Making a No-Hope Chest for your Gloom cards

Published by: Atlas Staff
Fans regularly ask us when we’re going to produce Gloom-themed durable storage boxes. The fact of the matter is that we just don’t have the warehouse space for the number we’d need to make to get them to a reasonable unit price. We’re well aware, though, that the retail boxes (especially for the expansions) don’t hold up to the frequent use our Gloomians put them through.


So here are do-it-yourself directions for making a more durable Gloom storage system. It’s affordable, easy, and customizable. Each box holds up to six 55-card decks, so you can put the original Gloom core game and its four expansions in one box, and Cthulhu Gloom, Fairytale Gloom, and Munchkin Gloom in another box, if you’ve got the full set. The only thing that doesn’t fit is the Cthulhu Gloom expansion Unpleasant Dreams, but it’s easy to get a box with larger dimensions.


Let’s get started! You’ll need these supplies:
  • 200-count 2-piece card box, sized for American poker-size cards
  • 2-pocket poly folder
  • Avery Ink Jet clear Easy Peel shipping labels, 3 ⅓” x 4” (six to a sheet)
  • colored card sleeves, American poker-sized
  • scissors
  • permanent marker
  • clear packing tape
  • color printer


Step 1: Making the dividers
Remove the lid of the box. Cut the poly folder into four 3 ½” x 2 ½” (8.89 cm x 5.08 cm) rectangles.
Scissors cutting a red plastic folder into small rectangles.
Write the names of the core games and expansions at the top. For the expansion dividers, you may wish to cut out the New Rules printed on the back of the retail package, as well as the icon that distinguishes that expansion’s cards in Second Edition. For durability, cover the divider with clear packing tape so the paper parts don’t get damaged with use.
Two red plastic divider rectangles, one with "Gloom" written in the top left, the other with "Unhappy Homes" written in the top left and the New Rules and Icon cutout from the box taped on



Step 2: Sort and sleeve the character households
Store each group of characters in a card sleeve of the same color (Yellow for Dark’s Den of Deformity, Red for Castle Slogar, etc.). This keeps them together and makes them easy to distribute. You may wish to give the Residence cards in Unhappy Homes their own matching sleeves. You may also want to store all the Unwelcome Guests together in a single sleeve.
Three Gloom character groups in matching color card sleeves

Load cards into the box.
Gloom cards and expansion cards loaded horizontally in the box, with red plastic dividers between groups of cards

Step 3: Label the box
Load color printer with clear shipping labels. You can download the PDF for the correctly sized Gloom logo right here. Print and apply the label to the top of the box; you may want to rub it down with the edge of a library card or other straight edge.
Box with color "Gloom" label stickered on the lid


That’s it! You’re all ready for many unhappy hours of Gloom. There’s lots of room for decorative touches, like lining the box with patterned paper or adding stickers--make it your own! You may want to secure these items (especially those inside the box, showing out) with clear packing tape or contact paper, so moving the cards in and out of the box doesn't scrape them off.
Closed box with colored "Gloom" logo sticker on top and black and white scrollwork scrapbook paper lining the inside sides of box
Now you can travel easily with your Gloom collection, or give them as a gift in style!

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