How to store your Anime figure boxes

If you own a few anime figures, storing their boxes is usually not a big problem. However, when you start amassing your collection and have a few hundred figures, you don't just worry about your display space. You also need to ask yourself how and where you are going to store the boxes of 200 or 300 figures. So how do you store figure boxes? You have several possibilities:

Get rid of your manga figurine boxes

This solution may seem counterintuitive, as you probably reached this page looking for tips on how to store your anime figure boxes. For figures that you really like and have decided to never sell in the future, you can get rid of the boxes. There's no point in maintaining a high resale value if you know you'll keep it until your last breath. For figures you think you might sell in the future, I recommend keeping the boxes.

Ditch blister packaging and fold boxes

The main reason boxes are a problem is their size, which can easily fill a closet. The biggest box I had to bring home was the Joan of Arc from Good Smile Company and it's not even 1/4 scale. Trying to get home while lugging a gigantic box wasn't easy.

But no matter how big the boxes are, they almost disappear as soon as you remove the blister packaging and fold the boxes. A mountain of boxes can become a small pile of cardboard. Simply throw away the blister packaging. Resale value would suffer a bit from the absence of the blister packaging, but storing the box wouldn't be a big space issue. I've already done this for the boxes of some of the smaller scale figures and prize figures I own and it's already saved me a ton of space.

Fold boxes to save space

Here you can see I've folded a stack of boxes for some of the smaller scale figures I own.
If you need to move or sell the figure, you can simply fill the boxes with foam, bubble wrap, or any other cushioning material you have available.


Discard the clear blister packaging so you can fold the box. Folded boxes are easier to store.
Stack them neatly and correctly
If you don't want to get rid of boxes or blister packs, make sure to stack them properly in a cabinet or in your cellar/attic. You can use the extra-large boxes from AmiAmi and Mandarake to store your figure boxes so that they are more organized. Each box can hold three to five scale figures and a few Nendoroids. It is significantly easier to stack a few large boxes than dozens of small individual boxes. Not to mention that these large boxes will protect your figurine boxes from dust.

Stacking hundreds of boxes of anime figures is like playing Tetris with boxes. Only, a line doesn't magically disappear when you fill it. If you're stacking them in the basement or attic every time you get a new one, you're probably not maximizing your available space. Stack them neatly and correctly. Larger boxes should be placed at the bottom and try to save as much space as possible when stacking them. I've also heard that some people hide the boxes under their beds.

Play Tetris

I went crazy unboxing once and this is the result. Finding space to store the boxes was no easy task.
Display your boxes
Why store your boxes when you can display them? Some figures have very nice boxes and you can display them if you want. Nendoroid boxes are thankfully easier to stack and display as they are now uniform in size. You can display Nendoroid boxes in your living room without it being an eyesore. This is more difficult to achieve with scale figure boxes, as they are not uniform in size.

Imposing figurine boxes

You can display your boxes, but not like this. I have to say that stacking boxes is not one of my strong points.
Rent a storage unit
If you don't want to get rid of your boxes and you no longer have space in your home to store them, it's time to rent a storage unit. However, this is not a solution that I recommend. Renting a storage unit is very expensive and the costs involved are unlikely to be worth it in the long run. Storage units can cost around $100 per month, which easily adds up to $1,200 per year. And it's not expensive to pay. All this money for what? A markup of 10 to 20 dollars on the price of a figurine?

Other Box Storage Tips

Other Box Storage Tips

Regardless of how you decide to store your boxes, there are a few things you need to remember.

The boxes are biodegradable.

The boxes are essentially paper, so they are biodegradable and deteriorate over time. You can't stop boxes from rotting. However, you can slow the deterioration of boxes by storing them properly. Heat, sunlight and humidity can accelerate the deterioration of boxes. If you want to keep your boxes in good condition, keep them protected from the elements.

Keep boxes out of reach Insects that eat paper
Silverfish eats paper
One of the most common insects that eat paper is silverfish. The silverfish is a crawling insect with a shiny, slender body. It moves while crawling, like a fish would do. It has two antennas in the front and three antennas in the back. Fortunately, you can deter silverfish and most other paper-eating insects. Mothballs will scare away any paper-eating insects. Roaches and rodents can also eat the boxes, so be sure to keep your pest control under control.

Keep an Eye Out for Mold
Moisture can cause mold in boxes. If you see mold in one of your boxes, move it away from the other boxes to prevent it from spreading. Wipe away the mold with rubbing alcohol.

Below I purchased the Kotobukiya Asuna figure from a local seller. The box had mold. Wiping it with rubbing alcohol removed some but not all of it. Some of the mold was already very deep and it was impossible to erase it. Fortunately, it did not spread. I still have this box, but I store it separately from all my other boxes, for safety.


What is your experience storing figure boxes? Let me know in the comments.