Storage & Displaying Items
As you journey through Skyrim, you'll accumulate a vast array of treasures, from powerful weapons and armor to rare crafting materials and unique artifacts. Managing this growing inventory and finding suitable places to store and display your prized possessions is a key aspect of personalizing your experience and keeping your adventuring gear organized.
The most common form of storage in Skyrim is through containers. These can be found scattered throughout the world, including chests, barrels, sacks, and crates. While these are useful for temporary storage, many of these containers are not safe. Items placed in containers that respawn or are part of a dungeon's loot pool may disappear over time. The safest containers are typically those found within your owned player homes or in specific, persistent locations like the Jarl's Longhouse chests.
Player Homes are the ultimate solution for long-term storage and display. Once you purchase or build a home, you gain access to several storage options:
- Chests: Found in abundance in all player homes, these are safe and provide ample space for your items.
- Weapon Racks: Allow you to display a selection of your favorite weapons on the walls.
- Armor Stands: Perfect for showcasing your most impressive sets of armor. Each stand can hold a full set of armor, including a helmet.
- Mannequins: These life-sized figures can wear full sets of armor, allowing for detailed display of your gear.
- Bookshelves: Ideal for organizing your collection of books, journals, and spell tomes.
- Display Cases: Available in some homes (especially with the Hearthfire DLC), these glass cases can be used to display smaller items like unique artifacts, gems, or alchemical ingredients.
- Beds: Sleeping in your own bed provides the "Well-Rested" bonus, which enhances skill progression.
The Hearthfire DLC sificantly expands your options for storage and display, allowing you to build custom homes with a wider variety of display cases, weapon racks, and trophy rooms. You can even build a greenhouse and garden to store your alchemical ingredients.
Tips for effective storage and display:
- Prioritize Safe Storage: Always use containers within your owned homes for valuable or rare items. Avoid leaving items in containers in dungeons or inns unless you intend to retrieve them immediately.
- Categorize Your Items: Use different chests for different types of items (e.g., one for weapons, one for armor, one for crafting materials, one for miscellaneous treasures).
- Showcase Your Achievements: Use weapon racks, armor stands, and mannequins to display the gear you've earned through challenging quests or difficult battles. This adds a personal touch to your home and serves as a visual reminder of your accomplishments.
- Organize Your Books: Keep your spell tomes and lore books organized on bookshelves for easy access.
- Consider Weight: While containers in player homes are safe, remember that items still have weight. Overfilling your storage can impact your character's carry weight if you need to move items around.
Displaying your items is not just about aesthetics; it's about celebrating your journey and the treasures you've collected. A well-decorated home filled with your most impressive gear tells the story of your adventures in Skyrim.