Climate Control and Toy Storage: What Really Matters

There are many different ways collectors store their toy collections. Some people store them on display in their homes, in acrylic storage, in a basement, in an attic, in a garage, in totes, or in a shed. There are so many places where people store their toys.

With this, however, there are also so many external factors that play into what can damage a collection and what preserves it. The vintage toy market is still growing and causing toys to increase in value, making thousands of people’s toy collections worth a lot of money. 

External factors to watch out for include: extreme temperature changes, natural disasters, pests, humidity, water damage, and rough handling. Many vintage toys especially need careful storage in order to keep a good condition. Join us in our blog to see the best storage options and the difference between climate control and other storage options. 

Join Us in Seeing What Really Matters in Toy Storage

Follow along in our blog with us as we mention the importance of quality toy storage and how many people benefit specifically from climate controlled storage to help their toys stay in pristine condition.

What Really Matters When Looking for the Best Toy Storage

Keeping items in a secure location can make the difference between a toy remaining in good condition with high value and a toy that went through damage and decreased in value even as much as hundreds to thousands of dollars. Protection from UV, dust, pests, natural disasters, and rough handling that cause damage are essential in maintaining a toy’s condition and value. 

Ultraviolet light causes damage to toys as it turns the plastic yellow over time. UV and direct sunlight also makes toys more brittle and fragile. Though dust doesn’t often seem like a big deal and you may think that you can just wipe it off, the dust particles build up over time and create a grime which makes items sticky and scratches off paint or color.

Pests also cause a lot of harm to toys and often enter through cardboard boxes or lose items that may be stored in an attic, basement, or garage. Natural disasters also cause great damage to toys and are sometimes unpredictable. You may think you have a secure place to keep your toys but then a storm hits and you unfortunately lose all of the value you worked so hard to get.

Another thing that can often be overlooked when keeping your toys secure and in the best condition possible, is to refrain from positioning your toys and action figures often. Oils from your hands over time can also create build up and cause smudging or scratching of paint.

All About Climate Controlled Storage for Toys

Climate controlled storage keeps ultraviolet rays from damaging toys and making them brittle, faded, or yellow over time. With climate controlled storage, your toys remain in an environment without direct sunlight hitting your toys.

One of the main things that climate controlled storage helps with is extreme and fluctuating temperatures. From this, your toys will be free from cracking, becoming sticky, or warp from the shift in temperatures and humidity. Climate controlled storage units hold a steady temperature, somewhere between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

High heats can lead to warping in toys while colder temperatures can lead to cracking. Climate controlled storage especially helps maintain electronic toys. This helps keep the batteries from becoming corroded and the electronic features working properly. 

Another reason climate controlled storage is highly popular by toy collectors for keeping their collections secure is that they help create extra security from pests which greatly damage valuable collectibles. Since climate controlled storage is often very well maintained, it holds much lower risks for pests coming to ruin valuable toys. 

Some toys come with adhesive stickers to add decals to vehicles or playsets. When these toys are placed in climate controlled storage rather than a basement or attic, they can effectively remain in the best condition possible without the stickers melting, peeling off, or losing their stickiness.

Climate controlled storage units also have an outside wall, making the inside humidity of a unit more like a home than the outside temperatures and conditions. This helps especially with humidity and natural disasters. 

Final Thoughts

While some collectors find that other means of storage for their toy collection works best for them, one popular and effective means of protecting your toy collection's value and condition is with climate controlled storage.

With climate control, you can have peace of mind about your valuable collection and ensure that your items will remain safe for as long as you need.

Do You Have Old or Used Toys?

Don’t let your collection sit in storage gathering dust—turn it into cash! At Wheeljack’s Lab, we specialize in evaluating and buying vintage and used toys, from single standouts to entire collections.

Our friendly, expert team has decades of hands-on experience in collectible toys, so you can expect honest evaluations and a smooth process from start to finish. Ready to sell? Call us at 888-946-2895 and let’s get started.

About the Owner, Chris Ingledue

Chris is the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab Pop Culture and Toy Shop. His vision has always been to reconnect collectors with the toys and pop culture that shaped their childhoods—sparking memories, nostalgia, and imagination along the way.

Each day in the “Lab” feels like Christmas year-round. From scouring the internet for the next great treasure—much like flipping through the Sears Catalog of years past—to eagerly awaiting the postman’s arrival like Santa himself, Chris lives and breathes the thrill of the hunt. Helping collectors around the world experience their own version of Christmas is what makes being a vintage toy buyer an absolute joy.