Organizing Your Too Many Bones Dice and Chips: Storage Solutions

Quick answer

Store Too Many Bones in layers: dice and chips in a compartment case you can lift out, Gearloc mats and cards flat in the box, and the rulebook on top. Sort dice by type and color so you never dig mid-battle. If you play solo often, a single Gearloc playmat gives that layer a fixed footprint and keeps your setup repeatable.

Too Many Bones asks you to track dice, chips, cards, and Gearloc mats at the same time, so a loose box turns every session into a hunt. The fix is not one magic insert. It is a repeatable layering system that matches how you actually play.

This guide walks through a storage build in order, from sorting your components to packing for travel. Each step includes the mistake that costs players the most time.

Start by sorting dice and chips by type

Before you buy anything, empty the box and group components by type: attack dice, defense dice, skill dice, loot, and chips. Count what you own so you know how many compartments you need. This step takes 20 minutes and prevents you from buying an organizer that is one slot short.

Keep Gearloc-specific dice with their mat rather than in a shared pile. When you sit down to play a single Gearloc, everything for that character should come out in one motion.

• Common mistake: sorting by color only. Sort by how you use the component, then color.

Choose a compartment case for dice and chips

A compartment case with adjustable dividers handles TMB dice storage better than fixed trays because dice counts change as you add expansions. Look for a case shallow enough that dice sit in a single layer, so you can read the top faces without dumping the tray.

For chips, use a separate tray or a small drawstring bag per type. Chips are flat and stack well, but mixing them with dice causes chips to slide under dice and jam the lid.

• Checkpoint: close the case and shake it gently. If dice change compartments, your dividers are too loose.

Give Gearloc mats and cards a flat layer

Mats and cards should never sit under a heavy dice case. Lay Gearloc mats flat at the bottom of the box, then stack cards in a deck box or banded pile above them. This keeps mats from curling and keeps card order intact.

If you play solo often, a single Gearloc playmat creates a fixed play area that mirrors your storage layout. You set the mat down, and your dice, loot, and chips have an obvious home on the table.

• Common mistake: storing mats rolled. Rolled mats stay curled and will not lie flat during play.

Label the layers so setup is repeatable

Once your layers fit, label each compartment or tray with the component type. Labels matter most when you add an expansion and need to find space for new dice without reorganizing the whole box.

A simple label system also lets another player set up the game for you. Hand them the tray map and they can build the table while you read the encounter.

• Use removable labels so you can relabel after an expansion changes your layout.

Pack for travel without shifting

For game nights away from home, pack the compartment case first, then mats, then cards, then the rulebook on top. Fill empty space with a cloth or foam block so nothing slides when the box is carried on its side.

If you carry a small collection, keep one tray dedicated to the Gearlocs you are playing that night and leave the rest at home. Fewer components means fewer things to lose.

• Checkpoint: carry the box for ten steps. If you hear sliding, repack before you leave.

Your Too Many Bones storage build, step by step

1. Empty and sort everything by use: Group attack dice, defense dice, skill dice, loot, and chips separately. Count each group before buying trays. Checkpoint: if a group does not fit one shallow compartment, split it before you shop.
2. Pick shallow, adjustable compartments: Choose a case with movable dividers and single-layer depth so dice faces stay readable. Keep chips in their own tray. Common mistake: deep trays that force you to dump dice out to see them.
3. Lay mats and cards flat at the bottom: Place Gearloc mats flat, then cards in a deck box or banded pile above them. Never store mats rolled. Checkpoint: mats should sit flat with no curl at the corners.
4. Label each layer: Mark compartments by component type and keep labels removable so an expansion does not force a full relabel. A labeled box lets anyone set up the game for you.
5. Test the pack before you travel: Close the box, carry it ten steps, and listen for sliding. Fill gaps with cloth or foam and repack if needed. If you hear movement, fix it now rather than after a lost die.

Products that support this storage setup

• Too Many Bones: Single Gearloc Playmat: This playmat allows for full immersion during solo games of Too Many Bones. It provides the perfect positioning for your Gearloc mat, loot, and dice so you can focus on the battle ahead. It gives your solo setup a fixed footprint, so the dice and loot positions in your storage tray match the table every time.
• Too Many Bones: Ghillie (The Scoutmaster): Ghillie is at the ready with his bow drawn, ready to send Baddies off to the long sleep with brute-busting broadhead arrows. Gearloc expansions add their own dice and skill components, so plan one extra compartment per character you own.
• Too Many Bones Enamel Pin (Duster): Our enamel pins are the perfect size to rep your favorite Gearloc all day, every day. On your backpack, clothes, practically anything that can sport an enamel pin. Small collectibles like pins are easy to lose in a loose box. Keep them in a dedicated small compartment or pouch, not with dice.

A good Too Many Bones storage system is the one you can unpack in under a minute. Sort by use, keep dice shallow and labeled, lay mats flat, and test the pack before it leaves your table. Your future setup time is the reward.