I LOVE LOVE LOVE buying new decks!  I think I have around 25 now.  It's a bit of an obsession.  

CHOOSING A DECK

So how I pick a new deck?  And what I do with it after I get home?

To pick the right deck, you must first and foremost LOVE the imagery on most of the cards.  You might not like ALL the imagery, but most of it should speak to you on a subconscious level.


 Then go online and find copies of your deck, like on Amazon or Aeclectic.net. 

If you find used ones, make sure the quality is good.  You don't want ones that people have written on or have torn.  I have no issues using used decks because I don't believe it matters in the least who's handled my cards before.   

Once I make my decision, I buy my deck either at the store, or for cheaper on Amazon.com (though cheaper on Amazon means a thinner quality card).  Now, with most decks, I don't like all of the cards.  I have several decks in which I actually only like about 30% of them.  But they are worth it, and are added to my House Deck.  

Also, check out this amazing website that has every single deck you can think of with all of the cards scanned in so you can see them before you buy them: TarotKorea.

WHAT NOW? 

Once you get your deck, what do you do with it?

Well, some say you need to leave them out by the light of the moon to "charge" them, or freeze them.  

Now, I am not much for doing things "traditionally", especially when I find those traditional ways a bit overkill and silly. 

Instead, I just get my deck, open it, and play with them.  I look at the imagery on all the cards and study the ones I find interesting.  Then I put them into storage and do something else.  Simple

STORAGE

So the old-fashioned way to store your deck in silk. Mmmmkay...who the crap has some silk laying around?  And why would you need it?

"Too keep the vibes of your cards positive, duh!"

Phooey.  There are no "vibes" in cardboard.  Silk is pretty and maybe I'll make a silk bag sometime but not for any other reason but the way it looks.  But I bet it's a bitch so sew, so I'll probably stick to other materials instead. 

And I have been a reader for a long time and have NEVER had an issue with my cards no matter how they are stored.  I will say I do have some clever way to store cards, though.  Eventually, you stop trying to be "perfect", as all the books tell you to, and start getting real.  Oh wait, that's The Real World on Mtv.  But it works here, too.

You need to ask yourself "Where are you taking your cards?  Where will you be doing most of your readings?  How many decks do you have?  Do you want them all to be stored similarly?  What's easiest for you?"  Those are the questions that matter when you think about storage. 

Hip bags?  A box?  What works best for you? 

The easiest way to store your cards is get some tarot boxes here in my shoppe.  They are durable, portable, pretty, and easy to tell which deck is in which.  And they fit 99% of decks. 

Also, if you would rather use a bag, here is an AMAZING store with AMAZING stuff and cool bags to store your cards in: Baba-Store.com.  I got a bag from them, one that has a strap to carry like a purse and I am in love with it! 

Also, scour resale shops, flea markets, garage sales and the like to find some cool boxes or holders for your cards.  Like the one I chose here for my Samhain deck. 

So once you've figured out what deck you want, and how you want to store it, you are good to go.

That's pretty much it.  Let's recap:
 

1. Search your decks at the links above.
2. Find one that you love.
3. Order it.
4. Figure out how you want to store it.  (in it's own case is fine)
5. Buy a storage container (or not).  
6. Store your cards somewhere together (mine are all in a desk).  
7. That's it!

And there you have it.  Easy!  And now you have some new links to check out so go check them out! 

Happy tarot shopping!