If you mean sorting online in a database, MADb is the “modern” way to go. I have one and I’ll be transferring mine to a private spreadsheet soon too, just incase for the future.
If you mean on shelves, here’s how I do my setup!
Here is my thrown together “temporary setup” while i’m still renting. I have a proper display case but it is large and partially not with me so everything is in boxes but still “displayed” in a certain way for easy access when needed. This is my whole collection minus a few models I have off to the side on displays right now.
View attachment 69375
It changes from time to time as new models come into the collection but it is sorted as follows:
Top Shelf:
America West/America West 757 collection, Frontier “2000s livery” collection, Intl’ widebodies (my few! lol). then my diorama and my very small 1:200 collection.
Mid Shelf:
US Airways Collection mainly, all sorted by aircraft type, livery, etc. The left crate is all Airbus’. Then there is a stack of A330s, a stack of Boeings/Embraers, then regionals. In the right crate is USAir, and i’m also currently putting other heritage airlines like PSA or Piedmont for example there as well.
Bottom Shelf:
Everyone else. Sorted by airline, then by aircraft size/box size. Left to right goes low cost carriers, Southwest, United, my few Northwest, Delta, and the last two stacked columns are all American Airlines, also sorted appropriately by airplane size, livery, box size etc. All heritage jets and special liveries are generally together as it makes sense.
View attachment 69378
The only other section is behind my desk. The top shelf is the “oddball” stuff (which I hope to collect more in this realm). It contains house liveries, random airlines like the northern pacific, cargo aircraft, and all my military jets. This section will get overfilled soon so i’m already brainstorming where everything’s going to go eventually
Next shelf is my GSE storage for now.
Bottom shelf is my graveyard. Anything that’s broken, extra parts, etc. Also contains my empty GJ GSE boxes.
Also to note very importantly, I display all my boxes so that I can see as much information as possible. So Gemini boxes I put with the side facing out to see the side profile aircraft artwork, NGs are the bottom out for the artwork, and Aeroclassics are always random but I display where ever the sticker is so it’s easier to decipher. The same logic applies for other brands if possible.
Organizing is a thing I am very OCD with so this is where that brain mess goes a lot of the time. I’m excited to get most of my collection in the display case once I get the room for it!
