Card Storage, other smallish questions

Glass Owl said:

I don't really mind people touching my cards as long as they careful with them and haven't been eating Cheetos beforehand. That said, my daughter wanted to look at my Waterhouse Oracle a while back but I didn't let her touch them. I'm not sure why - she is very good about caring for my deck. Heck, I even was brave enough to gild the edges of them with ink! Suddenly I became possessive of them and don't want anyone to touch them either.

Click to expand...

I have a few "kicking around" decks that anyone can play with if they want to, and others that I keep to myself ( or another "tarot" person.) Some people, like my dad for example, see tarot cards like Bicycle cards -- if you lose one, bend one, step on one, spill on one, just run to the store and get another deck. Many decks may look pretty much the same, but they aren't. Same thing goes for the dreamy preteen girls of the world -- Sure you can take a deck to the basement and practice laying out the cards .....

And sadly, many time I reorder my cards before putting them away -- not because I'm super neat but because I'm paranoid. Am I absolutely SURE I didn't misplace a card? Are they all there? Eeek, I better sort them out to be safe.

For some reason my post duplicated itself. Sorry.

I keep most of my tarot in velvet lined bags in a colour that compliments the backs of the cards and my most favoured or expensive are in boxes. I don't keep the packaging boxes because, for myself, when I pull my tarot out of a bag or wooden box, it feels like a tool or spiritual, but pulling tarot out of a cardboard box makes me feel like Im playing with a toy.
Some boxes are from a local eclectic shop, some the web, and some a local craft store that sells decorative boxes cheap. I live in Louisiana and the humidity is very bad. But I only have one deck that's been effected by the weather. Its slightly bent halfways instead of flat. Its very mild so I've left it alone.
My cards are all in a small room off from my bed room. We call it the Growlery. My altar and some books (such as my tarot books) and my tarot are in there. Since they are not accessible by guests no one touches them although people know I love tarot and a couple of friends might ask to see a deck.

From-Ashes said:

it's so reassuring to hear things like this. thanks so much, all, for replies!

Click to expand...

Good! And you're welcome. So, how do YOU store your decks, From Ashes? And do you mind if others touch your decks?

Glass Owl said:

Suddenly I became possessive of them and don't want anyone to touch them either.

Click to expand...

Right?! What IS that?!

Telspepper said:

... when I pull my tarot out of a bag or wooden box, it feels like a tool or spiritual, but pulling tarot out of a cardboard box makes me feel like Im playing with a toy.

Click to expand...

I so get that.

We call it the Growlery.

Click to expand...

Now I want a Growlery.

Since my most recent deck is potentially a very limited edition, I sleeved them with Fantasy Flight Tarot sleeves. There's a lot of white in the cards which will show dirt easier than most decks. The sleeves will help keep dirt and hand oils (and spilled drinks) off the cards.

The 1 yard cloth I got won't fit in the case the deck came with so the cards and cloth are now in an Eagle Creek Pack-It Quarter Cube. Fits good with a little leftover room. Has a handle. They come in different colors if you look online.

3 of my decks I keep in the original boxes, because the boxes are specially designed for the decks, if that makes sense. It just feels 'complete' to me. My most often used deck is kept in it's box. I have 3 other decks that are kept in draw string bags I got from the dollar store (actually one of the bags is from my hubby's work that came with a travel mug, his deck is in that one!) one of the other decks in the bags is also wrapped with a cloth it came with that has the Celtic Cross layout printed on it. I only use this cloth when I'm using that deck. And I don't even do the Celtic Cross spread with that deck... Tarot readers are a strange bunch! Lol

I used to be particular about people touching my decks, but I have since dropped that notion. Even my most frequently used deck, I don't mind people handling. I have never reordered any of the decks, not even to check if there's any cards missing - now I'm curious, and hope I have never lost a card over the years!!

I handle and shuffle my decks often enough that I doubt anyone will 'muddle' my energy in them. I would be more concerned that if I were to give someone a reading they will wind up with something the cards are telling me, not them.

Right now, my deck sits out on my bedside table most of the time. When I'm taking it somewhere, I put it in a velvet drawstring bag my mom made for me along with a few crystals, if I feel like it needs them. I still have the original box and packaging it came in, but I don't think I've ever put them back in it.
I have several new decks coming soon though, so I'm hoping to get some more bags and a box to put them in when I'm not using them. There are some great little shops around town I've been meaning to go to, so hopefully I'll find something I like!

As for letting other people handle my cards, I'm pretty okay with it as long as I give them permission. If someone just kind of picked them up and started flipping through them without asking and really knowing what they were I'd probably be a little upset, but if I'm talking to someone about the cards and they ask if they can look through, then I'd most likely let them. I'll have to see about my new decks though...maybe I'll be more protective of them. :^P

LindaMechele said:

Good! And you're welcome. So, how do YOU store your decks, From Ashes? And do you mind if others touch your decks?

.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I missed this! I only have one deck, I keep it in a purple cloth bag. I don't mind if people touch my cards, I often have people shuffle them.

I love that so many people keep their cards in so many different ways.

I put them back in their original packaging box.
I don't like to put them in pouch, though that might change in the future.
I like to smell my cards.

From-Ashes said:

I love that so many people keep their cards in so many different ways.

Click to expand...

Isn't it cool?! I love hearing about it all. And seeing it - I should do a Google image search for "tarot storage".