Moving With a Large Board Game Collection

Discussing what it's been like packing up and preparing to move while having this large game collection.

[checkrazor]

Just finished moving this past weekend. My collection is a little over 1100 games. What worked pretty well for me was I boxed up a shelf at a time. I then moved the empty shelf and those boxes. I put the shelf up at the new home and replaced the games. I then reused the boxes and did it all over again. I found that packing games Tetris style doesn’t help. For the few extra games you squeeze in, you are just stuck finding places for them when you unpack. So basically if its not from the shelf you are moving don’t pack it. Save it for the shelf it came from. It was not fun but I kept it manageable that way. And I even found some games I’ve forgotten about 😂

[play-it-or-not]

Good luck with the move! It must be very stressful. You will be fine! Don’t feel about not posting for a while, we get it.

[jimalexander]

I won't advise others what to do, as what works for me might not work for them, but I consolidated everything the best at I can. Initially, I kept unused boxes. But, as my collection got bigger and I had no room for what I needed, I got rid of everything I didn't need (empty boxes). Thus far, I haven't regretted it. Others might, though.

[BLDTHEGAMER]

I owed over 2k games, twice. Here's the thing. I sold 90% of it all. Felt like a million bucks. Don't need or want all that cardboard. I know you are a content creator but owning all thise games weighted heavily on me. When i sold it I felt very light on my feet. That hoard has a life of its own and it has to be feed, housed..etc. however, if you choose to keep ot then know that it's going to be work. I'd consolidate boxes, first. Then either get a huge uhaul (otherwise you're going to make several trips) and start loading it up. Have the selves waiting for you in the new place. And, well lots of elbow grease. Don't stop too much since, at least for me I lose momentum.

[jimalexander]

I have just under 150 games. But I only count base games -- not variations and/or expansions. For example, I have everything there is for Star Wars Imperial Assault. I count that as one game, not dozens of games. There are many games for which I similarly have a ton of stuff. 14 boxes of Dominion. I count that as one game. And so on. I consolidate where possible (in most cases), but for some games I find it easier to keep them in separate boxes because I have so much (Dominion, Cosmic Encounter, Combat Commander, Armada, X-Wing, Imperial Assault, Warfighter, Galaxy Defenders, Carcassonne, etc.).

I moved a dozen (or so) times throughout my life, but not once since I started getting all of these games. The logistics of a normal move is horrific (more so the older one gets); the logistics of moving my board game collection would be mind-numbing. And, until you mentioned it, I hadn't even considered moving my one (and only) board game shelving unit. Putting it together was a nightmare. I can't imagine disassembling it and having to do that again. (Moving it in one piece wouldn't be smart. I'm certain it would warp or break.)