Recommended shelving?

[GoktimusPrime]

As anyone who's seen my collection knows, for a long time I've been relegated to using cheap metal tool shelves from Bunnings. On the down side they're not as stable as wooden bookcases - if anyone bumps them they wobble. Also they don't look as nice and are a bit of an eyesore. But I have to say, on the plus side they hold a LOT of toys - way more than bookcases. Even more than a Billy. It's because they're designed to hold tools and big heavy things, they're pretty deep and you can fit in a lot more toys per unit than on a nice wooden bookcase.

I'm veeerrry slowly in the process of replacing my metal shelves with bookcases, and it amazes me each time how much shelf space I lose whenever I replace a smallish metal shelf with a wooden one -- the bookcase may be taller and look nicer, but they're much shallower and there's less area per shelf and thus they hold less toys! So economically speaking I think metal tool shelves offer the best value for money because they're so cheap (thus leaving you with money to spend on more toys!) and hold lots more toys... but on the downside they're more susceptible to wobbling if clumsy people bump them and some people say they don't look as nice.

Note: my daughter has NEVER bumped any of my metal shelves. It's only ever been clumsy adults who occasionally knock into them!

Check this out... earlier this year I replaced two sets of metal shelves...


...with Kilbys from Ikea (not as big and nice as Billys, but cheaper - we did buy Billys but my wife insisted on using those bookcases for books and let me have the Kilbys! )


Now it looks like those bookcases can hold more than those little metal shelves, but oh no! I _lost_ a substantial amount of shelf space because of it -- one entire shelf load in fact. My Machine Wars collection which was previously on one of those metal shelves...


...has been displaced to the TV stand!


So while my collection room may look a bit nicer now, I've had to sacrifice shelf space! Even with Billys - although I wouldn't lose as much space, I'd still lose some space. That's why I'm not in a hurry to replace my metal shelves (okay, the real reason is because bookcases are expensive and I'm tight Hey! I still got four sets of metal shelves that "need" replacing)

[UltraMarginal]

your collection is so much larger than mine, I reckon Billy's would od a good job of replacing your metal shelves, and you could have doors that would keep out the dust, but it would probalby cost at least a couple grand to replace all the shelving in that room.

I can see why it's a gradual shift if at all.

[theheretic]

You know where your REALLY losing space? That window.... It needs to go. You need to fill every wall with shelving for your giant collection.

[liegeprime]

I agree with heretic, Gok. Block out the window a bit more with shelves rather than those posters. You tend to keep the blinds close anyhow. Those new shelves youve chosen are quite shallow but there are deeper ones, though deeper isnt as good as you may think, IMO, coz it gives off more shadow and thereby the display looks dark and it gets hard to appreciate or see the figures at the back - just look at my collection. Which is why Im opting to save a bit and replace the existing adjustable wooden shelves with glass shelves so that it lets a bit of light in between. Once Ive saved quite a bit though Id prolly get some Billy bookcases with doors and relegate thse current cabinet/shelves to the garage as Im in need of shelving there too.

[Paulbot]

I would like to not have doors on the bookcase, but the idea of selves of dusty toys is enough to make me put them on my shopping list.

[liegeprime]

The glass doors also helps make the display look so posh Paulbot. of course you have to put in some lighting, that adds more ambiance to it too.

[gantz]

Hey guys, just acquired my Ikea Detolf Shelves. They are so fantastic it’s nuts. Put ‘em together last night

I got 2 in the black-brown colour, have a few other items at home from Ikea in that colour from a few years back, so they match really well.
Arguably you’ll need 2 people to assemble it, takes no time at all, and everything just looks so good. The instructions are surprisingly simple to follow.

[Cat]

The glass doors also helps make the display look so posh Paulbot. of course you have to put in some lighting, that adds more ambiance to it too.

Just be careful of what lighting you use.

Last thing you want is yellowed toys.

I hate seeing people with good collections who don't block out harmful light (natural or artifical UV, for example), and you see the tell-tale signs of it in the yellow tinge on their items. :/