Storing your decks

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Aug 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Calliope	16 Aug 2004
Okay everyone. I have done a search, and this type of thread has been made about five times, but none have succeeded in taking off (or are 2+ years old). I am about to try again because I am curious. :D Where do you store your deck(s)? How? Bag 'em, box 'em? For the collectors, do you display them or keep them hidden away? Before, I was buying bags for each of my decks that just came in the standard box (not the book sets, those stayed on the shelf with my books) and stored them in a single drawer. I just bought an unfinished storage case that is about six feet tall, which I painted this weekend. I threw out the crap hinges and the wooden knob that came with it, went to Home Depot and got these nifty black, gothic looking hinges and handle. Finished product looks very neat. Now, my tarot cards are all on one shelf (I am anticipating more though, which is why I got a big case). So, where are yours?

jlbvt	16 Aug 2004
I keep a deck in a fabric case that I made myself, in my purse most of the time. I only have a few cases, so the decks get interchanged between them. Right now, the Fey is the lucky one that travels with me. I have about four decks either in their boxes or out (just in a pile) near my computer in the living room, where I spend a lot of my down time. I have three or four also either in or out of their tuck-boxes on my night table, sitting on a special cloth. They like it there. I put crystals with them from time to time. The rest of my decks, the ones I am trying to keep in good condition, I keep away in a storage box in my hobby-room. I will sometimes take them out to look at them, or do a few spreads with a deck, but then they go back in the big box (carefully!) so they don't get messed up.

lark	16 Aug 2004
I keep all of mine here. They each have there own No Ouch color cordinated ponytail holder. edited to add: I have also made a bag for each deck, 95 at last count. The bags are kept in the closet right next to my desk. When the decks go out on the town they go in their bag. All my tarot books are also in the closet. The closet has shelves like a book case. I used to keep every deck in it's bag in the closet, but I was avoiding getting them out because I felt it was a hassle. I ended up grabbing the same decks over and over again because they were close at hand. So I got a few packs of No Ouch Ponytail Holders and spent a very fun day color cordinating the pony holders to the decks and seeing if all 95 decks would fit in this BIG, DEEP desk drawer. And they do :) Now I open the drawer and they are all right at my finger tips. I find myself just sitting there for hours playing with my cards. And best of all I don't feel like I'm ignoring some of my decks. That used to bother me alot. When you have a large collection you feel like you can't do every deck justice. But my BIG DRAWER Method has worked out really well for me. The only problem is I can't squeeze another deck in that drawer. Oh Well, I guess it's time to do a little trading.

Chronata	16 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lark I keep all of mine here. They each have there own No Ouch color cordinated ponytail holder. Sigh...they all look so neat and organized lark! I sooooo envy you! :D well... some of the decks that I don't use too often are on a bookshelf(which doubles as an altar) in thier original boxes. The decks on the top shelf, the sets with books on the bottom shelf. The oracle decks have thier own shelves, which they have now completely outgrown! For decks I use all the time, I keep those wrapped in scarves and/or tucked into pouches, and they are all in a big jumble of a pile stuffed into the second shelf of the bookcase... There are also about 20 or so decks (mixed tarot and oracles) on the shelf next to the computer,(in boxes or bags..depending on how frequently I use them!) because I hate to have to run to the other room when I'm on At, and I need to reference something or do a reading online! oh...and there are at least two decks next to the bed... and quite a few decks that I only use for public readings in a bag...uh...somewhere around here! wow...I really need to get better organized!

lunalafey	16 Aug 2004
Lark- that is so nice and neat! I could have sworn that there was a thread just reciently about this- I'm sure I made a post about how my decks sit. oh well, I may have fallen victim to lunacy- well, here's my decks home- you only see the front half, and they are awkardly stuffed in there becasue a bunch of them took a short trip and I was in a hurry to get them put away out of puppy/kitten teeth & claws. They usually sit neatly like bricks

Calliope	17 Aug 2004
Luna, there may have been... I might have just missed it. In that case, I'm the loony one and I apologize for repeating another's thread. *hangs head in shame* Lark, that is some system. You make me jealous. One day, I swear I will have that many decks in my collection! I swear it! Everyone's making me jealous. :D

