This may sound like a strange question, but my Wife, Son, and I recently moved and we are now living in our own home and we have a lot of room compared to where we used to live. Down in our basement, we have a nice sized finished room in the back which we decided that I will use this as my "entertainment" room and that is where all of my magic effects are stored. Now keep in mind that I COLLECT magic as well as perform it on a "light" level. So I am down there with my son alot. I have those plastic bins with the draws that pull open and close that you stack on top of one another. They are the big ones that come in stacks of 3. I have 4 of these filled with mainly effects that come in zip-lock type bags. I then have 2 big crates filled with bigger and strange-shaped items and other smaller bins with different things. I have some big boxes that I cut open and use to store other effects and then a few other boxes for all of the literature that I own. Then I have a few boxes that I store just decks of cards, such as regular, gaffed, etc. There's even more but I better get to the point.
I thought I did a good job setting the room up, as my Wife and I feel we did a great job in all the other rooms in the house. But this is a different feeling. I feel like everything is "stored away" for the future, or just "packed away" when I just actually "unpacked" everything. I know it's a strange question, hell, a 39 year old man with a great wife and son worrying about how his magic collection looks. But it's my hobby and I want everything to look "out in the open", almost like when you enter a magic shop. Just like when I walk into "Fantasma", or especially "Tannens" in NYC. Is there anyone that has a huge collection like I do, and how do you keep it. Any advice would help.

Jay Leslie posted someplace in the Café not long ago that his stuff is in closets, his car, and any other place they fit into. Sounds like you're more organized and just knowing where everything is can be a great plus. I've even been in magic shops where the owner couldn't find something he was looking for, so organize first, display next. Old hutches, china closets and shelving units make great display pieces, especially in the basement, where stuff can get dusty. Flea markets and second hand stores are great places to find display pieces. Have fun. Best, Bob

Depending on your decor or budget I've found a lot of sources for storage on the internet, along with options for retail fixtures as well. There are also storage customization services that will come in, look at your space, discuss your needs and install everything.

Ikea has some wonderful, and inexpensive shelf and display systems as well.

Check out this dude's set-up... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtutDY9Ulk4

In my "magic room" I have two large bookcases filled with books and props. All else is stored in footlockers or plastic bins. I have a rough idea of where everything is. The ideas I gave you I've not followed myself, but maybe, someday...

I'm still using just a medium size plastic container. Because I only do card tricks. But I've used some space in my bookshelves to store the DVD and custom decks.

My stuff is scattered throughout four buildings. Grand Illusion items are in three of them. Smaller items are essentially in two building and in Rubbermaid boxes or footlockers. That, of course, excludes the library of books and videos. Fortunately most of the videos are of performances rather than warmed over instructions from the original books. I doubt that I look at an instructional video once every three years. However, my books get plenty of use. It doesn't take forever to learn there really isn't much new magic.

Many of the smaller things in Rubbermaid boxes are in ZipLoc Bags. It works well for me. People who visit me are very surprised how well every container is labeled for quick and easy access. It not only saves time, it saves wear and tear on props.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I have my "magic bar" at the back of my home theater and Its got s small amount of booze and a large amount of magic stuff in it

Recently however I acquired a wardrobe steamer trunk and I'm arranging stuff I'm actively performing now in it. (I wan to make some modifications to hodl all my stuff.)

that's on the "big scale". On the next level down I have a number of cases. I have a nice aluminum ladies makeup case that loosk like a stage case and I store all my "hand props" in it. (Thumb tips, droppers, gaffed coins, hand cannon, etc.)

I keep ALL my combustibles in a locked fire-safe box that I bought at the office supply store.

I have a zippered artists portfolio case that holds my custom-made closeup pad and can carry other things such as decks of cards. (I keep all my unopened decks in the bar.) I have a little aluminum 2-deck case that holds my two gaffed card boxes. (An extractor an Enlightenment CID.)

In general I like to have medium to small "category" cases. It helps keep me organized. Your mileage may vary.

Posted: Sep 20, 2010 4:16pm
Oh and Al brags that he carries his entire act in a briefcase.

Posted: Sep 20, 2010 4:26pm
Btw.. I don't display my props because I'm not a collector. I have them to perform with not show off. I AM however a movie collector and the room has about 6 wood and glass fronted and glass shelved Ikea cases on the walls for my DVDs & Blue Rays. I love them and they might work great for your props if they aren't too big...

With doors and shelves a few years ago they were about $100 per and are VERY easy to hang on the wall. (Way easier then traditional cabinets.)

Thanks guys for the advice, and Cyberqat I understand what you mean about performing and not showing off. But I'm only really showing everything off to myself, and a few family members TOPS. And it's not like anyone will see "the secret" behind any of the effects because they are all like new in the package it came in. And like Bob Sanders I then put everything in a ziplock bag to give it added protection. I even laminate some of the written instructions to my effects when I see them starting to crease or rip. I have everything sorted by the creator or company---example one draw is full with about 50 or 60 Bob Solari effects, then one draw has all of my Mark Mason & JB Magic effects, one with Alakazam, Masuda, etc. A lot of effects are in a ziplock bag. I have to be careful, I have some expensive effects or decks of cards like "The Extractor", "Riser Deck" Or any of Masuda's stuff. "Tko", "Kennedy Mystery Box", and countless others, sometimes get "squeezed in" with the others. I've seen some effects on some websites, especially Hocus Pocus can be 5, 10, 15 THOUSAND dollars, but $80-$100 for one effect is expensive to me.

That's fine! Nothing wrong with being a collector. As I say, I collet movies. You collect magic. Nothing wrong with being proud and wanting to protect and display it!

If you go to Ron Allesi's site, he has some interesting photos of displays and collections... http://www.ronallesimagic.com/spotlight.php

One of my favorites though, is Andy Martin's evolving and de-volving collection (he is constantly buying and selling).

Amazing... http://www.martinsmagic.com/?html=changing

What can help with the clutter is putting aside magic items you don't want. No point in storing that. And just sell what you don't want on an auction or at a magic club somewhere.