Storage is actually quite easy and you just have to adjust along the way as your collection grows. You start with one shelf and dedicate it to manga. Slowly but steadily the shelf fills up and each time you walk past it you smile. Once the shelf is full, you start using that other shelf that didn't really have a purpose. You know, the one with the odd blu-ray, some video games and perhaps some random bits and bobs. As time goes on, that shelf becomes your second manga shelf and is filled from left to right as well. At this point your next best friend will be the pile.
I always get a bit emotional seeing them grow, but they are just so great to have around. New volume? Onto the pile. Want to read your latest haul? Top of the pile. Just note that a pile can get lonely, if one grows without friends it might collapse. So get yourself a second pile. You might think you'll leave it at two, but if you're like me, you'll be getting a third and fourth one. And seeing the piles support each other, you know it was the right decision.
Every once in a while you manage to secure some more shelf space. Perhaps you cleared a shelf, bought a new bookcase, or decided to have a 'hybrid' shelf with some manga and something else. But you know the breaking point is approaching. Any more piles would be irresponsible and the shelves are filled to the brim. Some volumes even lay on top of the others and, honestly, it's a mess. You walk past your shelf and catch yourself forcing a smile. The time has come... time for boxes.
Why didn't you think of this sooner?! Done reading a long running series? Into a box, all together. You can go wild with categorization, based on author, based on genre, based on publisher, based on size/colour, whatever you want. Sure, it doesn't always go that neatly, but you know it wouldn't really bother you as you won't be walking past it every day. And voilà, you can breathe again. It feels a bit empty without your trusty piles, but your shelves have never looked better. Only the series you absolutely love or are currently reading. There's even some space left to grow!!!
But nothing lasts forever. Back are the piles, and you've tucked in a volume or two horizontally on top of the others on the shelf again. More boxes? Is that even possible with the space you have? This calls for some intensive reorganizing. You unpack all boxes, organize everything with a new system in the hopes of packing things more efficiently. It takes longer than you expected, it always does. After a full day of hard work, you somehow managed to get rid of the piles, pack more manga in the boxes than physically possible and your shelves are not full, just fullish. As the sun sets, you stand proudly looking over your collection.
DING DONG Your next batch of manga has arrived
(Based on a true story)
