Sex Toy Storage: Keep Your Filthy Little Collection Ready to Go

You've got ten minutes, the house is empty and you know exactly what you want. You yank open the drawer and find a tangle of straps, three identical cables and a bottle of lube that's leaked over everything. By the time you've found your vibrator, the moment's halfway gone.

You can have a wonderfully untidy sex life and a reasonably organised drawer. Clean your toys, dry them completely and keep them apart, somewhere cool and dry, with your favourites right at the front. Your future horny self will be very grateful.

Clean and dry before it goes away

Finish the cleaning and drying before a toy goes back in its pouch. Water hangs around in grooves, joins and sleeves long after the outside feels dry, so leave washed toys somewhere clean and airy until they're dry throughout. A closed bag won't sort out the bits you skipped. Our toy cleaner vs soap guide covers the wash, and our masturbator care guide gets into sleeves.

A pouch for every favourite

Keeping toys apart protects them from rubbing, knocks and each other. It also means you can pick up your vibrator without dragging a pair of cuffs and a nest of cables out with it. A Fun Factory Toybag costs very little, and it looks a lot better than an old sock.

Keep buckles and clips away from soft surfaces, and give glass toys some padding, with nothing heavy on top. Put your regular favourite near the front, where a hand can find it in the dark.

Keep the lube handy and upright

A nearby bottle of lube is great. A leaky one coating your whole collection is a very different sort of preparation. Wipe it, close it properly and keep it upright in its own washable tray, with the label visible. Keep cleaning products separate from your toys, too. Our hygiene range has dedicated cleaners if you want them.

The right cable with the right toy

A favourite with a missing cable makes a very frustrating ornament. Label each lead with the toy's name, and keep it in a small compartment beside the pouch. Switch toys off before you store them. Take out flat batteries, and remove the cells if the toy's going away for a while. Our rechargeable vs battery guide compares the routines.

Find a cool, dry, private spot

A bedside drawer's perfect if you've got the room to yourself. In a shared house, a plain box keeps your collection out of sight, and a lockable one adds a real barrier. Keep toys and cleaners out of reach of kids. Stick to a dry bedroom spot rather than a steamy bathroom or a hot car, and keep everything out of direct sunlight. Privacy's worth having, but burying your favourite beneath every spare doona isn't much use when you're in a hurry.

A travel lock, if your toy has one, stops it spending its charge entertaining the drawer. It won't stop someone deliberately picking it up, though.

Get it sorted once

Empty the drawer and clean it. Give each dry toy its own place, set aside anything dirty, damp or damaged, pair up the cables and contain the bottles. It takes about twenty minutes, and you'll probably find something you'd forgotten about, which is a very nice way to finish the job.

Your sex toys can be as adventurous as you like. Finding them should be easy.