Alan Smithee

Organize them by disc manufacturer and authoring house No, I don't really do that.

I separate regular DVDs, HD-DVDs, and Blu-rays- if it's one of those stupid BD/DVD combos, it goes with the BDs since only a BD player can play BOTH discs in it. I've been separating the non region-1 and/or PAL DVDs from the rest, but given how most of my players don't care about that I'm wondering if I should keep doing that. I have a Japanese import of Jurassic Park III that's separate from the US edition of The Lost World for that reason. I don't separate BDs by region since I have only one BD player, and at least those give you a "wrong region" message from the disc itself if it's set to the wrong one.

After I move and have a large wall of shelves, the bottom shelf will have the Bond films and the porn.

TheBang

Feature films and TV are A-Z with the following exceptions (which are stored in their respective alphabetical location, e.g. James Bond goes in the J section):
- James Bond grouped chronologically
- Series/sequels collected together, either in release order or series order
- Stanley Kubrick grouped chronologically (not sure why he's the only director I do this for)
- Titles starting with numbers go alphabetical based on the spelling of the numbers
- Disney Treasures tins in their own alphabetical section, mainly because they're so big

Now that I have 2 small kids, children and family films/TV have been broken out into a separate section (at the wife's request), arranged according to the above rules.

Music-related releases (mostly concerts, documentaries, or music video collections) are in a separate section, alphabetical by artist name.

I also have a specialty release section, which is mostly demo discs (DTS, THX, Dolby, etc.) or other promotional (BMW The Hire, magazine inserts) or misc. releases (calibration discs).

Some large/odd-sized box sets are stored separately in a closet.

All sections are intermixed DVD and BD.
Laserdiscs are stored separately near the vinyl. Since I have only about 2 dozen LD's now, it's straight A-Z.
About 6 or 7 VHS are stored haphazardly on top of the spinner shelves, mainly waiting for me to digitize them and then put them in storage.

Those multiple-feature collections (of non-series films) would drive me crazy trying to slot them, so I don't think I own a single one of them.

Josh Z

This poses an interesting conundrum. What if you have The Matrix as a standalone disc, followed by the double-feature of Matrix Reloaded/Matrix Revolutions? Do you still keep the double-feature separate, or do you keep the whole franchise together?

I don't segregate double-features from the rest of my discs. However, if it's a case where I bought a double-feature really only to get one movie and don't care about the other, I'll alphabetize it by the movie I care about most, regardless of which way they're labeled on the spine or artwork.

For example, the double-feature of Hollywood Homicide and Hudson Hawk (don't judge me!) prioritizes Hollywood Homicide on the cover, but I alphabetize it by Hudson Hawk.

Osiris3657

Like most people it sounds like, I alphabetize my collection (for the most part). All my BDs in standard cases are alphabetized on a single media tower (about 400 or so). I have separate towers for my special edition BDs (Franchise box sets, bigger thicker BDs like the Taxi Driver one for example), but they are not alphabetized. Same with TV, not alphabetized, just keep each show together with the seasons in order. I also prefer to double dip on shows once the series has ended and a complete series box set is available. Makes organizing alot easier.

AaronSch

Well, that is certainly true, I own about 1600, but to avoid a full shift of my collection everytime I buy new ones, I keep 'em loose and reserve a few open spaces at the bottom. However, shifting the titles is inevitable every once in awhile. This fall I am probably investing in 2-3 spinners with an individual capacity of 1000 that should be good for awhile. I'm debating because I can't see myself reaching 3000—but I said that at 1000 too!

mattysemo247

I put everything in binders now. I have two HUGE binders for regular movies, and then two smaller binders. One for kid/animated movies and the other for 3D discs. I find it easier to flip through a binder to try and find something we want to watch. The only movies I have on the shelf now (other than my steelbook collection) are ones that we haven't watched yet, which is still a lot, and usually the ones we hit up first.

AaronSch

Yeah, it will get to the point where owning a large collection is simply ridiculous to shelve. The discsox approach is where I may go rather than buying the spinners or putting them in binders. They safely store the discs vertically and the inserts are not damaged. You simpy get a file drawer system. One collector had some custom made to accommodate his huge 6000 disc collection. There are some pretty good videos on Youtube demonstrating how some manage their collections

milo bloom

I started putting stuff in binders but I hated it. I admit it: I haven't been buying DVDs just to have the programs on them but also as a hobby. I like having the boxes and cases on my shelf. Seeing something like my MST3K collection on the shelf makes me feel like I'm part of something bigger, like I'm helping to make sure a piece of cultural history is archived.

jjcool

There is definitely something to be said for seeing a large collection displayed on a shelf. It loses some of its "impressiveness" when it is put in a binder. That being said, space is always an issue. Years agao I put all my dvds in slim cases and printed up artwork for them. I was able to reclaim about 50% of the shelf space that the collection was taking up. Also, to anyone that has mentioned having to shift an alphabetized collection when you get a new title, one way to avoid that is to build in space. My shelves I leave a good foot or so space at the end of each shelf. My cds right now are in a spinner tower and I left a few spaces after each letter, and a few in the middle of some of the more common letters (like M and S). I used to have my cds in binders and I would leave an empty page between letters, as well as 1 or 2 empty spaces per page to try and cut down on the shifting. Not really an economical use of space, but alot better than having to shift a few hundred discs to fit one in. Of course, eventually you do need to shift stuff around, but leaving spaces pushes that off for a bit.

