How to store and protect Pokémon cards

Short answer: sleeve every card you care about, keep chase cards in a toploader or a side-loading binder, and store everything somewhere dry, flat and out of sunlight.

What to use

• Penny sleeves — thin plastic sleeves, the first layer for any good card.
• Toploaders — rigid holders for your best cards.
• Side-loading binders — great for sets; avoid ring binders, which can dent the cards nearest the rings.
• Deck boxes — for decks you play with, with cards in sleeves.

Things that damage cards

• Damp and humidity (cards can curl or bend)
• Direct sunlight (colours fade)
• Rubber bands and tight stacks
• Shuffling unsleeved chase cards