Storing controllers?

[Schenley]

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum, but oh well...

I'm looking for ideas for storing controllers. With 20 something systems on display, the controllers get to be problematic. Right now, I try to keep one controller (with the cord wrapped around the controller) next to the respective console. Any extra controllers go into a crate. Due to the distance to the couch, and the seemingly short cable lengths of the 70s and 80s, most controllers also have extension cables.

What happens when any number of people come over to play, the controllers end up getting out of control. ( LOL ) Most people don't know what controller to use with which system, and take two or three out before getting the right one - of course without putting any back. I usually spend considerable time putting them back in place.

So, I'm interested in how you guys store them, and whether you wrap the cords around the controllers. It seems to help save space, but then the cords are all coily.

[Nez]

I just put controllers in dresser drawers. There nice and Neat easy to find. Oh and dont wrap you cords so tight. If you do a looser wraping they dont coil so badly.

[SlayerX]

I have all my extra controllers in a box in my closet *shrug* There's 20 some controllers in there, and the only controller's that I have out are one's that I use. I take one out, put one back. Keeps the room nice and clean :D

When people come over, I take out whichever we need, when we switch consoles, I wrap the cords back up, and get whichever ones are next needed.

[atomicthumbs]

You should look through everyone's Rooms of, well, uh... Dooms for some great storage ideas. Anyway, 'cause I miss it since I've moved and have resorted to the rubbermaid method due to lack of space, here's my prefered method of controller storage.

Side A (http://videogamecollectors.com/albums/AtomicThumbsFalloutShelter/Controller_Kiosk_Side_A.sized.jpg) :(

Side B (http://videogamecollectors.com/albums/AtomicThumbsFalloutShelter/Controller_Kiosk_Side_B.sized.jpg) :puppydogeyes:

Side C (http://videogamecollectors.com/albums/AtomicThumbsFalloutShelter/Controller_Kiosk_Side_C.sized.jpg) :bawling:

[KingCobra]

I store my controllers in an Old 40's Ice Chest, it even has a small drop in tray which hangs on top upper inter lipps, perfect for extra extention cords and memory card ect..

[jdc]

I like the chest idea. Might be a solution for me. We just finished our new gameroom and the ugliness of controllers everywhere was something that I have to avoid. We own an "antique" mid-1800's home where even the gameroom had to be tasteful and look "right" for the decor of the house, since it's actually what would have been the "sitting room" on the main floor. The "living room" is adjacent to it. Gaming posters in "proper" wooden frames with glass fronts for example. The Halo 2 poster will actually look like fine art! Who'da thunk?

[googlefest1]

i keep mine on a shelf with the cord wraped around the controler - and i leave any extention cables attached to the cords.

i always get the controler - i dont like other people going through my collection - they usualy arent careful enough to my likeing

[Flack]

Someone's ROD had one of those shoe organizers hung on the back of their door which was used for controllers. I thought that was a super idea!

[Jibbajaba]

I use this thing.

Click Me (http://tinyurl.com/9sbmv)

It's a 6 foot long column with 6 compartments that hangs from your ceiling. It's just made from fabric so it isn't rigid or anything. I love it. I've had more that one compliment on it from ROD visitors as well. This tupperware drawers are functional, but fairly ugly. This looks pretty cool if you just hang it in the corner of the room. My room of doom has been re-arranged and reorganozed since I took this picture, but here's the item in question:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/weblogs/upload/27/182775600843341d9daa7fe.jpg

Unfortunately you can't order it, but if you have an Ikea near you or know someone who does, it's only 5 bucks and it comes in a bunch of colors.

Chris

[tylerwillis]

I use this thing.

Click Me (http://tinyurl.com/9sbmv)

It's a 6 foot long column with 6 compartments that hangs from your ceiling. It's just made from fabric so it isn't rigid or anything. I love it. I've had more that one compliment on it from ROD visitors as well. This tupperware drawers are functional, but fairly ugly. This looks pretty cool if you just hang it in the corner of the room. My room of doom has been re-arranged and reorganozed since I took this picture, but here's the item in question:

Unfortunately you can't order it, but if you have an Ikea near you or know someone who does, it's only 5 bucks and it comes in a bunch of colors.

Chris

Dude... that's sweet. Does it hang from a hook or what? Rotate around? One hole per compartment? How many of the larger controllers (say N64/Dreamcast) could you fit in a compartment?

I may have to email some of my friends in Houston.

[goatdan]

I kept running into this problem with the GOAT Store. We had literally hundreds of controllers, and no easy way to store them. Dump them all into one box and they get hopelessly tangled, and you spend forever untangling them.

The solution we came up with was ziplock baggies with the system name on it (and controller name on the site for us, so we know *exactly* what is what) and we put them all in different bins divided up by the console maker.

We put them in a plastic bin, like you can get at Target or Wal*Mart after the holidays for like $3.00, under our shelves. We have nine of them currently, and they work like an absolute charm.

[Darren870]

The shoe holders that I saw in someones room of doom was great. Im going to use it once I finish my room of doom.

[Jibbajaba]

I use this thing.

