How should I store and care for my deck?
Question
How should I store and care for my deck?
Answer
Cards are tools, not talismans — they last longest when treated like any other well-handled deck.
Storing
| Do | Skip |
|---|---|
| A proper tarot box or sleeve, cards upright (short edges up) | Loose stacks in a drawer — edges scuff and corners curl |
| Somewhere dry, room temperature, out of direct sun | Bathroom, car, windowsill — humidity and heat are what ruin them |
| Sleeve the whole deck together if you travel with it | Half in, half out of a case |
Handling
Wash or dry your hands before you touch them — most card wear is skin oil and hand cream, and once a deck gets shiny and slippery, shuffling flattens it faster than age would. Pick cards up by the edges, never by the face. Shuffle by overhanding or cutting, not by bending the middle of the deck against your palm; if you riffle, do it over a table, not into your hand.
Keeping it clean
If a deck gets grimy, a soft dry cloth is enough. Skip wet wipes, alcohol, and anything oily — they strip the finish and leave a deck that never shuffles the same way twice.
Replacing
Keep one deck you actually read from, worn in, and a separate one if you like a clean look for photos or display. When a deck is genuinely finished, retire it rather than repairing it; a fresh deck in the same box is fine, and the reading doesn't live in the cardboard.
If you want a pull with any of this tonight — a one-card "how am I doing with this practice" — say the word and I'll draw one.