Eco74	17 Aug 2004
That previous thread may well be my "Fer shame, hail ye fellow collectors" thread... I've actually found a system now too, but it's still in the making since my dear father (hobby carpenter) has only just recieved my plans for the cabinet I want. Once I have it, it will be a special home for my decks. In the meantime I have two by the bed (one in the window for "clearing" and one on the nighttable for daily draws and the rest in my wooden jewellerybox (also built by my father). I'm making bags for them and have only finished two sofar, one haphazard and one I'm very pleased with in cotton and linen. The following ones will be using those materials too..

jema	17 Aug 2004
My system is a bit weird at the moment. I have a small CD shelf on top of a low bookshelf. In the bookshelf I keep all tarot books and in the CD shelf I keep those decks that I hardly ever use. (Right now there stands decks like Witches tarot, native american, halloween, bosh etc...) But I come to realise that I spend a lot of time by my computer. So here I have todays deck on the computer table (Tarot of Prague) and on a small night-table beside my computerdesk I keep those decks I most likely will use sometime this week. (Fournier Marseille, Golden, Gill) Then I have a rather large plastic container where I keep a whole lot of decks I won't be using in perhaps a few weeks. The decks are in bags. And I also have a really nice old basket where I keep decks I really love and wants to keep close by. (BBC, Spiral, Cosmic tribe, Shining Tribe, Glastonbury, Thoth etc) All decks in bags and the basket standing right beside me now. And finally I have two decks by my favorit corner in the sofa where I can sit and look at them while watching TV or whatever. The Zerner-Farber is always in a wodden box there. And right now I also have the Olympic tarot there:-) Will take photos later. But I wish I were more organised.

Shalott	17 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lunalafey Lark- that is so nice and neat! I could have sworn that there was a thread just reciently about this- I'm sure I made a post about how my decks sit. oh well, I may have fallen victim to lunacy- well, here's my decks home- you only see the front half, and they are awkardly stuffed in there becasue a bunch of them took a short trip and I was in a hurry to get them put away out of puppy/kitten teeth & claws. They usually sit neatly like bricks Mine storage space looks a lot like yours! Only the cords are facing inward or else kitties would be dragging them all over the place!

Logiatrix	17 Aug 2004
It is so cool to see pics of other's tarot decks "at home" where they rest! :D I'm afraid most of my decks are situated more practically then aesthetically; but many people here seem to have been able to merge both form and function into some very impressive set-ups. Then I look again at my almost irreverent arrangement... :rolleyes: The tarots and oracles that stay in their boxes are stored in a large Rubbermaid flip-top container; it is about one-third the size of a standard foot-locker, and I purposely never own more decks than can fit in it. The seven or eight decks I use daily each have a cloth/bag ensemble. I think I went into painstaking detail about each bag and cloth in Eco's "Fer Shame..." thread, but I've changed things around since then, after I traded and sold lots of decks, and traded away most of my bags. I keep going back to my tried-and-true favorite decks, and they insist on living in the same certain bags. ;) I keep all of the bundles together in a roomy quilted tote bag, which stays in a corner of my bed (I have a big bed), when it's not traveling with me out into the world. :)

WolfSpirit	17 Aug 2004
The decks that I use regularly are all in a basket together - this is about 7 decks, I don't want to have too many in there because the point is to find them them easily. The other decks are in a big hamper-like basket and a colourful carton box - I had to add the box because they no longer fit comfortably in the hamper. The Celtic Tree Oracle, Healing with the Faeries and Golden Tarot are on the book case near my bed just because they look pretty there (pretty boxes). As I like making bags, all decks get a bag. I also keep them in their original boxes if there was one, just for extra protection. Most bags are self-made and crocheted, some are sewn (but I can't find those really cool patterns and fabrics here), but I also want to get a few bags from tarot totes because they seem to be "just right" for some of my decks. I don't keep the boxes of the boxed sets because they keep up too much space. Although I haven't had the heart to throw out the box for the Baroque Bohemian Cats set yet...maybe I can keep it to store notes or something in. It is such a pretty box, must be something I can do with it.

