I’m slowly starting to build up my collections of desk mats and keycap sets and I’ve been wondering if there are any good space-saving storage solutions out there?
I know for keycaps that you could either store them in trays or ziplock bags but I’m not too sure what’s the best way to store desk mats though. Feel free to share any suggestions and pictures of how you story your peripherals! 
Depends on how many you plan to horde 
I strongly recommend bags for keycaps if you start to acquire more than around 7 sets. Especially if you tend to swap out caps on a regular basis.
For desk mats, roll them up with 3 large rubber bands (big ones so they don’t leave much pressure). Could get fancy here and use velcro bands.
If you have more than 3-4 mats, it starts to make sense to keep a dedicated spot for them and keep them flat stacked.
https://mykeyboard.eu/catalogue/jtk-keycaps-tray_1117/
And for desk mats u could use the type of coat hangers designed for pants
I like NovelKeys bags for my sets as they’re nice and sturdy and they fit a decent sized GMK base kit pretty easily, though sets with more kits will take up more space. I also like to keep just the keys for my boards in those bags and right handy then the extras in other bags sometimes deeper in storage.
I use quart size freezer ziplocks for my keycaps; the freezer ones are thicker and more durable. I have two desk mats that both stay rolled up in my closet because I seriously didn’t like actually having them on my desk, big rubber bands worked good to keep them rolled up.
i used a mouse pad forever until about 10 years ago. Then I decided I didn’t actually need one. But now that I’ve started playing a lot of FPS games, I find I need one again. But I’m not a fan of thick pads with heavy edge stitching. I find the edge getting in the way at the front of the desk. I tend to rest my mouse hand there a lot. If I don’t want to get pressure from the stitched edge, it means extending my arm out further onto the desk. Not a perfect solution, but doable. I’m wondering if we should move more towards thin mats with rugged yet un-stitched edges.
I had two reasons that convinced me off, I end up writing on paper a decent amount and my hand/wrist sweats some. Have a desk mat made it hard to write stuff down, and they would get discolored/need to be washed over time. I’ve got a razer manticor I’ve been using for like 6 years now, it’s a plain black aluminum mouse pad, I’m so used to it I even put it on the desk mat when I tried one. It’s easy to wipe off and slides really nicely.
For some of my keycaps I also have a thing I got at the container store I saw someone suggest on geekhack a while ago, it’s I think a picture box, essentially a case with smaller cases inside to put the keycaps in. The problem is you pretty much need two of the inside cases for a single keyset. I’ve been thinking of emptying it out and using for switches/parts instead.
Can you post a picture of the box container? I’m thinking u have the alphas in one box and modifiers in one… =)
Cardboard tubs, would probably be the best way to go for desk mats. flat stacking would be a close second, depending on how the materials of the mats hold up… If you want to go all the way, you could build a paper shelf inspired mat storage system, possibility with slide out trays, that could hold individual mats.
Paper shelf:
Rubber bands, may cause creasing and if they start to deteriorate, they could damage the mat it’s self.
Edit:
Just found this bad boy:
Dimensions: 48" wide x 30" deep x 88" high with 19 Adjustable Openings
6 or more $2,389.50 ea…Think they’d give us better pricing for a large groupe buy. lol
Also, this type system for craft supplies, might also be applicable:
let’s just swap to end-game here. Put your mats in some of these. Bonus tip, they hold keyboards as well!
If u want this kind of storage on the cheap side, look for nautical chart storage.
But still think my coat hanger idea is the cheapest way and u can have them on display or storage.
Lol! RandomFrankP is applying my idea. 
I use 2 qt kitchen storage containers for keycap sets that are non GMK. Stack GMK boxes, but trying to find a container to store rolled up deskmats in. Needs to be a minimum of 18”x10”x10” (LxWxH) in order to store 2 rows of 2/3 depending on how tight you roll the mats
I originally went the route of buying JTK keycap trays for my keycaps. I realized with the amount of sets I have, it is not only very expensive, but it still fills up too much space, considering a base kit alone would need two regular-sized trays.
What I do is store my keycaps in a ziplock bag and into a large tote. I was hesitant with storing my keycaps into plastic bags, but with the large amount of sets I’m accumulating, it is the best method when it comes to organization, space saving, and cost savings.
I part out each set into smaller bags (Spacebars, Alphas, Function Row, Numpad, Modifiers, and Novelties). I label each bag with a portable thermal label printer. Then I put them in a thick larger plastic bag and label the larger bag.
For deskmats, I use hangers that clamp, and store them into a garment cover.
I use a cheap laundry stand from walmart with some cheap hangers (it was like 3 hangers for 2 bucks)
Low budget containers. Teavana Tea. Consume tea, store things. 
holds 110 switches
never tried keycaps
I am thinking about going to bags for keycaps. I am just starting to get too many boxes. However I was curious if people hang onto GMK boxes or just trash em. Some of them have some nice art work on there!
I cut the artwork/name out of the banderole and use it as a label for the keycaps (I use bins, but could work the same with bags). I recycle the rest of the box and trays.
E.g.,
But two of those containers side by side would take up the same space as two staked GMK trays…
