I have a thousand puzzles to keep track of! I’ve had several reorganisations over the years, and they work for me. Sometimes new pictures pop up on social media that inspire me, so if it inspires someone else too, here are some details about my collection.
Your Location
It depends on where you have space in your home. Sometimes, a garage or space outside a shed can be a good option. I used to have my puzzles in our old house basement, but I moved almost all of them to our new home over time. A sloping ceiling can be a pain, but luckily I’ve been able to find different height shelves and deal with it from places such as Ikea and Walmart. Avoid water and dampness, extreme heat or cold if possible because these things can ruin your puzzle pieces quickly!
Your Shelving Options
I’m really pleased with my adjustable wire shelving. It’s sturdy and looks nice, offering maximum flexibility as I can mix up tall shelves, medium ones or low for the slope of my ceiling. In addition, the different height posts allow me to make a custom fit depending on which kind of puzzle box I have–they’re also pretty cheap, so that helps too! You can often find suitable shelving at Ikea or Walmart, depending on where you live.
Storing Your Puzzles Vertically
I was introduced to a new idea when I discovered someone else’s puzzle collection and realised that they stored their puzzles vertically, like books. This makes it easy for each one to come out without disturbing the others and looks better too!
How to sort your Jigsaw Puzzles
For some time, I organized by brand. This has the advantage of having similar boxes next to each other. However, as my collection grew, I realized it made more sense to keep my puzzles together by category and artist. Ravensburger, for example, has cartoon puzzles joyfully mixed with collage puzzle game sets that are all near-identical in size—perfect if you want a variety or need something low-key at work! To get tips on organizing your puzzle collection effectively, check out how to create a puzzle-solving space in your home.
Labelling Your Shelves
It’s not necessary to have your shelves tagged, but I like its look, and it does make things easier to find at a glance. I used these shelf tags here because they were the cheapest I could find and match my shelving design; however, if you are interested in other strategies or want higher quality labels, consider using the best lighting for solving jigsaw puzzles to ensure you have the right conditions for organizing and labeling.
Puzzle Status
I use Avery labels in transparent to create tags I put on the back of my completed puzzles. The self-adhesive label can be pulled off without damaging anything and is perfect for me because often, I buy older puzzles from eBay that might not come with inserts or a box cover, so it’s nice to have extra information about them. For insights into how to handle and protect your puzzle collection, you might find how to take apart a jigsaw puzzle helpful.
Additionally, to make your organization process even smoother, consider reading about jigsaw puzzle assembly parties for creative ways to manage your collection while having fun.
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