Myriantha	17 Aug 2004
My decks are all deboxed (except for the Gatti, which has that interesting "book" cover/box/thing) & then placed into bags. Naturally, I try to relate the bag's fabric to the deck by theme, pattern, colours, etc. I store all the bagged decks in a big, black, cast-iron cauldron planter that I picked up at a flea market. It sits by the side of the fireplace in my living room. Convenient, decorative & a great conversation-starter. Anyone unwary enough to ask what's in the bags gets a guided tour....

Alta	18 Aug 2004
Well, decks and books have outgrown their space a couple of times. I have main collection in a small bookshelf, with others in three pretty boxes that I have acquired (each holds three to six decks, depending on depth). The decks I just never use are in a wicker holder and shoved to the back of the underneath part where I keep related books. I used to have them all out, but got afraid of freaking out the new neighbours. There are usually a few decks near computer too. I like the idea of the No-Ouch bands. I find bags great for carrying, but at home decks in bags rarely get used because I can never remember which is which (is that lazy or what?) If they have original boxes, I use those.

Eco74	18 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Marion I find bags great for carrying, but at home decks in bags rarely get used because I can never remember which is which (is that lazy or what?) If they have original boxes, I use those. Well, Have I got a solution for You... A Special bag for Each deck. Directly linked to the design and feel of the deck. I make my own bags and only have one of my "schemed" bags finished and am almost done with the second. Ofcourse having more than the amount of decks I have (soon-to-be-7) could make this difficult aswell so maybe I should keep my collection low to keep this brilliant solution brilliant... *s*

lark	18 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Eco74 Well, Have I got a solution for You... A Special bag for Each deck. Directly linked to the design and feel of the deck. I make my own bags and only have one of my "schemed" bags finished and am almost done with the second. Ofcourse having more than the amount of decks I have (soon-to-be-7) could make this difficult aswell so maybe I should keep my collection low to keep this brilliant solution brilliant... *s* I make my bags too and did the same thing as you Eco74 But with 95 decks I still got confused :confused: So When I had them all in bags I attached little square price tags on stings to the bag, with the name of the deck written on it. That helped alot. I got them at an office supply store.

Eco74	18 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lark I make my bags too and did the same thing as you Eco74 But with 95 decks I still got confused :confused: So When I had them all in bags I attached little square price tags on stings to the bag, with the name of the deck written on it. That helped alot. I got them at an office supply store. Oooh, Tags... Yes, that would do the trick. *yay* I can keep collecting!!! *jumps up and down in officechair in sheer joy* *stops jumping and looks around to see if any of the other people in the office saw me* Noone did... *sighs of relief and then keeps jumping* ;)

lark	18 Aug 2004
My big dream would be to have one of those fancy sewing machines that you can program. Then I could embroider the name of each deck right on to the bag. Now that would be the ultimate! Glad I could keep you collecting Eco74!

ambermoon	18 Aug 2004
Some other ways to identify what deck is in which bag: Write the name of the deck using fabric markers--directly on the fabric if it is light enough, applique or iron on a label if it is not. Use alphabet beads strung on wire or ribbon as an embellishment. Rubber stamp alphabets are great--you can stamp onto the fabric or on a ribbon. ambermoon

lark	18 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ambermoon Some other ways to identify what deck is in which bag: Write the name of the deck using fabric markers--directly on the fabric if it is light enough, applique or iron on a label if it is not. Use alphabet beads strung on wire or ribbon as an embellishment. Rubber stamp alphabets are great--you can stamp onto the fabric or on a ribbon. ambermoon The alphabet beads is a great idea. The way my bags are made they could be strung on the draw string cord. And taken off if you want to switch bags for different decks. Thanks ambermoon :)

ladymermaid	18 Aug 2004
i keep my tarot card decks in wooden boxes that i got at new age and psychic shops.

