Miniatures - Storage/Cataloging/Finding

[Glitterwolf]

I store my unpainted minis in big plastic containers.

 

The painted ones are in a display cabinet, sometime when I have too many I will store those in such containers too.

 

( awaiting more space in the future when the girls will move out..one day...one day...)

 

I use an Excell sheet.

One tab is my collection of unpainted minis. I have colour coded the different kinds like Undead, Reptiles, Busts, Chronoscope etc.

Also I colour coded the ones I'm working on.

 

The second tab is for the ones I painted, by year.

 

The third tab is for ideas I have...

 

So ehhh.... I have this problem....

[warlordgarou]

We who are lazy always look for more efficient ways of doing things. Those few of us who are REALLY lazy will sometimes even expent slightly more energy in the beginning in order to save a lot of work later. 

I know WHAT I have, and mostly even where I have it, just by looking in a spreadsheet. 

 

Starting the spreadsheet was the big part, and took me a couple of hours, then it was just a bit of follow-up as I added new minis.

At one point, I was cataloging just my Warmachine and Hordes minis.  The omnibus document (when I checked earlier today) lists 753 models, and I quit with four or five factions to go.  I haven't updated it in over a year, so my conservative guess is that it is 400 minis shy.  I know mostly what I have for Flames of War (full Soviet Strelkovy Batalon, with all options).  I know what I have for ACW (520 minis, most on the way), and Kings of War (well, roughly - but easily determinable, based on KS pledges).  Pretty sure I know what I have for FSA, Dystopian Wars, Planetfall, Bolt Action, Infinity, SAGA, Guild Ball, Arena Rex, etc, etc - and that's not counting my Bones & CAV pledges.

 

For me, cataloging it would probably take 2-3 hours a day for a month, or more, and not give me much in the way of insight, other than "Hot void, I spent a lot of minis!"

[Gadgetman!]

Catalogs like this needs to be an ongoing project.

Everything new must be added immediately, and the older stuff can be added as and when you have time or come over them. 

 

It might be an idea to mark minis with a dot of paint on the underside of the base to mark that it has been catalogued, if the collection is more than a little chaotic. 

I must admit to a bit of cheating...

All the editing of the big text file was done on the bus on the way home from work.

(40minute ride one way in comfy busses that can be used as tour busses - they even have folding trays - every day... And I happen to have a small laptop for work, a DELL 7240, that fit on the tray ) 

 

As for the minis temselves, I'm now considering jewelry price tags(small cardboard pieces with a thread loop).

[vegascat]

I store mine in boxes and bags, in cupboards and on shelves. I too need a better system. I did try to start one once with some small stackable trays from home Depot as they're just about the right size to stand a blisterpack up in. I just never kept up with it.

[knarthex]

Blister packs are on a rack

Opened stuff either in foam lined boxes

KS and other bagged stuff in cases similar to the large Reaper paint caddys

Lists?

Catalogs?

Spread sheets???????

 

BWA ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....

 

(Stops to wipe tears of mirth....)

[ub3r_n3rd]

Hey! It'd do my OCD some good having things super neat and organized for my new area! George!

Edited November 9, 2016 by ub3r_n3rd

[Arc 724]

I think IKEA is going to be your best bet for idea's and cost. Those ALEX drawers that have already been linked are a good selection for that maybe with some

HÖFTA - Divider for drawer

Article Number: 002.821.08

 

That way you can customize and change it on the fly if needed. 

 

I mean I like the idea of a card catalog but as Cash has also pointed out getting one is going to be near impossible for a good price. But IKEA, no worries no worries. 

 

P.s. you house is looking great. I've enjoying watching it come together.

[ub3r_n3rd]

Someone on Facebook who I asked about storage solutions posted these -

 

[Talae]

This seems useful: http://www.stripersonline.com/image/id/972868/width/525/height/525

[knarthex]

Hey! It'd do my OCD some good having things super neat and organized for my new area! George!

I was describing MY 'system' such as it is...

 

I can't even keep a painting journal, which is why my WiPs are so boring, I write everything there!

[ub3r_n3rd]

This seems useful: http://www.stripersonline.com/image/id/972868/width/525/height/525

Oh! I like those too.

[Talae]

I personally have plano trays in a wire rack that bought on Amazon. I think it has nine trays in it. These house many of my minis. I have more trays in a cabinet that I don't have a wire rack for. Many of the Bones minis are in Core and Expansion boxes in labeled baggies. Painted minis are in glass display cases

 

I took them and filled the compartments with foam. I am personally sorting by manufacturer, then material, then category of creature/PC type.

[Thes Hunter]

Do you know the height of those trays Talae?

 

I like the look of them... but for staring basing material and bits. They look less than 1 inch high, which won't fit very many minis.

[SGHawkins09]

Someone on Facebook who I asked about storage solutions posted these -

 

 

These are great. I have one that contains most of my basing bits.

[ub3r_n3rd]

 

 

Someone on Facebook who I asked about storage solutions posted these -

 

These are great. I have one that contains most of my basing bits.

I'm told they are called " Really Useful Boxes"