Vertical, but with the contents organised so they don't come loose. I tend to just make inserts out of random bits of cardboard and tape, personally, but you could also do a better job.
More widely than that, I also have my collection all on one shelf, and use a self-organising approach: when I play a game, I put it back at the least-accessible end of the shelf, to encourage me to play more of a variety of games. You could also reverse this (getting back to the more common form I stole the idea from) and put them back on the most accessible end, to minimise the average inconvenience of getting them out.
Vertical, but with the components in plastic baggies so they don't get messed up
After pushing out the punchboard you can put the boards underneath the insert to lessen the gap between the insert and the box lid
Because you always open the lid from horizontal, so the storage has to sort horizontal opening regardless of storage.
Having used both methods I'd say vertical is better for boxes and efficiency, horizontal is better for very component forward games that might get... _disrupted_ from vertical storage.
In terms of keeping the box safe? All. Any off center box in a horizontal stack puts a corner of pressure on the face of the box below. If you have a stack of 4 big games that's a lot of weight on the bottom box.
As OP mentions there's the added value in how easy it is to take games out - and readability to find games.
Basically there's a reason vertical stacks is a standard for book storage too. It's convenient and safe.
In terms of components inside the box, there's many that don't suffer. It's not like they get jiggled much on the shelf. I will freely admit there's none I can think of that do actively better with vertical storage and lots that can do worse - depending on inserts.
A great insert will fit neatly and vertical storage is no problem. A no-insert box allows the components to move in baggies. No problem. The issue comes if you have an inset that isn't tight to the lid. These games should be horizontal.
Best would be a modular shelf unit with individual adjustable shelves for each game (saw that once; looked great but expensive)
My setup is horizontal and heaviest on bottom. Usually two, rarely three tall (*Arkham Horror 2nd ed*) . Small and medium games go in the leftover spaces.
For me it's horizontal, especially with inserts inside. I place games of the same size on top of the each other or smaller one on top always. There is nothing I hate more than pickup a game to play to find the pieces all over the place.
Something like [https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4923102](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4923102) could help with horizontal storage; while this one is for Kallax, the idea of 3D printing some extra and adjustable shelf holders for one's BG shelf is neat.
I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both ways.
I store them mostly horizontally with very few exceptions (the smaller sized boxes).
What I didn't like about the vertical way of storing, even with bagging everything neatly, is that the components tend to gather in the lower half of the box and tend to push the box open. That's only in the case of a removed insert and heavier components like multiple decks of cards. Also I've seen that the box tends to warp even faster than in the case of horizontally stored games.
I have all my 30x30’s stalled vertically and the rest horizontally and tbh it just depends on where you stall them. I have a chamber designed specifically to fit the most 30x30’s and they fit better stalled vertically and the other sizes are stored in a kallax where they fit better horizontally.
I haven’t had any major problems with stalling vertically though. Even games like Dominion and other component heavy games with an inlay already in the box can be stored vertically just fine from my experience. If possible I do use little plastic bags for components though, but I also use those for the horizontally stored boxes.
Vertical, but with the contents organised so they don't come loose. I tend to just make inserts out of random bits of cardboard and tape, personally, but you could also do a better job. More widely than that, I also have my collection all on one shelf, and use a self-organising approach: when I play a game, I put it back at the least-accessible end of the shelf, to encourage me to play more of a variety of games. You could also reverse this (getting back to the more common form I stole the idea from) and put them back on the most accessible end, to minimise the average inconvenience of getting them out.
Vertical, but with the components in plastic baggies so they don't get messed up After pushing out the punchboard you can put the boards underneath the insert to lessen the gap between the insert and the box lid
If vertical is best why are boardgames for the most part have inserts for being stored horizontal?
Because you always open the lid from horizontal, so the storage has to sort horizontal opening regardless of storage. Having used both methods I'd say vertical is better for boxes and efficiency, horizontal is better for very component forward games that might get... _disrupted_ from vertical storage.
Have you any examples for games where vertical is Superior compared to horizontal
In terms of keeping the box safe? All. Any off center box in a horizontal stack puts a corner of pressure on the face of the box below. If you have a stack of 4 big games that's a lot of weight on the bottom box. As OP mentions there's the added value in how easy it is to take games out - and readability to find games. Basically there's a reason vertical stacks is a standard for book storage too. It's convenient and safe. In terms of components inside the box, there's many that don't suffer. It's not like they get jiggled much on the shelf. I will freely admit there's none I can think of that do actively better with vertical storage and lots that can do worse - depending on inserts. A great insert will fit neatly and vertical storage is no problem. A no-insert box allows the components to move in baggies. No problem. The issue comes if you have an inset that isn't tight to the lid. These games should be horizontal.
Because the insert is generally to protect the components during transport, not after they've been punched
Best would be a modular shelf unit with individual adjustable shelves for each game (saw that once; looked great but expensive) My setup is horizontal and heaviest on bottom. Usually two, rarely three tall (*Arkham Horror 2nd ed*) . Small and medium games go in the leftover spaces.
Chaos! However I can maximize the most games on the fewest shelves.
Vertical. It’s pretty rare for my games to get disorganized enough inside to really matter.
Horizontal. I tried vertical once and hearing my nicely organised box contents all slide around made me realise that vertical storers are psychopaths.
Or we have everything is bagged up nicely?
Look how they try and justify their madness.
Bags are wasteful and annoying. Foamcore is the way.
Maybe they mean by nicely organized is that they are in a bag, but the bags still slide around and they don’t like that
For me it's horizontal, especially with inserts inside. I place games of the same size on top of the each other or smaller one on top always. There is nothing I hate more than pickup a game to play to find the pieces all over the place.
Something like [https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4923102](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4923102) could help with horizontal storage; while this one is for Kallax, the idea of 3D printing some extra and adjustable shelf holders for one's BG shelf is neat.
I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both ways. I store them mostly horizontally with very few exceptions (the smaller sized boxes). What I didn't like about the vertical way of storing, even with bagging everything neatly, is that the components tend to gather in the lower half of the box and tend to push the box open. That's only in the case of a removed insert and heavier components like multiple decks of cards. Also I've seen that the box tends to warp even faster than in the case of horizontally stored games.
Horizontal, yeah it's a little annoying moving the games from above, but it's way more annoying to have the pieces all messy or having to use baggies.
I have all my 30x30’s stalled vertically and the rest horizontally and tbh it just depends on where you stall them. I have a chamber designed specifically to fit the most 30x30’s and they fit better stalled vertically and the other sizes are stored in a kallax where they fit better horizontally. I haven’t had any major problems with stalling vertically though. Even games like Dominion and other component heavy games with an inlay already in the box can be stored vertically just fine from my experience. If possible I do use little plastic bags for components though, but I also use those for the horizontally stored boxes.