Click Me (http://tinyurl.com/9sbmv)

It's a 6 foot long column with 6 compartments that hangs from your ceiling. It's just made from fabric so it isn't rigid or anything. I love it. I've had more that one compliment on it from ROD visitors as well. This tupperware drawers are functional, but fairly ugly. This looks pretty cool if you just hang it in the corner of the room. My room of doom has been re-arranged and reorganozed since I took this picture, but here's the item in question:

Unfortunately you can't order it, but if you have an Ikea near you or know someone who does, it's only 5 bucks and it comes in a bunch of colors.

Chris

Dude... that's sweet. Does it hang from a hook or what? Rotate around? One hole per compartment? How many of the larger controllers (say N64/Dreamcast) could you fit in a compartment?

I may have to email some of my friends in Houston.

Yup I hung it from a hook. Just make sure that you use a hook that can bear weight. If you just screw a basic hook into the ceiling, it's going to come down. You have to use a hollow wall anchor. VERY easy to install though. You just need a hammer and a screwdriver.

Yup, it rotates becayse the strap on top is fabric, too. All of the compartment holes are on different sides, so you rotate the thing around in order to access the desired compartment.

Also yes, there is one hole per compartment.

I wouls say that you could easily fit at least 8 DC controllers into one compartment. Here;s a pic of one DC controller sitting alone in a compartment. It is sitting over one one side of the compartment and doesnt even come up to the hole.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/weblogs/upload/27/1188117978438b41f4522e5.jpg

And here's another action shot without the chair in the way:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/weblogs/upload/27/1326482318438b41fde2396.jpg

Chris

[Gapporin]

I usually keep all of my controllers in a plastic bin, loosely tied with twist ties so that they don't tangle up with each other. However, I think I like this idea better:


The solution we came up with was ziplock baggies with the system name on it (and controller name on the site for us, so we know *exactly* what is what) and we put them all in different bins divided up by the console maker.

We put them in a plastic bin, like you can get at Target or Wal*Mart after the holidays for like $3.00, under our shelves. We have nine of them currently, and they work like an absolute charm.

Dan, what do you do with the oversized stuff that won't fit in plastic bags (like the DC keyboard, etc.)? Do you just leave it loose?

[goatdan]

Dan, what do you do with the oversized stuff that won't fit in plastic bags (like the DC keyboard, etc.)? Do you just leave it loose?

They actually make gargantuan bags (2.5 gallons, if I recall correctly) that we use to fit just about everything in. The Dreamcast Keyboards are the one exception, as they are big enough that they just go on a shelf all by themselves, staked up.

At some point, the never-ending project of arranging the GOAT Store space (AKA my basement ;) ) will be finished, and then I'll take a bunch of pictures. It's a pretty massive undertaking, but it works five hundred times better than our last storage solution, which was basically just piling everything in closets and having to rummage though hundreds of items every time something was sold. Now, I can usually find whatever we're packing within a minute of seeing what it is. It makes packaging stuff into a much, MUCH lesser chore.

If I ever decide to consolidate all of my gaming stuff -- currently, I have Dreamcast and Playstation in the basement, Xbox in the living room and GameCube, NES, DS and GBA in my room (in the closet of my room, to be exact) -- I'm going to make a room much like what we've done for the GOAT Store. It works really well!

[johno590]

The solution we came up with was ziplock baggies with the system name on it (and controller name on the site for us, so we know *exactly* what is what) and we put them all in different bins divided up by the console maker.

I did this aswell. Mostly just for the power cords, and tv hook ups I just labeled all of the baggies and use rubber bands to tie them up then put them in the bags.

The baggies I have right now arnt big enough for most of the controllers so I just tie up the cords and have them in a plastic drawer. Going to move all of the controllers into a dresser drawer soon though as I freed up some room in one.

[christhegamer]

You should look through everyone's Rooms of, well, uh... Dooms for some great storage ideas. Anyway, 'cause I miss it since I've moved and have resorted to the rubbermaid method due to lack of space, here's my prefered method of controller storage.

Side A (http://videogamecollectors.com/albums/AtomicThumbsFalloutShelter/Controller_Kiosk_Side_A.sized.jpg) :(

Side B (http://videogamecollectors.com/albums/AtomicThumbsFalloutShelter/Controller_Kiosk_Side_B.sized.jpg) :puppydogeyes:

Side C (http://videogamecollectors.com/albums/AtomicThumbsFalloutShelter/Controller_Kiosk_Side_C.sized.jpg) :bawling:

Cool!!! Why did'nt I think of that?!?! (although, come to think of it, I don't really have any loose controllers lying around :eek 2:) Where did ya' get it?

[Richter]

wow, that Ikea thingy is pretty cool. Now i just gotta find somebody with a store near them

[Trebuken]

Most systems have a wireles solution. I've been trying to upgrade as many systems to wireless as I can. It's easy to display a bunch of wireless controllers; you can then leave the others attached.

Later,
Trebuken

[atomicthumbs]

I use this thing.

Click Me (http://tinyurl.com/9sbmv)

Chris

Okay, DUDE!!!! That is and EXCELLENT idea!!! Wow!!!

[Austin]

Controllers are a bit of a pain. I have a large drawer that I keep all of mine in, but they still get messy in there sometimes.

[jgenotte]

Here (http://www.geocities.com/jgenotte/Forum/Controllers.jpg) is my solution. Just simple closet organizeer stuff avaliable at any home store. Works well for me.

-james