====== Organizing Your Collection ======
I have built up a sizeable collection of tarot decks, along with a handful of oracle decks I use for various correlations and as reference material. I'm always on the lookout for good methods of protecting, storing, and organizing my collection, so here's what I've found so far.
===== Protection =====
==== Details ====
I am a big proponent of sleeving tarot decks, particularly when it's evident that the print quality of the cards is not durable. This is a //huge// problem with Llewellyn decks - I've exchanged several of their decks over the years, because the print chips off the glossy card surface way, way too easily, and brand-new decks occasionally are missing chunks of an image along a card's edges. As a result, I //never// use a Llewellyn deck without first sleeving it, and sleeving is the first thing I do when I get a new deck. My favorite sleeves to date are [[https://amzn.to/3vovQiF|these Sleeve Kings "WOTR" card sleeves]].
I have not found good sleeves for most non-standard decks. I do have a Spanish deck that appears to follow standard French tarocchi dimensions, and I was able to sleeve it with a pack of [[https://amzn.to/3TLpUcQ|these Sleeve Kings French Tarot sleeves]] and store it in an Ultimate Guard French Tarot case, which has since been discontinued by the manufacturer.
Until 2019, I purchased a number of deck boxes from a tabletop gaming accessories company called Ultimate Guard. They discontinued production of this case, and it is no longer available. I have, however, found numerous listings on both Amazon and AliExpress for similar boxes. These deck boxes are typically made from chipboard wrapped in textured vinyl (typically described as "PU leather" or "vegan leather" that is sewed to the chipboard. The box is then lined with a thin synthetic flocked material, which reduces friction from the cards sliding in and out of the case. The sides of the box are glued together, and the whole thing closes with a magnetic flap. These boxes may be found with different embellishments on the flap, usually either some kind of medallion, or a debossed pentagram with the word "tarot". I haven't found any of these boxes //without// some kind of flap embellishment, unfortunately.
Not all deck boxes are the same, so pay close attention to the dimensions of any box you're purchasing online. A number of options on Amazon are sized perfectly for an //unsleeved// deck, but are much too narrow for a sleeved deck. If you don't sleeve your decks, there are some pretty cool options available.
Below is a table of deck boxes I've purchased and used with my various decks. I've linked to products on Amazon, but it's worth noting that all of these can be found on AliExpress, frequently for 20-40% less than whatever Amazon's current price happens to be. AliExpress also has products that might not be available on Amazon, or might be hard to find in stock. Expect to wait two to three weeks for your package to arrive, but the savings are worth it, and they really are good boxes for storing sleeved decks.
There are also some metal boxes I use for certain decks, but they're not a //great// solution - they're shipped in bubble mailers from China, so they are frequently dented, and they're made of cheap, thin steel. That said, I haven't found a better option for those decks. I've recently found a metal box that's big enough for a sleeved deck and an appropriately-sized LWB, so I might make some mini LWBs for my favorite sleeved decks.
==== Products ====
^ Product ^ Link ^ Sleeved? ^ Dimensions ^ Notes ^
| L757 tarot boxes | [[https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805446647102.html|AliExpress]] | Yes | 86x57x137mm\\ 3.38x2.24x5.39" |These are my favorite boxes for sleeved decks. They are almost identical to the original Ultimate Guard boxes. These deck boxes are too wide for the baskets I use, so I generally keep them in a display cabinet. |
| Skylety tarot boxes | [[https://amzn.to/497JEvU|Amazon]] | No | 2.81x1.38x4.84" | These fit snugly in a large SheeChung basket. They don't stand up well on their own, but are inexpensive and available as multipacks, so they're quite nice for storing unsleeved Llewellyn decks that are packaged in large, magnet-flap boxes. |
| Luck Lab tarot boxes | [[https://amzn.to/3INIJpD|Amazon]] | No | 2.88x1.25x4.88" | These are very pretty cases. I have one for my [[tarot:decks:unicelt]] deck, and it's big enough for the deck and the LWB. |
| Coume tarot boxes | [[https://amzn.to/3Vwc9A6|Amazon]] | No | 2.95x1.4x4.9" | These are //very// pretty cases, but are too snug for either sleeved or thicker unsleeved decks. I use mine to store a couple Lo Scarabeo decks with LWBs - [[tarot:decks:davinci]] and [[tarot:decks:erotic]]. These decks fit snugly in a large SheeChung basket. |
| Metal XL tarot boxes | [[https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805962496514.html|AliExpress]] | No | 90x40x125mm\\ 3.54x1.57x4.92" | I have found these boxes to be the perfect size for storing oversized decks, such as [[tarot:decks:chakra]], [[tarot:decks:llewellyn]], and [[tarot:decks:wildwood]]. I've enjoyed making my own labels for these tins - I use one-sided adhesive lamination sheets to attach full-color labels to the top and sides. They're not the best, and the design makes them sit at an angle when put on a shelf upright, with other deck boxes. |
| Black metal tarot boxes | [[https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806302261866.html|AliExpress]] | Yes | 83x60x130mm\\ 3.27x2.36x5.12" | These tins are a bit fragile (they dent easily), but they are the perfect size for a sleeved deck //and// a thick LWB. The lid is flush with the container, so a closed box sits nicely upright on a shelf. |
===== Storage =====
==== Products ====
^ Product ^ Link ^ Capacity ^ Notes ^
| GUUKAR spice baskets | [[https://amzn.to/49p1cnh|Amazon]] | ≤ 12 bootleg, Lo Scarabeo (small)\\ ≤ 8 full size tuck boxes (large)\\ ≤ 7 compatible deck boxes (large) | These baskets are my all-time favorite solution. They attach easily to a vertical surface and have pretty straight sides, rather than angling outward. They also work great as organization on shelving or in boxes. |
| Begale plastic baskets | [[https://amzn.to/43r0TXC|Amazon]] | ≤ 8 full size tuck boxes\\ ≤ 6 extra-wide, chipboard boxes | These baskets aren't my favorite, but they work well enough, are a useful size, and are relatively inexpensive for a six-pack. One short end of the basket has a pull handle, making them good candidates for storage on shelving and in cabinets. The container shape is a standard basket, and is wider at the opening than the base. |