If you grew up in a large household or you generally enjoy socializing with friends and strangers alike over the weekends and holidays, then you’ve probably had your fair share of game nights. If you’re only just discovering the universe of board games, then welcome and enjoy the ride. You will finally get to understand what all the fuss is about.

Game nights bring out the best and “worst” in people. Shy and reserved people can suddenly turn into competitive individuals that you would otherwise not imagine. In contrast, others can get emotional and overturn the board if things aren’t working out for them. Game events are usually also a fun way of meeting new people. Today, some bars and restaurants host game nights to pull in more crowds and, of course, to entertain their clients. Whether held at home or in public, game nights are generally full of fun, laughter, and great memories. 

What Are the Most Popular Board Games?

There are so many games that people can play during game nights, such as card games, telephone games, and charades, among others. However, board games are some of the most commonly preferred options. Some of the most popular family-friendly board games include Chess, Monopoly, Scrabble, Snakes and Ladders, Backgammon, Logo board game, and many more. These games are not only entertaining but also educational.

While most people assume that board games are all alike, you’ll be surprised at the innovative themes available today: from real estate to solving mystery crimes, to forming words, etc. Board games have, with time, metamorphosed into a variety of categories from which people can choose. An excellent example of the classic category is “roll and move.” This type is what most people grew up playing against their friends and family. Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders are favorite “roll and move” examples.

Another category is “cooperative” board games. Unlike “roll and move,” this category is more modern and encourages players to work together in teams as opposed to against each other. Most people prefer pandemic and Lord of the Rings in this category. If you prefer mystery games, then the “secret identity” category is for you. As the name suggests, it entails a lot of secrecy and deception to win. You should probably play these types of games with loved ones, as opposed to strangers, to avoid creating any animosity. Mafia and Deception: Murder in Hong Kong are a popular choice for this category.

Other favorable categories include legacy games, puzzles, combat games, and deck-building. Some games have restrictive player age limits, while others can accommodate children as young as six years old. You should always ensure to research your game of interest well in advance of the event to avoid any embarrassing situations. 

How to Store Board Games

If you’ve hosted game nights before, you know how crucial it is to have all elements of your board games. There’s nothing as terrible as realizing that a few items are missing from your selection. The absence of these items is not only frustrating to the players but can even wreck your game event.

Most game enthusiasts are usually very protective of their games. As soon as the games are over, most clever hosts typically gather up all the pieces and put them away. Others are even more meticulous in their storage, maintaining their games as good as new. Here are some of the clever tricks you can apply to keep your board games in order. 

Get Yourself a Storage Unit

If you seem to be drowning in your board games collection, the first thing you need to do is to get yourself a storage unit. Shelves and cabinets, whether mobile or fixed, can both provide excellent storage for you. These units will not only ensure that you can quickly locate your games, but will also keep your space tidy, and your games separated from other household items. The latter is especially crucial for a large household.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can build these shelves yourself to ensure that you make good use of the space available in your house. Customizing your shelves is also an aesthetic bonus to your home.

If your house has little to no space available for a cabinet, you should consider switching your regular coffee table with a storage table that features drawers and other pull-out storage units. Mesh sorter racks will also come in handy if you don’t have too many board games. You can also consider turning your headboard into storage space to create additional space. 

Turn the Game Boxes on their Sides

Once you have your storage units in place, the next thing is to figure out how to arrange your board games. Since most of these boards are usually long and wide, the best way is to stack them up vertically rather than laying them flat. Bookstores and thrift stores alike typically use this trick to keep from damaging the games. Vertically stacking them will save you storage space and make it easier for you to discern one game from another. Most games will usually have their names written on the sides.

To ensure that your boxes don’t open or fall apart while in storage, you can secure them in place by using game bands, rubber bands, or headbands, depending on their availability. 

Swapping the Original Game Box with Storage Containers

Have you ever noticed how some people insist on maintaining their board games in their original boxes, yet the packaging is so old and can barely hold together? You have probably even seen people who patch up these boxes with tape just so that they don’t have to dispose of them. The ragged box is not only untidy to look at but also dangerous as some game elements can easily get damaged if the boxes are mishandled.

Well, you don’t need to go through all of that. What you need to do is to swap the original box with storage containers. Doing so will give your storage space a tidier appearance. Assuming that you own many board game varieties, you can use label stickers to distinguish between the different games. Another benefit of using storage containers is that in case you need to take a road trip, you can carry your games collectively without worrying about damaging the boxes. 

Creating a DIY Artistic Display

If you’re feeling creative and want to give your house an exciting look, you can turn your board games into artistic wall displays. How? All you need to do is to create a mounting board and hang it on your wall. Then take your board games and hang them on the board as you would a painting. Depending on the game, the displayed boards will create exciting themes for your rooms. Their presence will also serve as a reminder for you to put the games into play frequently. 

Grouping Game Boxes According to Size

While it may seem pretty apparent to stack game boxes according to their size, most people usually overlook this. When you stack a shorter or smaller box among the bigger boxes, you are likely to miss it when looking for it. However, arranging the boxes in order of their sizes will save you time as well as give an aesthetically pleasing look. Over time it even becomes much easier for you to locate a particular game based on your memory only. 

Organizing Your Storage Containers

Let’s assume that you have chosen to store your Monopoly game in the same container as your Scrabble game. How do you ensure that the game elements don’t get mixed up? The best thing to do is to use rubber bands, seal-lock bags, and smaller tins to secure the different games from each other. For instance, you can fasten the different Monopoly currencies separately from the chance cards and title deed cards using rubber bands, while you can store the dice and houses in seal-lock bags. On the other hand, the Scrabble tiles can be stored in a separate seal-lock pouch, therefore preventing mixing the two games. 

Final Thoughts

Creating storage space shouldn’t have to cause a dent in your pocket. There are, of course, other ways of achieving the same result without overspending. Channel your creativity and innovation by using containers and tins you already have in your home. Label and decorate them to achieve your desired aesthetics and voila – your game nights will take a whole new dimension, and you’ll never have to spend ages looking for that one last missing piece again!