bit of a cushion in case you bump or drop the box, but not a whole lot.
There a few main drawbacks of using cardboard boxes to store your tabletop terrain. One is that they are very susceptible to water damage. If someone spills a drink, or if there’s a leaky pipe in your basement next to where you store them, then the box will quickly be destroyed or become useless. Another thing you have to worry about with water is mold. Hopefully you won’t be storing your tabletop terrain long enough for it to develop mold, but it is possible.
Another downside to using cardboard boxes is just the way they look. This might not bother some people, but if you compare a cardboard box to any of the other storage options I listed above, they simply don’t look as good. There are some cardboard boxes out there that are a bit nicer, so if you can find one of those then that’s great, but the typical brown box just doesn’t have as nice of an appearance as the other options.
If looks aren’t an issue for you, then cardboard boxes might be perfect. Just be careful of moisture and humidity and they should be fine.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags are kind of a supplement to any of the storage methods I listed above. You can put your terrain into a plastic bag and then put it into whatever box or bin you want. If you use a sealed plastic bag, then your tabletop terrain should be protected from any moisture. This is a good way to ensure that they don’t get water damage even inside of a cardboard box.
If you’re going with a display case, then maybe plastic bags aren’t such a good idea. They would kind of ruin the point of having them in a nice display. For plastic bins or cardboard boxes though they’ll be just fine. They’ll even help to prevent any damage from the pieces bumping into each other while in storage.
Storage For Transportation
If you need to transport your tabletop terrain frequently, maybe to and from game sessions, then there are some things you can do to make sure that they don’t get damaged along the way. The first thing you might want to do is put something soft around each piece. This can be foam sheet, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or even just crumpled paper. Anything that will cushion the pieces in case of an impact.
You can usually reuse any foam, bubble wrap, or other packing supplies from other deliveries that you’ve received. A lot of times companies will throw in bubble wrap even if they don’t need to, so you can save it and use it for packing your terrain.
It’s usually good to put the cushioning material around each individual piece of terrain, or at least around groups of similar items. This will prevent them from smashing into each other inside the container and potentially breaking.
If you use a plastic container for transporting your terrain pieces, try to get one with a locking lid. The normal snap on lids can easily come off if they get bumped or dropped.