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Acquiring a new adult toy is such fun, but with it comes a much less fun act of adulting: Figuring out where and how to store it. We're here to give you the basics of sex toy safety and how you can take the best possible care of your precious sex toy collection.

How to store sex toys

The most important thing to know about how to store sex toys is this: A sex toy must be clean and dry before it is put away. Storing a toy that is dirty, or even still wet from cleaning, will cause bacteria to develop that can lead to skin irritation, product malfunction, or even an infection when the toy is next used.

Good sex toy storage solutions should, first and foremost, be able to keep a clean toy clean while it's not in use. It doesn't matter if it's a bullet vibrator, a dildo, or your anal beads — tossing a sex toy into your bedside table drawer, for example, or stashing it under your pillow will leave it exposed to bacteria and airborne pollutants. You really don't want that!

Storage, whether it's a cloth bag or a storage box, should also be discreet, easy to access and, ideally, offer room for the toy and any other items that might need to be stored with it.

How much storage do you need?

Before you invest in storage for your sex toy or toys, you'll need to take measure of your collection — literally. To be sure the solution will fit your needs, you'll want to make sure you know the length of the toy in question, as many storage boxes and bags can only accommodate toys that are up to 7 or 8 inches long.

You should also consider what accessories you need to store in addition to the toys themselves; things like lube, condoms, toy cleaners, chargers, etc. should all have a place in whatever storage system you decide on. And finally, it's always a good idea to invest in a storage option that allows room for your collection to grow.

Sex toy storage bags

There are as many ways to store sex toys as there are types of sex toys, but for most people's needs a storage bag will be the way to go. Bags offer flexibility for accommodating oddly shaped toys, like rabbit-style vibrators with their protruding ticklers, and are perfect for travel too.

We're not talking about a plain plastic bag here, which won't breathe and could cause unpleasant things to fester. Simple cotton or polyester drawstring bags are a good and economical choice. There are also storage bags, like the Sugar Sak, designed specifically for sex toys that feature a special interior coating that inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi, yeast, mold, mildew, and viruses.

Sex toy storage boxes

Move over, sock drawer. A dedicated storage box is a better choice for people with a larger collection of toys, and for those who want to store things like lube, condoms, and chargers in one place. While regular plastic storage bins work fine for this purpose, plan to stash each toy in its own baggie to prevent material degradation that can occur when toys commingle.

It's also worth knowing that specialty toy storage boxes exist! Some features to look for are antimicrobial interior coatings, removable or adjustable trays to accommodate toys of different sizes and shapes, and USB ports for charging toys when not in use. If keeping prying eyes out of it is a concern for you, choose one with a lock.

Outside-the-box sex toy storage options

While pouch-style bags and storage boxes are the most common sex toy storage options out there, there some more unusual styles to choose from as well — things that go well beyond a nice little pouch to stash in a bedside drawer. If you know that your collection of toys will be ever-growing, first of all good for you and second of all, do consider storage that can easily grow with your collection, like this set of stackable, lidded storage bins with a front-facing opening for easy access.

If you really want to make an investment in storing your sex toy collection, there is furniture available that doubles as toy storage, such as lidded benches or ottomans, which is a smart choice for people with a toy collection that includes bulky or oversized items like wedge pillows, absorbent blankets, or bondage kits.

Whether you've got a single silicone toy, a special glass toy, or even a whole mess of metal toys, the single best thing you can do to protect your investment, large or small, is to ensure you keep them in a clean and dedicated place.

This article was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2024.