Clean your sex toys, let them dry completely and store them separately in suitable pouches or compartments, somewhere cool and dry. Keep the favourites easy to reach. Good storage means the toy you want is ready for you, rather than buried under receipts with a hair stuck to it.
You can have a wonderfully untidy sex life and a reasonably organised drawer. The two aren't in conflict.
Clean and dry toys before putting them away
After using a toy, finish the cleaning and drying before it returns to its pouch. Tomorrow's you may be very pleased you bothered, particularly if tomorrow's you has finally got the house to themselves.
Water can linger in grooves, joins and the inside of a removable sleeve after the outside feels dry. Leave washed parts in a clean, ventilated place until they're dry throughout. If a sleeve comes apart from its case, leave the sleeve and case apart while drying.
Our toy cleaner and soap guide covers the wash, and the masturbator care guide gets into sleeves and cases. A closed bag is for a finished cleaning job. It won't quietly sort out the bits you skipped.
One pouch makes one favourite easier to find
Use the case or pouch supplied with the toy, or give it a clean, non-shedding pouch or separate compartment suited to its material. Keeping toys apart protects surfaces from rubbing, knocks and contact with other materials.
It also means you can pick up your vibrator without bringing a tangle of straps and charging leads with it. If you've ever lost the moment to a drawer that seemed to be physically resisting you, this is a satisfying improvement.
Keep buckles and clips away from soft toy surfaces. Give rigid glass toys padded protection against knocks, and don't pile heavy things on them. Put your regular favourite near the front, with less-used pieces farther back. You know which one usually gets invited.
Make finding the lube easy too
A nearby bottle of lube is useful. A leaking bottle coating everything in the drawer is an entirely different sort of preparation.
Wipe the bottle, close it properly and keep it upright where possible in its own washable tray or container. Leave the label visible so the type and expiry information are easy to identify. You shouldn't have to interrupt yourself to work out which mystery bottle you're holding.
Keep cleaning products contained separately from the toys as well. The toy care and hygiene range offers dedicated cleaning options if they suit your routine. The good reason to organise them is having a clean toy for next time, not collecting an impressive number of bottles.
Store the right charger with the right toy
A favourite with a missing cable becomes a very frustrating ornament. Label the lead with the toy's name and give it a small compartment beside the pouch. Coil it loosely and keep hard connectors off the toy's surface.
Switch toys off before storing them. Remove depleted replaceable batteries, and take the cells out if you're putting the toy away for an extended period. Built-in rechargeable batteries have product-specific long-term care needs, so keep those instructions with the labelled cable rather than inventing a universal charging schedule.
For the everyday choice, our rechargeable versus battery guide compares the routines. You want your next solo session to begin with a working toy, not a search party for the charging lead.
Choose a cool, dry and private spot
A bedside drawer is convenient if you have the room to yourself. In a shared home, a plain box can keep your collection out of sight; a lockable one adds a barrier to access. Keep toys, cleaners and batteries away from children and pets.
Pick a dry bedroom spot rather than a steamy bathroom or hot car, and keep the collection out of direct sunlight. Privacy is worth having, but hiding your favourite beneath every spare doona in the house makes spontaneous use a fairly ambitious undertaking.
A travel lock, where the toy has one, prevents accidental button presses. Use it so your vibrator doesn't spend its charge entertaining the drawer. It won't stop someone deliberately handling the toy, so it serves a different purpose from secure storage.
Organise the drawer so your favourites are easy to find
Empty the drawer, clean it and give each dry toy a place. Set aside anything dirty, damp or damaged for attention. Pair up the cables, contain the bottles and leave enough space to take one thing out without disturbing everything else.
Then keep that simple arrangement going when you put things away. Your sex toys can be adventurous. Finding them should be straightforward.