Logiatrix	19 Aug 2004
Identifying decks in bags can get confusing when you use a lot of decks from your collection; I keep the number of decks I use down to ten or less so I don't get confused! In my system, the bag for each deck matches the theme of the deck, the dominant color in the deck, or the backs of the cards. My Visconti Gold is in a black Chinese brocade back, with a gold charm on the zipper-pull. The Osho Zen is in a black velvet bag, with embroidered flowers in various shades of orange and green; the charm on the zipper has the four elements that correlate with the four suits of the deck. The Xultun is in a cotton draw-cord bag with a bright and colorful Native American influenced design of "Kokopelli." The Healing Angels rest in a blue velvet beaded bag, with a little gold angel on the zipper. The bag for my tea leaf fortune cards is kind of different, and a good example of "matching" the deck to it's bag; this one took some contemplating, because it didn't like the red Chinese bag I first gave it. After I read more about the art of tasseomancy, I put the deck in a small lace purse, which fits the theme of the deck much better. The practice of tea leaf reading was very popular in Victorian England, as drinking tea grew to be such a favored past time; this set of cards is more in the style of that era, rather than from the Oriental culture of it's roots. The lace bag is vintage-looking and suprisingly more fitting; I also found a lace place mat with tea cups on it, for the perfect spread cloth. :) EDITED for a post-script: Ambermoon, Lark...excellent ideas with the tags, alphabet beads, rubber stamps--all so very, wonderfully clever! :D

Seed Crystal	20 Aug 2004
You all are scaring me. Shelves and running out of space and stacks here and there... I only have 5 decks, and I don't want to collect any more for awhile. I don't. I won't. ARRGH!!! I use bags and PART of a shelf at the moment but I am designing a ceramic home for them, to be hand built later this year.

The 78th Fool	21 Aug 2004
My collection decks - the ones I've bought for research etc or the ones that I just don't use on a regular basis are kept in their original packaging and stored in a large lidded storage chest. However, my working decks each have their own wooden box (preferably lined with felt or velvet to stop the cards from discolouring). Within the box, I keep the deck in its own satin , velvet or brushed cotton drawstring bag. Chris. xx

astril	21 Aug 2004
Some of my tarot decks (the ones I don't connect with) are shoved under the bed, crammed into the top shelf of my closet, and or hidden in my spare bedroom, which also serves as my storage area. If something goes in, it very rarely comes out! My favorite decks, the ones I read with and the ones I just can't put away, are stored in pouches, the two I read with are in my purse and the one I use for a daily draw is kept in an alabaster box kept on my dresser surrounded by three candles, an incense holder and an easle to keep the card of the day on. This is my altar, and the box was given to me by my husband when he decided me being a tarot reader was kinda cool. Thanks for the interest!

rosyelf	24 Aug 2004
When I had more than one or two decks, I happened upon the solution ( obvious, really) of storage boxes. I got a lovely big one with a Noah's Ark design on it from a local one-of-a-kind shop that has since closed down. Then, when that was filled, I got a slightly smaller one from the same shop (different design on exterior). When the shop closed, I just bought a simple box from Smtih's (THE chain-store for stationery in Britain). I don't think I'll be buying many more boxes, as I do have a clear-out of redundant/not much used decks every now and then. The biggest problem is keeping these lovely boxes from the clutches of my 6-year-old son, who has learning difficulties. He's quite gentle with them but they do tend to get strewn about a bit.They are however in a room in the house which he can't get access to without me, so that gives me some peace of mind ! (I am currently missing the Strength and the Hermit cards of my Stone Tarot. It's weird , because they are my favourite cards in the whole deck !) When I go travelling, often to Glastonbury, any decks I want to take with me-usually 2 or 3-I put in a rather nice bag with South American geometrical patterns on it-it's blue and green, very natural-looking. I suppose I have some reluctance to put my beloved decks in the same bag as toothpaste and knickers ! I think a lot of AT posters are fetishists at heart. We must be.

jlbvt	24 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by astril Some of my tarot decks (the ones I don't connect with) are shoved under the bed, crammed into the top shelf of my closet, and or hidden in my spare bedroom, If something goes in, it very rarely comes out! Astril- why not go to the Tarot Trading forum and trade away some of those decks, and get some new ones to play with?

anubis	24 Aug 2004
i recently got a little pouch for my tarot. though it looked a little girlish, but i think its more important to protect my tarot from wear and tear as i bring them with me. i even put some mini crystals into the pouch

Majecot	26 Aug 2004
Ok I finally got off my duff and took a picture :) I keep my decks, mostly in bags, but also in a lovely little chest.. as you can see by the picture.. it is a tad overflowing. When I first got this chest it was the perfect size and held all of my decks.. ... then I went on a shopping spree. A couple of the bags are hand made by Carma originals.. one was crocheted for my by Kelpy.. one is a Chronata original ;) and the rest are Majecot originals...hehe. I actually have some more bag making to do because yet again.. the decks out number the bags. you can see a few of them here.

