Game on board games…game on. Seriously organizing board games and fitting them back in the cabinet with all of their boxes and sizes was truly like doing a jigsaw puzzle every single time. The kids and I would equally get frustrated trying to put them back. I was sick of swearing, jabbing my fingers and bending the boxes to make them all fit so I needed a solution. Yes, they were organized, but what a pain to get them to all fit in there! Here my friends I introduce to you organizing board games into zippered pouches. Game changer! (no pun intended.)
The zippered pouches I used are a durable vinyl so your kids’ hands won’t be poking holes into them anytime soon (or ever). They are semi-clear too so the kids can see the contents in the bags. Slap the name of the board game on the outside with some clear tape and you are good to go. Board game boxes off to the land of recycling you go! The slim design of the pouches allows you to stack a bunch together so you will actually be able to store so many more in your cabinets. Those days of taking all your aggression out on some cardboard game boxes are over! Meanwhile the board games will thank you, too. So let’s dive into the simple method of organizing board games.
Gather all your Game Boards in One Spot
Firstly, gather all of your board games and put them into one pile. This way you see what you have, what size pouches you need and the size of each board game. Secondly, after gathering them into one pile, organize them by size (largest to smallest). I had my kids help and they were so excited to get in on the fun of organizing board games, too!
In addition, you will have to do some trial and error to see which board games will fit which pouches. I bought a variety of pouches hoping all would work out and we ultimately did pretty well in the end. You will want the games to fit nicely in the pouches with some room so you don’t have to tug on the zipper and potentially have it break from an overstuffed bag.
Organizing Board Games Into Pouches
Most importantly, depending on the size board games you have, you will want to purchase a variety of different sized zippered pouches. I purchased the largest ones they sell, medium sized ones and then a variety pack of various sizes.
- Large Legal-Size Zippered Pouch (A3) 12-1/4″ x 16″– I purchased these from The Container Store. Above all the quality is amazing and they are very structured and don’t bend too easily. They are normally sold out though and typically backordered so here is the same size available on Amazon. These are a little bit more floppy, but will do the trick, too.
- Medium Sized Zippered Pouch (A4) 9.4″ x 13.3″– Amazon sells a pack of 18 in this size for $14 so they are a good deal. The Container Store also sells a similar size.
- Variety Pack of Zippered Pouches (7 Sizes)– Amazon sells this variety pack of the zippered pouches and 7 different sizes come in the pack for $16. Ultimately this is a great one to purchase to be able to utilize all of the different sizes for your different board games.
As mentioned, most of the games we had fit into the pouches I had purchased. I will list in the next section which games fit in which pouches. We have a lot of the traditional board games that most children have so if you have the same game at home, just use the size pouch I mention below for the perfect fit without guessing if it will fit. Easy peasy. I’ll also link the games in case you want to purchase for your children.
Legal-Size Large Zippered Pouch (A3) 12-1/4″ x 16″
The biggest of the zippered vinyl pouches that are available. For example, perfect for those larger board games.
- Guess Who
- Design Drill BrightWorks
- JoJo Siwa Bust a Bow Dance Game
- Perfection
- Pop the Pig
- Gator Golf
- Mouse Trap
- Scavenger Hunt
- Twister
Large Zippered Pouch (B4) 11″ x 15″
Not legal size, but still a large zippered pouch.
Medium/ Large Zippered Pouch (A4) 9-1/4″ x 13 1/5″
This size pouch fit most items well. Similarly Amazon offers this size in a full pack on its own if you have games similar in size to these below.
Medium Zippered Pouch (B5) 7-5/6″ x 11″
This medium size pouch was good for example smaller games and puzzles.
- Shopkins Big Roll Bingo
- Shape Makers Magnetic Foam Tangram Puzzles
- Match It- Counting Self-Correcting Number & Learn to Count Puzzle
Small Zippered Pouch 6-2/3″ x 9-1/4″
This small zippered pouch is ultimately good for matching games and ones with less pieces.
Small/XS Zippered Pouch 5-2/3″ x 7-2/3″
The perfect size for stand-alone games or ones with even fewer pieces.
XS Zippered Pouch 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″
I found this XS sized pouch perfect for any card game.
- Go Fish Card Game
- Old Maid Card Game
- Ballerina Card Game
- Operation (cards only) game board won’t fit it any zippered pouch size unfortunately.
Small Long Zippered Pouch 4 1/2″ x 9 1/4″
This pouch is a longer version of the one above so it works for card games that have more cards in them than others.
Cut Out Game Names To Label Bags
For this part, you will need the following items:
- Box Cutter
- Scissors
- Clear heavy packing tape
Firstly, take each name from the board game and cut out the name where it is labeled smaller on the box (if applicable). You want it to fit on the pouch. Secondly, cut it out either using a box cutter or scissors. I cut out the name that was listed on the flaps of the boxes for easier cutting and scissors did the trick. Box cutters tend to scare me!
Next tape the name of the game to the outside of the pouch. Use a few layers of tape to really secure it.
Organizing Board Games- New System
In short, you will be amazed at how many more games you can fit in your space now! You can file the games next to one another like I did or place in a bin depending on where you store your board games. For the larger pouches, I filed mine together, but laid them down with the label facing out so the kids can identify the names of the games.
Recycle Your Old Board Game Boxes
Yes, this part will be invigorating. Flatten those wrinkled and ripped board game boxes and send them off to the recycling land! I was so happy to see mine go. Your game area will be so much neater and feel so less crowded.
In conclusion, this is such a great hack for organizing board games. The whole project took me probably about 2 hrs (with some help from my kids). My only regret is I wish I had done it sooner! So what are you waiting for? Purchase these pouches and get started organizing board games! You won’t be disappointed! We can’t wait to see how your board game pouches come out. Let us know in the comments below.
Interested in other posts on organizing and decluttering your home, certainly be sure to check out our post on A Room-by-Room Guide To Declutter Your Entire Home.
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