Raving Toy Maniac

- WILD & LOOSE!- Version 1.0

Hey kids... it's PLAY TIME!! But what do you do with your favorite toys after you've drained all the fun out of 'em? Fortunately, loose figures and accessories are the easiest to preserve. There's no fear of potential damage to delicate cardbacks or boxes, just the pure durabilityof the toy itself to withstand the tests of time! The only things you have to worry about are keeping the toy complete and free of occasional rust and corrosion (if it happens to have metal parts and/or batteries). There are many methods for loose-toy storage, and though I may not touch on them all, here are some usefull tips on keeping a clean and complete collection of your nekkid nostalgia:

STRIP SEARCH: To start with, remove any batteries the toy may have. If you plan on cleaning the toy before storing, carefully remove any electronics or metal parts (if possible) that may be dammaged by water contact.

SPLISH SPLASH: It's a good idea to give your loose toys a thorough scrubbing to remove any unwanted grime. But be careful not to scratch them in the process. A soft cloth plus some liquid-soap and water will do the trick! Also, make sure you have removed ALL of the excess water that may have leaked inside by vigorously shaking the toy back & forth and let-stand on a towel for a few hours. Upon your return, repeat the shaking process to be totally certain the toy is dry. You may also want to use a hair- dryer, on the "cool" setting, to get at those "hard to reach places"!

DECISIONS, DECISIONS... Once the toy is cleaned and dry, you need to decide how to keep it that way for the years to come. As I said before, many methods are available for loose toy storage so here are some options you may wish to explore: THE BODY BAG: Most collectors choose to keep a loose figure in just an ordinary 5X3 inch "zip-loc" type of baggie. You can find these smaller sized bags at hobby stores, most comic shops or even at hardware and dime stores. They are fairly inexpensive and durable enough for long term storage.

SWINGING SINGLES: Some collectors like to keep their loose figure collection in individual plastic cases. Made of high-impact plastic, these things have "swing open" fronts (which snap tightly when closed) and stack nicely together. You will never fear losing the figures accessories. So they are great if you tend to move to different locations often. The sizes I've seen for these cases range from 1"x1"x1" to 10 3/8"x6"x2" and cost about 70¢ each. So as you can see, they are ideal for just about any loose action figure from the past to the most current. You can find them at hobby, hardware and electronic stores. However there is a "down" side, as this method is likely to become very expensive for those with rather large collections.

ON THE CASE!: To find out a little about display cases, click here! LOOSE STORAGE TIPS: The best ways for storing your loose toys really depends on which method you choose to protect them. BAGS: Just about any container you can find will do, as long as what you decide upon is reasonably durable. This can range from a simple shoebox to plastic storage bins that are air-tight.   PLASTIC CASES: Your typical cardboard box will suffice. Just stack them neatly and make sure you fill-in any left over gaps with newspaper or the like.   O.K., NOW WHAT?: Once your loose figures are packed with the method of your choosing, you need to find a place to stash 'em. So, jump on over to this section for a full explaination!

Pristine Plastic | Keeping Track | Loose Figures | Display Cases & Shells Packing | Storage Back to the Beginner's Guide To Collecting Action Figures