Display your collection, keep it dust-free, and ship it securely
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Display collectibles without discolouration or dust accumulation, store the rest dry, and pack a figure or card so that it arrives safely with the buyer.
You get a box from the attic and the sticker on the packaging comes off, the cardboard has gone flimsy and the figure that looked fresh years ago has a yellow tinge. That's rarely due to bad luck. It's because of the location: too hot, too humid, or in the light for years. A collection — whether it's vinyl figures, keychains, cards, or LEGO bags — really only needs three regimes: what you display, what you put away, and what you ship one day.
First choose: what stays, what goes
Most collections grow faster than the cabinet space. So, once a year, do a round and divide everything into three piles: the masterpiece you want to see every day, the average items that can go in a box, and the duplicates that can go.
That third pile is not a loss. Duplicate items are trading material, and trading or selling means you'll have to pack something later in this article anyway. Stick to one rule: keep the original packaging for anything whose box contributes to its value. A South Park vinyl figure set in school bus packaging (€14.95) is different with a box than without, and the same goes for a LEGO Star Wars Razor Crest Microfighter 75321 for €29.95.
Displaying: height, light, and dust
Displaying goes wrong on two points. Everything is in one flat row, so you don't see the back half, and it's directly in front of the window.
You solve the first with height differences. An acrylic stair display with 6 steps costs €34.95 and brings your entire row into view instead of just the front layer; there is also a version with 6 layers for €29.95. Transparent acrylic also has a practical advantage: it doesn't draw attention to itself, so you see the pieces and not the furniture.
The second point, light, costs you no money but a choice. Direct sunlight fades colors: red and yellow first, and with PVC and vinyl, it happens faster than you think. So place your cabinet against an interior wall, not opposite the window. Dust is easiest to remove with a dry, soft brush; with a damp cloth, you push it into the seams.
Storing: box, bag, and dry
What isn't displayed belongs in a box that can be stacked. Loose cardboard boxes that have already experienced a move will sag.
Inside the box, you work with small units. Grip seal bags cost €2.00 and keep loose parts, cards, and accessories together; you immediately see what's inside without unpacking everything. Small, fragile pieces go into a harder shell: a black jewelry box of 9 x 6.5 x 2.8 cm for €2.95 or a transparent plastic treasure chest of 90 x 63 mm for €7.95, where with the latter you can see what's inside.
The location is more important than the box. An unheated attic in the Netherlands ranges from around freezing point to above 40 degrees, and that fluctuation with added moisture is what makes cardboard flimsy and glue come undone. A cabinet indoors, or a low shelf in a heated room, is almost always better than an attic or shed.
Shipping: how a collector's item arrives intact
If you're trading or selling something, you lose control the moment the package leaves your door. What you do beforehand determines how it arrives.
Fill the box. An item that can slide will arrive with a dented corner. The rule is simple: if you shake it, you shouldn't hear anything.
Choose flat or sturdy. For cards, stickers, and thin merchandise, a metallic bubble envelope of 22 x 17 cm for €0.90 is enough; for something larger, an envelope of 33 x 23 cm for €0.80. Anything with a protruding part — an arm, a wing, an antenna — belongs in a box, not an envelope.
Photograph before sealing. One photo of the packed item in the box is your proof if a dispute arises.
A few minutes of administration per purchase
Anyone with more than fifty items eventually loses track of what's duplicated. Keep a simple list: what, where (cabinet, box 3, attic), when purchased, and for how much. Number your boxes with a sticker and put that number in the list. This saves the annual unpacking ritual — and makes insuring or selling much easier. Even loose sticker sets for €5.00 can be found this way without emptying the entire box.
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