The world of action figures has become far more than just children playing with toys. The whole realm of collecting new and old figures has transferred over to many adult collectors who purchase and display a wide variety of figures and collectibles.
When collections grow, you may need to store the action figures within a storage unit. A storage unit provides a safe way to protect the figures, but you have some tips to follow to ensure the figures stay in mint condition.
1. Plastic Baggies
If your collection includes loose action figures, you want to keep the figures separate from each other. Rubber, plastic, and colored parts should not touch each other. The contact, heat, and other elements may cause the figures to transfer colors or warp. Loose figures you placed inside storage will not look mint when you go back later.
Plastic ziplock baggies are the best option for the storage of figures. Place individual figures inside their own bag. If the figure has accessories, place the accessories in a small bag within the same zip-lock bag so you do not mix any of the items up and know exactly which figures go with which accessories.
Once all the figures are in the bags, put the whole collection into one storage tote.
2. Low Light
One way action figures, boxes, and cases become discolored or damaged is when the toys have exposure to UV light. UV light causes discoloration. In many toys, extended exposure in UV light will cause skin tones and packages to appear yellow. Other colors may have a faded or bleached look to the design.
Storage units will typically have no windows or natural light in them already, but you have some ways to add extra protection. All of the storage totes you use within the storage unit should be solid storage bins. Clear bins will expose the figures to extra light anytime you open the storage unit.
If you have figures in the unit that are not kept in storage totes, use a blackout curtain or thick blanket to cover the figures.
3. Vertical Storage
When you visualize the storage of action figures and collectibles, think of how a store displays the figures. A vertical storage solution will prevent figures in packages from damage. With vertical storage, the figures will remain upright and not put pressure on the main bubble of the action figure.
Place storage racks into the unit, and display the figures vertically and upright. In some cases, the figure packages will not stand on their own. Shelves with raised edges will help keep the figures in place.
4. Cardboard and Paper Inserts
For mint action figures you keep in storage bins, consider a small separator to place between each figure. A thin piece of cardboard or paper will help protect the artwork from contact with each other. For example, if you have a collection of filing folders, a folder could go between each figure for an extra layer of added protection.
For some of the more valuable figures, consider wrapping the whole toy in bubble wrap. Choose from a variety of bubble wrap options including environmentally friendly bubble wrap. Using bubble wrap on all of the boxed figures will take up a lot of extra space, so only choose the most valuable or rare figures to wrap up for added protection.
If possible, try not to stack the figure bins on top of each other so the weight does not cause damage to the bottom bins.
For all of your storage needs, contact us at All American Storage. We have a variety sizes and units to accommodate action figure collections of all different sizes.
