How to Organize Your Jigsaw Puzzle Collection Like a Pro

For avid puzzlers, a growing collection of jigsaw puzzles can quickly turn into a disorganized pile. Keeping your puzzles neatly organized ensures they’re easy to find, store, and enjoy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to organizing your jigsaw puzzle collection like a pro:

1. Sort and Categorize Your Puzzles

Start by sorting through your collection to identify how you’d like to organize them.

By Piece Count: Group puzzles by their size (e.g., 500, 1000, 2000+ pieces).
By Theme: Separate puzzles into categories like landscapes, animals, abstract designs, and seasonal themes.
By Brand: If you’re a fan of specific puzzle brands (e.g., Ravensburger, Cobble Hill), group them together.
By Difficulty: Create categories like beginner, intermediate, and expert to help you choose based on your mood.

2. Declutter Your Collection

Let go of puzzles that no longer interest you or those you’ve completed multiple times.

Donate: Share gently used puzzles with community centers, schools, or thrift stores.
Trade: Join puzzle exchange groups online or locally to trade puzzles you’ve finished for new ones.
Recycle: If a puzzle is missing pieces or too worn, check if the materials are recyclable.

3. Invest in Storage Solutions

Choose storage options that keep your puzzles safe and accessible.

Plastic Storage Bins: Clear bins allow you to see your puzzles at a glance. Label each bin with its contents for easy access.
Puzzle Shelves: Use a dedicated shelf or bookshelf to store puzzles vertically, like books. This saves space and prevents box damage.
Under-Bed Storage Boxes: Great for smaller living spaces, these boxes keep puzzles out of sight but easily reachable.
Drawers or Cabinets: Assign specific drawers to puzzle themes, piece counts, or brands for a more streamlined system.

4. Protect Opened Puzzles

Prevent losing pieces from opened boxes by storing them securely.

Zipper Bags or Resealable Plastic Bags: Place loose puzzle pieces in individual bags inside the box.
Vacuum-Sealed Bags: For larger puzzles, these can save space while protecting the pieces from dust and moisture.
Puzzle Sorting Trays: Use sorting trays to separate and store edge pieces or sections of puzzles you’re working on.

5. Label Everything

Labeling helps you quickly find the puzzle you want without rifling through stacks.

Use labels to mark bins, shelves, or drawers by theme, piece count, or brand.
For opened puzzles, write the piece count and an image description on the side of the box or include a photo for easy identification.

6. Create a Puzzle Inventory System

If your collection is large, keep track of what you own.

Digital Inventory: Use apps like Excel, Google Sheets, or specialized puzzle apps to log details like brand, piece count, theme, and completion status.
Physical Inventory List: Keep a notebook or binder with photos and details about each puzzle.

7. Designate a Puzzle Workspace

Having a dedicated area for puzzling helps keep your collection organized.

Puzzle Table or Mat: Use a puzzle table with drawers for sorting or a roll-up puzzle mat for saving unfinished puzzles.
Puzzle Caddy: A portable storage tray with sections for sorting pieces and tools is useful for organizing your workspace.

8. Maintain Your Collection

Regularly update and care for your collection to prevent clutter.

Rotate puzzles by working on older ones or revisiting favorites.
Inspect opened boxes periodically to ensure all pieces are accounted for.
Reorganize every few months to make room for new puzzles.

9. Store Specialty Puzzles Separately

If you own wooden puzzles, 3D puzzles, or other specialty designs, store them differently to protect their unique materials and shapes.

Wooden Puzzles: Keep them in sturdy boxes or cloth bags to prevent scratches.
3D Puzzles: Store completed 3D puzzles on display shelves or disassemble and store in their original packaging.

10. Display Your Favorite Puzzles

Show off your hard work by framing completed puzzles or dedicating a space to display favorites.

Use puzzle glue and a frame to preserve and hang completed puzzles.
Rotate displayed puzzles seasonally for a fresh look.

Final Tip: Keep your collection dynamic by regularly donating, trading, or swapping puzzles you’ve completed. This ensures you always have something new to enjoy while maintaining an organized, clutter-free collection.

Happy puzzling!