Majecot	26 Aug 2004
Here is me trying to close the chest.... I am thinking it is time for a bigger one. As you can see it doesn't really close, and I had to remove several decks to close it this far. :D

Moonbow*	26 Aug 2004
Hey Majecot What a dear little chest. I would never get mine in there either. I love the bags too. I have made a start on a bag myself but I haven't got far today as there is far too much going on with birthdays, and exam results, family arriving etc....... Maybe you need a new chest for your birthday....then this one could be for your oracles? Where there's a will, there's a way!

Majecot	26 Aug 2004
LOL.... Moonbow*.. I do need to take a trip to Hobby Lobby (craft store). That is where I found this little chest and a smaller one for rocks :D.. ( they have such neat stuff there .... is very bad when I go) But.. I only have one Oracle... they might get kind of lonely in there... I supose I could ...shop more :D:D

Ace	27 Aug 2004
I have found that pretty fabrics made into a ho-hum draw-string bag just doesn't do me anymore. I like seeing interesting variations: recently the daughter of a friend (the friend is very creative and her daughter just graduated art school) showed me the deck bag she had made: the deck goes in sideways, then the bad wraps around the deck and buttons on the side. I loved it, even though the fabric was very plain.

Seed Crystal	27 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Majecot ...But.. I only have one Oracle... they might get kind of lonely in there... I supose I could ...shop more :D:D I have figured it out: Tarot decks are cats in previous or later lives, and WE are all past or future... CAT LADIES!! You know the ones I mean, those ladies with 20+ cats... who cannot look at a fluffy face (or elevator tail) without saying "well, what difference would one more make?..."

Morningstar	28 Aug 2004
I only have three decks at the moment so I just put them in small individual decorative wooden boxes I bought at a home store and stored them all on a bookshelf together with my tarot books. *looks at all the photos, is fascinated, and wonders if she'll ever have such large tarot collections*

Moonbow*	02 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Ace I have found that pretty fabrics made into a ho-hum draw-string bag just doesn't do me anymore. I like seeing interesting variations: recently the daughter of a friend (the friend is very creative and her daughter just graduated art school) showed me the deck bag she had made: the deck goes in sideways, then the bad wraps around the deck and buttons on the side. I loved it, even though the fabric was very plain. The BEST bags are the ones made by friends, without a doubt. There is no better way of remembering someone, especially when they have put their own time and effort into it and made it a gift. I personally wouldn't call the draw-string ones ho-hum, they are perfectly designed for the purpose to me. I have a couple of wrap around type bags too, and again, the best one was made for me, and sent as a surprise.

Majecot	02 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Seed Crystal I have figured it out: Tarot decks are cats in previous or later lives, and WE are all past or future... CAT LADIES!! You know the ones I mean, those ladies with 20+ cats... who cannot look at a fluffy face (or elevator tail) without saying "well, what difference would one more make?..." HAHAHA... Cat Ladies!!! Oh no.. I think my tarot decks must have been dogs.. not cats (shh.. listen hear all the barking?) Seed Crystal.. you crack me up ;) Moonbow* I think your right, the hand made gifted ones are the best.

Shalott	02 Sep 2004
LOL!

wildchilde	03 Sep 2004
I have to say this forum has really inspired me to try and take better care of my friends! I have always been "protective" of them...keeping them in their assigned boxes and/or wrapped in silk. But until recently I had not given much thought to giving them a happy home (other than shoved under my coffee table!). Happy circumstance...I saw an old friend I haven't seen in years just two days ago and somehow the conversation lead to my asking him if he did woodwork. He said yes and then asked me what I wanted. So I told him I needed a cedar box and now he is making me one!!!! It is going to be a very odd shape in order to accomodate my decks (the number of which has grown exponentially in the past few days alone) and to fit where I need to be able to store it----under the coffee table!! :laugh: So, with my cedar box on the way, and several new decks currently winging their ways to me, I am now turning my thoughts to trying to put together some nice little bags for each of these decks as well. Will let you know how all turns out. And thanks for the wonderful inspiration everyone!!!

