I learned this the hard way when I brought home a copy of Twilight Imperium and discovered it would not fit anywhere in my apartment. The box was 16 inches long, 12 inches deep, and roughly 4 inches thick. My standard bookshelf, the one I had used for every other game in my collection for years, simply could not handle it.
If you have ever tried to store oversized board games that don’t fit standard shelves, you already know the frustration. Standard Kallax cubes measure roughly 13 inches square. Most big box games exceed that in at least one dimension. The result is a stack of awkward boxes that lean, slide, and slowly warp on top of your regular shelving unit.
In this guide, I will walk you through every practical method I have tested, read about, or collected from board game forums over the past five years. By the end, you will know exactly which storage system fits your collection, your space, and your budget.
Table of Contents
What Counts as an Oversized Board Game?
An oversized board game is any tabletop game with box dimensions that exceed standard shelving units, typically anything over 13 inches in length or 12 inches in depth. Games like Gloomhaven, Twilight Imperium, Star Wars: Rebellion, King of Tokyo, and the big box Risk editions all qualify.
The classic measurement to know is the Kallax cube: 13 inches wide by 13 inches deep by 13 inches tall. If your game box exceeds any of those dimensions, it will not sit flush in a standard Kallax. Many oversized games measure between 14 and 17 inches in one or more directions, which is where most collectors run into trouble.
Common offenders I see in forum discussions include Cyclades, Nations, Foodfighters, and most big box deluxe editions. If your shelf has even one of these games, you have probably already started playing Tetris with your collection.
Why Standard Shelves Fail for Big Box Games?
Standard shelves are designed for books, not board games. A typical Billy bookcase from IKEA offers 11 inches of shelf depth, which sounds reasonable until you try to fit a game box that measures 13 inches deep. The overhang creates tipping hazards and visible clutter.
Kallax shelves solve the depth problem with their 15-inch-deep cubes, but the 13-inch width still rejects many oversized boxes. The result is what board game collectors call “Kallax drift,” a phenomenon where games slowly migrate forward on the shelf because they cannot fully nest into the cube.
Box warping is another issue. When you stand a large game vertically on a shelf that is slightly too shallow, the unsupported bottom edge bends under the weight of components inside. I have personally replaced two warped Spirit Island boxes because of this exact problem.
IKEA Shelving Solutions for Oversized Games
Three IKEA product lines cover most board game storage needs, and each one handles oversized games differently.
Kallax cubes are the gold standard for board game storage because of their 15-inch depth and square dimensions. Standard Kallax cubes measure 13 inches per side, which fits about 70 percent of games perfectly. For oversized games, you have three options: rotate the box to fit the longer dimension, store the game on top of the unit, or remove interior dividers to create wider bays.
Billy bookcases offer adjustable shelves and a thinner profile. The standard 11-inch depth is the main limitation, but Billy shelves work well for vertical storage of slightly oversized games. Tilting the box so it leans against the back of the shelf adds a quarter inch of usable space.
Tonstad cabinets are the hidden gem for oversized board games. Each Tonstad shelf measures roughly 14 inches deep and 23 inches wide, providing the extra width needed for games that exceed standard Kallax cubes. The Tabletop Family uses Tonstad shelves for exactly this reason. The main tradeoff is the price, which runs roughly three times higher than a comparable Kallax unit.
Vertical vs Horizontal Storage: Which Works Better?
Vertical storage wins for accessibility, and horizontal storage wins for box longevity. Most experienced collectors I have talked to use a hybrid approach.
When you store games vertically, you can see every spine at once and grab the box you want without unstacking anything. The downside is that taller boxes can bow under their own weight, especially if components shift to one side. Games with heavy cardboard components are particularly vulnerable.
Horizontal storage, where boxes lay flat in stacks, protects box shape but limits visibility. After about four games high, you forget what is at the bottom of the stack. This is where label makers and printed end caps become essential.
My recommendation: store your most-played games vertically for quick access, and store oversized or rarely-played games horizontally in dedicated deep shelves.
Creative Alternatives for Oversized Board Game Storage
When standard shelves fail, these five creative alternatives have worked for real collectors.
Under-bed storage works for long, thin boxes like Pandemic Legacy or Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game. Clear plastic bins with lids slide under most beds and keep games dust-free. The tradeoff is accessibility. You have to pull out a bin and dig through it to find a specific game.
Closet floor storage is underrated for oversized games. If your closet has 18 inches of depth between the door and the back wall, you can line up games like books on a low shelf. Many collectors install a single 12-inch deep shelf near the floor specifically for big box games they play occasionally.