AaronSch

Yesterday, I was checking out at the Best Buy location near ASU and there was a couple rifling through the $5.99 dump bin as I stood by waiting to dive in myself. As I was looking through after they were done denting up all the inserts, the male part of the equation said to me "..nobody buys movies anymore!" I then looked up at him and said, "I enjoy collecting and don't have to pay monthly charges for cable, Hulu and Netflix every month regardless of whether I watch anything...and what I buy I own .. retains most of its value unlike subscriptions where your investment is gone for good." They both turned their backs and proceeded to the register.

I then stopped by one of the locations of Zia Record Exchange here in the Phoenx metro area. I found two minty steelbooks: "The Fly (1958)" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)." They are both region free UK editions. I paid about $12 for each of them after discounts. I also grabbed a copy of "The Great Mouse Detective," "Bone Tomahawk," "Hitchcock," and "American Beauty" ...all with well preserved slipcovers. My hands were trembling from the joy! Yeah, it's part hobby and part addiction, but also brings me a helluva lot of pleasure and I don't apologize for doing what I enjoy (when it's legal).

milo bloom

Yeah, I'm basically out of space right now, I'm hoping to start digging through some of the old blind buys and see if A) they hold up on my 60" screen since many are older DVDs, and B) even if they still look good, do we still want them?

And I have done what I can to put some DVDs in slim cases, but a lot of my titles seem to have fonts that take the full width of the spine and wouldn't look right in a smaller case.

I also do what I can to combine some titles, I'll get multi disc cases and combine sequels or re-issues with exclusive extras all into one package. Like I was able to use multi disc cases to combine the discs from the Toy Story Ultimate Toy Box plus the two 2-disc DTS reissues so they all fit in the Toy Box case.


As for adding new ones to the shelf, I do what I can to leave a little space on the shelf for new ones, especially when I know for sure I'll be adding new ones (like the MST3K sets)

orangerunner

In a way, I like hearing people say "Nobody buys movies!" because that whole attitude is the reason I have been able to amass a huge collection of DVDs for about $.50-$2.00 each. At the height of their popularity, DVDs were just too expensive and I had to pick-and-choose my absolute favorites.

Nowadays they cost less than a chocolate bar.

orangerunner

I can relate as I like the collecting aspect probably more than actually watching the movies.

I was at an impressionable age (8 or 9 years old) when video stores really began popping-up on every block. Most video stores only had maybe one or two copies of a movie and they always had that little plastic clip on the box with the red sticker "Rented".

Back then, you never got pissed-off but just accepted it for what it was and went back to the store again and again until you timed it right and got it.

Many times my brother & I would just walk into the video to "look" and we'd kill twenty minutes or so just looking at the VHS boxes on the shelf, studying the artwork and reading the descriptions.

That's probably why, to me, seeing people just discard DVDs with the trash is sad to see but it also results in being able amass a huge collection for cheap.

milo bloom

Yeah, they've reached a point where some aren't even worth the time for people to sell used. In the basement/trash room of our condo building there's a table for people to put things they don't want anymore that are still usable. Usually clothes and kitchen stuff but quite often I find DVDs and video games. Usually shovelware but an occasional gem and sometimes I'll just grab them to use the cases.

Alan Smithee

Nobody goes to Best Buy anymore either.

AaronSch

Yeah, the abandonment of collecting by many has provided all of us who are still rabid about the hobby the opportunity to buy catalog titles, many that are out-of-print, at a fraction of what they originally cost. I'd say about 80-90% of my purchases are now used. I can often find titles for $2-$3 in like new condition so I only buy online when there are sales. I pre-order absolutely nothing except for the occasional steelbook.

I still go to Best Buy—prefer it over Amazon.

whotony

hmm how do I organize?

First I have all 3d seperate.
All Steels seperate.
All Digis seperate.
All Disney animated seperate.
All CC seperate.

DVD seperate from Bluray

Like some others have said I put franchises together.
All Batman dvd or blu are together under "B" on the blu shelf

All Spider-man togehter.

All things related to The Who together

Star wars together

Star trek

I had my CC in spine number order but I moved them to alphabetic order because i didnt want to remember their number.

Took all dvds that have extras not on the bluray and either put them in the blu case or just next to the blu on the shelf.

Get rid of dvds that I have on blu if the blu has the same extras.


Everything else is a-z

Hazel Motes

I organize by director. Chronologically. By first directing credit. For instance the director with the earliest directing credit, in my case Charlie Chaplin, is placed first and his films are organized chronologically, starting with The Kid and ending with Limelight. The director with the most recent first directing credit is Jeff Nichols, starting with Shotgun Stories and ending with Midnight Special. He rounds out my Directors section.

Then I have Drama/Comedy/Foreign/Horror/Sci fi/Fantasy/Action/Comic book/Documentary/Criterion/Wrestling and TV Drama/Comedy/Animation. All organized chronologically. I have franchises organized chronologically, with the first film in the series being the marker. Starting with George Romero's Dead films and ending with the Saw films.

Finally I have Film Noir, Gangster, and actor signature collections together.

VHS/DVD/BLU/3D/UHD all living together harmoniously.

Its unorthodox, but it works for me.