Your Tarot Deck Deserves a Little Love
A tarot deck is more than just a set of cards — it's a tool for reflection, a piece of art, and for many readers, something deeply personal. Whether you've just unboxed your very first deck or you've been reading for years, taking good care of your cards will keep them looking beautiful and feeling great to use for a long time to come.
Here are our top tips for keeping your tarot deck in perfect condition.
1. Store Your Deck in a Cool, Dry Place
Moisture and heat are the enemies of tarot cards. Humidity can cause cards to warp, stick together, or develop a musty smell. Avoid storing your deck in bathrooms, near windows with direct sunlight, or anywhere that experiences temperature extremes.
Ideal storage spots include a drawer, a dedicated box, or a fabric pouch. Many readers love keeping their deck wrapped in a silk or velvet cloth — it's a beautiful ritual that also protects the cards from dust and light.
2. Use Gentle Shuffling Techniques
The way you shuffle your cards matters. Aggressive shuffling — like the riffle shuffle you might use with playing cards — can bend, crease, or damage tarot cards, which are often larger and more delicate than standard playing cards.
Instead, try these gentler methods:
- Overhand shuffle: Hold the deck in one hand and use the other to move small packets of cards from the back to the front. Slow and steady.
- Table spread: Lay all the cards face-down on a flat surface and gently swirl them around with your hands before gathering them back into a pile.
- Cut and stack: Simply cut the deck into two or three piles and reassemble them in a different order.
All of these methods are effective and much kinder to your cards.
3. Handle Cards with Clean, Dry Hands
Oils, lotions, and moisture from your hands can transfer to the cards over time, causing them to become sticky or discolored. Before a reading, make sure your hands are clean and dry. If you use hand cream regularly, consider keeping a small cloth nearby to wipe your hands before handling your deck.
4. Keep Cards Away from Food and Drinks
It might be tempting to do a reading over your morning coffee, but spills are a tarot deck's worst nightmare. Try to keep food and drinks away from your reading space, or at least well out of reach of your cards.
5. Use a Dedicated Reading Cloth or Surface
Laying your cards on a clean, soft surface — like a reading cloth, a scarf, or even a clean towel — protects them from rough or dirty surfaces. It also creates a lovely ritual space for your readings.
6. Store Cards Together (Not Loose)
Keeping your deck together in its original box, a card bag, or a dedicated tarot box prevents individual cards from getting bent, lost, or damaged. If your deck came in a sturdy box, that's often the best storage option.
7. Cleanse Your Deck (Optional but Lovely)
Many tarot readers like to energetically cleanse their decks from time to time — especially after an intense reading or when a new person has handled the cards. Common methods include leaving the deck in moonlight overnight, placing a crystal on top of the deck, or simply knocking on the deck three times with your knuckle to clear the energy. This is entirely optional, but it's a meaningful ritual for many readers.
A Well-Loved Deck is a Well-Used Deck
Some wear and tear is natural and even beautiful — it means your deck is being used and loved. But with a little care, your tarot cards can stay in wonderful condition for years of readings to come.
Looking for a new deck to add to your collection? Browse our range of tarot and oracle decks, from Gothic and Fantasy to Kawaii and beyond.