Majecot	03 Sep 2004
We need more pictures in this thread ;) Get snapping!

Trogon	03 Sep 2004
Ah ... gee ... I'm such a slob compared to the rest of you... :| (I'm a bohemian Tarotist I guess... :rolleyes: ) I have a total of 14 decks, 10 of which I use on a relatively regular basis. The 10 decks I use regularly are mostly kept in their original boxes. Those boxes have all been reinforced with clear packaging tape so that they're stronger and so that the flaps (which get flapped around a lot ;) ) remain intact. An exception to this is my Victoria Regina deck - it came in that huge box with the book, and a very nice, heavy, cloth bag - so that deck is kept in the cloth bag, which is then placed in that over-sized white box that came inside the main box. My Rider-Waite deck (my oldest) is in it's tape-reinforced box and that is kept in a lined cloth bag. All of these 10 decks are in a heavy cloth tote bag which says "Arizona 9-1-1 Telecommunicator" on it and was given to most of the state's dispatchers a couple of years ago for "National Telecommunicators Week". ;) I carry that with me to and from work and to and from a lot of other places too. (It also has my Tarot "journal", a steno pad for writing down readings and a few Tarot books. The other 4 decks I haven't connected to for one reason or another, or (in the case of my mother's old deck) is just not one I want to carry around and use on a day-to-day basis. Those are on the bottom shelf of an end table in our living room.

starhermit	04 Sep 2004
In comparison to me, all of you seem to handle your decks really well! I have just two decks - the RWS and the Legends: Arthurian Tarot. I only read with my RWS; the Legends deck was bought because I love the watercolours of the deck. The Legends and its book is kept in the box that they came in. My RWS is kept in the originaly box, which is looking rather tattered! As I have friends and visitors who think the tarot is 'evil' etc, I keep my books and decks hidden away behind other books on my shelf. When I'm alone, I take my RWS deck in its box and place it on a huge piece of obsidian that sits on my desk next to my computer. The obsidian is perfectly shaped to 'hold' my RWS, which was a pleasant surprise since my hands are too small to hold the obsidian comfortably for a long period :) I do feel quite guilty for hiding away my tarot though!

Moonbow*	11 Sep 2004
I thought you may be interesting in seeing a pouch made for me by Majecot (aint she clever?). I put my runes in it but it could hold a deck. The material is brown velvet and the lining is purple with a sheer purple ribbon. And the lovely touch......... she has threaded two amethst stones and two flourite stones on the ribbon. :D

Sulis	11 Sep 2004
Now that is lovely :) I haven't got the hang of lining bags yet - too complicated for me I think. Love Sulis xx

mrowcat	11 Sep 2004
All these pics make me feel bad, I keep my meager collection in their boxes, and those without boxes are wrapped in handkerchiefs that my husband got, but never used. The whole lot is kept in the box my Converse All Star hightops came in. amanda

Maelin	11 Sep 2004
I have only three decks, - my trusty 30 year old RWS, whose box went to shreds sometime in the late seventies, and who lived in a red velveteen bag with a draw sting for the next 2 decades. Recently i was in a store that sold Indonesian crafts- lots of those lovely wooden cats (hmm.. cats again.. )- and they had wooden boxes. I bought one on spec, and lo and behold it fit my cards as if made for them - they are happy now and I think lord it a bit over the Arthurian Hallowquest deck, still quite new and in its boxed set... but that will have to go. My mini Universal lives in its box - recently purchased, and in my suitcase in one of those makeup pouches that was some free gift with purchase - so that I never forget the cards on an overnight business trip. My books are more of a problem, and as guests have a tendancy to give the ever growing collection a suspicious look, i keep them on a shelf in the upstairs hallway between two beautiful indonesian elephant book-ends - the elephants are looking a little stressed by the number of books they have to hold up!

The Storing your decks thread was originally posted on 16 Aug 2004 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.