Over the past year we’ve started collecting fun decks of playing cards and as our collection has grown, we’ve needed a better way to store them. First I used a drawer organizer that worked well when the collection was still small, about 15-12 decks or so, but as it grew, we wanted a way that we could easily store and display them as well.
What fun is it to collect unique decks if you can’t see them, right?
As I was looking for a solution, I found a lot of cool ideas for wall displays using acrylic shelves and even considering building a display similar to what I built to store our miniatures. You can see all about that build here.
Then I happened to stumble upon a picture of a deck display using a cassette tape organizer and knew instantly that that was the option for us! I loved the how it used something old that you don’t often see anymore for an entirely new purpose that was still super functional!
Finding a Cassette Tape Organizer
I did some research and discovered that the best cassette tape organizers of old were the Napa Valley organizers. They came in a bunch of different sizes and shapes which is fun for all playing card collection sizes.
I searched for a 100 cassette tape organizer on Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, and Ebay — you have to be pretty patient for these as they pop up every so often in varying states of care. I was lucky enough to hit not once but twice on two Napa Valley organizers over the past few months.
The first one was in good condition physically, but unfortunately had a strong musty (mold??) odor to it. I spent the better part of four weeks sanding it down, airing it out in the sun, spraying it with vinegar, sprinkling baking soda all over it, and even locking it in with charcoal bags but nothing got rid of the smell. (You can see all about that process here!)
Eventually I tried using a stain and sealer mixture to just lock in the smell which worked great…until it didn’t.
After a couple months the odor came back so we were back to square one. But then as luck would have it, another Napa Valley Organizer popped up on marketplace in our town and we were able to snag it! This one was in great condition, (no smell!) minus one section that had lost it’s divider. However, this ended up working in my favor as a few of our decks are slightly thicker than a standard bicycle playing card deck.
A Functional and Fun way to Organize Playing Cards
I love how this functions for playing card storage. The decks are all visible, easy to organize, and best of all, simple to get out and play. Our decks are not “collectors” decks, they definitely get used (sometimes abused with one too many intense games of speed or spoons) but I love the well-loved look they get, a sign of all the memories made. We’ve even started collecting decks when we travel to new places which is such a fun way to bring back a souvenir from a trip.
There are a few holes in the back of the organizer so it can be hung on the wall, but for right now, I have it propped up on our bookshelves in the game room. This thing is surprisingly heavy with all the decks of cards filling it up. One day I plan to hang it on the wall, but I can’t decide exactly where it should go, especially thinking if we ever fill it and start on a second case, I’ll want there to be plenty of space for a second organizer.
Since showing our organizer solution on instagram, so many of you have shared that you’re on the hunt for your own as well or pictures of your organizers displayed in your home!
If you’re having a hard time finding one of these organizers locally, I found this 100 cassette tape organizer on Amazon. Looking at it, it appears to be built just like the Napa Valley ones and is in line with the price they go for as well. (Some of the best preserved Napa Valley organizers can go for between $70-$100!)
And if you need some ideas for what to play with all the cards you have in your collection, we’re sharing new games all the time on Instagram and YouTube!
Happy Gaming!
