High on the list of commonalities of our culture is displaying games (or various other items, figures, etc.) that mean something to you.  Why is this?  Why do we do this?

Let’s try to break down the reasoning.  What is the fundamental reason you put something on a shelf?  It could be for easy access.  Is it something that is moved frequently – like a controller or a remote?  If not, it is probably there to give you an emotional reaction when you see it.  Thus having it on a shelf gives you easy access to not a thing but an emotion, always just a glance away.

Being that there are different strokes for different folks, it should come as no surprise that personally I prefer cleaner shelves with less items on them, uniformly arranged.

Storing things away (like in a closet, a drawer) is dangerous and you need to be careful.  Out of sight, out of mind is a true and powerful thing.  I have seen the majority of gamers (and people in general) stow some shit away and never think about it again.  This is a waste on more than one level. Even if you don’t know what’s in the back of that closet, you know SOMETHING is there, and that can weigh on your psyche.  Be honest with yourself.  Ask “Am I really going to ever play/use this thing again?”  The answer is often going to be no rather than yes.  Open up that tired space and free it and your mind a little.