Skyrim’s Ultimate Storage Solution: Finding Your Perfect Home Base
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The question plaguing every Dragonborn since 2011: what is the absolute best house in Skyrim for storing your hard-earned loot? The answer, as with most things in Skyrim, is nuanced. It depends on your priorities: sheer volume, organizational options, aesthetics, location, or a combination of factors. However, if we’re talking purely about maximizing storage capacity and organizational possibilities, Hjerim in Windhelm, after purchasing all upgrades, arguably reigns supreme. Its extensive armory, numerous containers, display cases, plaques, and abundant bookshelf space make it a haven for collectors and hoarders alike.
Hjerim offers unparalleled opportunities to showcase and safeguard your treasures, but other houses have their own unique strengths. Let’s delve into the contenders and explore what makes them worthy of consideration.
Contenders for the Hoard: A Look at Skyrim’s Best Storage Houses
While Hjerim stands out for its organized capacity, other houses offer compelling alternatives.
Hearthfire Homes: Customization is Key
The Hearthfire DLC allows you to build your own homesteads: Lakeview Manor (Falkreath), Windstad Manor (Morthal), and Heljarchen Hall (Dawnstar). These homes offer a unique degree of customization. While not inherently offering more storage than Hjerim, their buildable storage options and ability to tailor each wing to your needs make them incredibly versatile.
- Lakeview Manor: Praised for its scenic beauty and relative safety (though giants can be a nuisance). Its enchanting tower and greenhouse make it attractive to mages and alchemists. Every container here is safe.
- Windstad Manor: A good choice for those interested in fish hatcheries or alchemy labs.
- Heljarchen Hall: Offers stunning sunsets, a central location, and a large building space.
Pre-Built Homes: Convenient and Themed
Skyrim’s pre-built houses offer immediate solutions, each with its own character.
- Breezehome (Whiterun): The first house most players acquire, making it a convenient early storage option, though storage is limited compared to later purchases.
- Proudspire Manor (Solitude): An elegant and expensive option, featuring a bard and relatively centralized location.
- Vlindrel Hall (Markarth): Noted for having one of the largest libraries in Skyrim, ideal for book collectors.
- Severin Manor (Raven Rock, Solstheim): A unique option obtained through the Dragonborn DLC, offering a distinctive architectural style and useful crafting stations.
Safe Storage: Separating Fact from Fiction
One of the most crucial aspects of choosing a storage house is ensuring the containers are safe. This means items stored within them won’t disappear over time. Generally, containers within player-owned houses and purchased upgrades are safe. However, it’s wise to be cautious with containers in the wilderness or public locations.
Beyond the Houses: Free and Alternative Storage Solutions
If you’re short on gold or prefer a more unconventional approach, a few free alternatives exist:
- Delphine’s Secret Room (Sleeping Giant Inn, Riverwood): The chest is a reliable, early-game option.
- Abandoned House (Markarth): Contains a safe chest after completing (or avoiding) the associated quest.
- Ruined Helgen Inn: The end table and wardrobe inside are safe to use.
These options provide temporary solutions until you can afford a more permanent residence.
Final Thoughts: Choosing What’s Right For You
Ultimately, the “best” house for storage in Skyrim is subjective. Hjerim offers unparalleled storage capacity and organization potential, but the Hearthfire homes provide unmatched customization. Consider your playstyle, priorities, and preferred aesthetics when making your decision. No matter your choice, remember to enjoy the thrill of hoarding and displaying your treasures!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are all containers in player-owned houses safe for storage?
Generally, yes. Containers within player-owned homes, especially those purchased as part of upgrades (chests, dressers, wardrobes), are considered safe storage. Always double-check, but they should not reset.
2. Can I lose my items if I store them in the wrong container?
Yes. Containers in the wilderness, dungeons, and some public locations reset periodically. Items stored in these containers will disappear when the cell resets. Avoid using random barrels or chests you find in the wild for long-term storage.
3. Is it safe to store items in my follower’s inventory?
Yes, items stored in your follower’s inventory are generally safe. However, remember that followers have weight limits, and if they are dismissed, they may return to their default location, making your items temporarily inaccessible.
4. Which Hearthfire house is the best overall?
It depends on personal preference. Lakeview Manor is praised for its scenic views, Windstad Manor for its unique features like the fish hatchery, and Heljarchen Hall for its central location and farming potential. Choose the one that best suits your playstyle and desired location.
5. Can I build all three Hearthfire houses in one playthrough?
Yes, you can build all three Hearthfire houses (Lakeview Manor, Windstad Manor, and Heljarchen Hall) simultaneously.
6. How do I purchase a house in Skyrim?
To purchase a house, you typically need to become Thane of the hold by completing quests for the Jarl and assisting the local citizens. Once you’ve earned their favor, the Jarl will often grant you the option to purchase property.
7. What are the benefits of having a housecarl?
Housecarls are assigned to you when you become Thane of a hold. They act as bodyguards, can carry your burdens, and will defend your house from intruders. They can also be followers.
8. What happens to my spouse and children if I buy a new house?
You can move your spouse and children to any house you own that has the necessary furnishings (beds, chests). Simply talk to your spouse about moving, and they will relocate the family to the new location.
9. Is Proudspire Manor worth the cost?
Proudspire Manor in Solitude is expensive, but it offers a central location, a bard, and a well-furnished interior. Its value depends on whether you prioritize location, convenience, and aesthetics over other factors like storage capacity.
10. Are there any free houses in Skyrim?
Aside from Delphine’s secret room and the Abandoned House, there are no truly “free” houses. However, you can get Breezehome in Whiterun for free if you use a glitch to get dialogue that allows you to buy the house earlier.
11. Where can I find mannequins to display my armor?
Hjerim in Windhelm boasts the most readily available mannequins. You can also build mannequins in the Hearthfire homes by constructing an armory wing.
12. Do alchemy ingredients respawn in containers?
No, barrels and chests are generally safe containers that do not respawn. However, alchemy ingredients found growing in the world will respawn after a certain amount of in-game time has passed.
13. What is the scariest place in Skyrim?
While subjective, Hjerim (Windhelm) is often cited as one of the scariest locations due to its connection to the Butcher murders and its overall gloomy atmosphere. The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary and Molag Bal’s Shrine in Markarth are also contenders.
14. Can I store items in Drelas Cottage?
No, it’s recommended that you don’t store items in Drelas Cottage.
15. Which house in Skyrim has the most Armour stands?
Hjerim in Windhelm has an ‘Armoury’ which gives you 3 mannequin’s to display your armours on, several display cases, a weapon rack that hold 5 weapons and plaques on the wall to which you can mount your own weapons.