The issue of organizing your comics is one we've all wondered about. There are so many facets to how this can be done and more than one correct answer. Let's discuss the many possibilities and options when it comes to the best ways to organize your comics.

We all know that the hobby of collecting comics can be fun and interesting. There are so many pieces of the trade to think about. How do you obtain your books? Do you buy or trade for the comics you want? Do you win books at online contests? Either way, obtaining the books is the first step toward making your personal mark in collecting.

I am sure there will be a time as a collector when you realize you have a lot of books. At some point, you might even realize that they are taking over your floor and table space. Many savvy collectors organize and store their books. There is more than one opinion on the best way to do this, though the style one chooses to go with is dependent solely on the individual collector.

Buy Hot Comics, but Don't Let Them Get Too Warm!

Firstly, it is important to NOT store your books in places like garages, sheds, basements, attics, or outdoor venues. These areas will expose your comics to heat and moisture. Heat and moisture lead to comics being damaged and (dreaded) color discoloration. It is best to store your books in a dry, dark place such as a spare room or closet. Keeping your books in a temperature-controlled setting will allow them to stay in optimal condition.

DON'T stack them. The pressure from the top books will damage the ones at the bottom of the pile. The weight of the comics on whatever issues are on the bottom of the stack may cause pages to stick together over time, creating a nasty surprise for the next time you check on them. Store your books upright whenever possible and package them in storage sleeves when you can.

Organizing for Storage

Now that you've determined where to store your comics, how should they be arranged? Should the books be organized in alphabetical order? Or maybe put in chronological order? There are many options available and organization can be completely custom.

I organize my books in different ways. Mainly, the comics are placed in alphabetical order, though broken up into categories. About 70% of my books are keys, such as first appearances -  those are stored in one bin. The 30% of my collection remaining is still stored alphabetically, but arranged in a more miscellaneous fashion. This fashion includes cool covers, "Free Comic Book Day" books, and signed books.

Where to Keep Your Collection

Lastly, you are pretty much at the finish line in organizing and storing your books. The question next is where do you store your comics? Specifically, are the books going to be in a box, or drawer? Of course, another option for encased graded comics is to place them on a shelf or hang them on the wall. For my raw and ungraded books, I tucked almost all of them away in a plastic comic book bin.

I find it better as the cheaper alternative of a wood box seems to attract bugs. As for graded comics, I do a combination of what I mentioned in the beginning of the paragraph. I hang some of my comics on my wall and display some others on a shelf. Customizing the way you organize your books is super fun and exciting. As a collector,  there is a need to display your books and show individuals how proud you are of your collection!

Where and how do you store your books?
Share your tips and tricks with us in the comments!