Rolling carts like the IKEA Råskog cart add mobile storage for medium-oversized games. Three tiers of open shelving hold roughly 6 to 8 big box games depending on dimensions. You can roll the cart out when it is game night and tuck it into a corner afterward.
Wall-mounted shelves free up floor space entirely. A 6-inch deep floating shelf holds most standard board game boxes, and a 12-inch deep version handles oversized games. Just make sure to anchor into studs. A loaded shelf of Gloomhaven boxes weighs around 30 pounds.
Repurposed furniture like old armoires, media cabinets, and apothecary chests give you a decorative storage option. Many come with 14 to 16 inches of depth, which fits oversized games perfectly. Thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace are great sources for affordable pieces.
Custom and DIY Storage Solutions
If IKEA shelves still do not give you enough space, custom-built storage might be the answer. BoxKing makes shelves specifically designed for board games with 12-inch cube dimensions and reinforced dividers that hold heavier oversized boxes without bowing.
For DIY collectors, building a Kallax sideways by removing interior dividers creates double-wide bays that fit oversized games like King of Tokyo and Star Wars: Rebellion. One Reddit user I read about built a 4-bay wide shelf by combining two 2×2 Kallax units and removing the center divider, creating a 26-inch wide storage space.
The budget DIY option is to build simple plywood shelves with 16-inch depth and adjustable brackets. Total cost runs around 60 dollars for a 6-foot wide shelf, and you can customize the dimensions to fit your specific oversized games.
How to Protect Components in Oversized Games
Component protection matters even more for oversized games because they contain more pieces that can shift, scratch, or get lost. Start by removing the original component trays and replacing them with removable organizer inserts. Companies like Broken Token and Game Trayz make custom inserts for popular oversized games.
Zipper bags in multiple sizes keep cards, tokens, and miniatures organized within the box. Use a label maker to mark each bag with its contents. This is the system the BoardGameGeek community calls “baggins,” and it works for games of any size.
For games with cardboard components, store them flat inside the box rather than standing them up. Tiles and player boards bend less when stored horizontally, even inside an oversized box. If the original box insert has tall dividers that force components to stand up, replace it with a flat organizer.
Finally, store oversized games in a climate-stable area. Temperature swings and humidity warp boxes faster than any other factor. A closet or interior room works better than a garage, attic, or basement for long-term storage.
Organizing Small Games and Card Games Alongside Big Boxes
Mixing small games with big box games requires a deliberate system. I use a three-zone approach: oversized games on the bottom shelf, standard size games in the middle Kallax cubes, and small card games in shallow trays or boxes on top.
For small games, plastic photo storage boxes with adjustable dividers work better than trying to fit them into Kallax cubes. The wasted vertical space in a Kallax cube for a deck of cards frustrates most collectors. Photo boxes let you store 10 to 15 small games in the same footprint as one big box game.
Labeling is essential when you mix sizes. A simple color code works: blue labels for party games, red for strategy games, green for family games. You can read the labels at a glance even when you cannot see the box art.
Some collectors dedicate an entire Kallax unit to small games using only the top row, then store the rest of their collection vertically in deep shelves. This works well for collections with more than 100 games where space efficiency matters.
FAQs
What are some effective ways to store small board games?
Use plastic photo storage boxes with adjustable dividers to hold 10 to 15 small games per box. Stackable bins, zipper pouches, and shallow drawer organizers also work well. The key is avoiding wasted vertical space in shelving cubes designed for bigger boxes.
Is it better to store board games vertically or horizontally?
Vertical storage is better for accessibility because you can see every spine and grab a game without unstacking. Horizontal storage is better for protecting boxes from warping under component weight. Most collectors use a hybrid: vertical for frequently played games, horizontal for oversized or rarely used ones.
How to organize board games in a closet?
Install a single 12-inch deep shelf near the floor of the closet for oversized games. Use Kallax cubes or wire shelving for standard size games. Group games by genre or frequency of play, and label the shelf edge so you can find games without pulling everything out.
Is Kallax good for board games?
Yes, Kallax is the most popular shelving unit for board game storage. The 15-inch depth fits standard game boxes perfectly, and the square cube design makes it easy to organize 70 percent of typical collections. For oversized games, you can remove dividers to create wider bays or store them on top of the unit.
Final Thoughts on Storing Oversized Board Games
Storing oversized board games comes down to matching shelf dimensions to your biggest boxes, not the other way around. Start by measuring your three largest games, then choose a shelving system with depth and width that exceeds those dimensions.
For most collectors, a combination of Kallax cubes for standard games, a Tonstad shelf or custom build for the truly oversized titles, and a rolling cart for game night accessibility covers every need. Pick one solution from this guide and try it this week. Your collection will thank you, and so will your shelves.