Yep! Toy Collectors have goals too…
I’ve been a toy collector for a long time. So usually, when I meet new toy collectors getting into the hobby I always feel compelled to dispense this advice… Figure out what your collecting goals are, it will save you tons of money and make it more fun.
Simply put, why are you collecting? What are you collecting?
There was a time (in the mid to late 90’s when new Star Wars figures were making a comeback) In that space, I collected every Star Wars figure I could get my hands on. For me it was fulfilling a childhood dream. I had a job and could buy whatever figures I wanted and I pretty much did. I considered the things I always wanted but never got as a kid, like vehicles, the prime pieces. The “Holy Grail for me was an AT-AT. It was such a grail I didn’t even open it. When I sold the collection (to make space for my daughter) I got less than half of what I paid for the figures. Nobody wanted them and they were tough to sell. Other than thumbing my nose at responsibility to meet a childhood dream, I had no real goal behind my collection and in the end it cost me lots of money and yielded little satisfaction as the giant collection spent more time in storage bins in the closet than it did in my curio cabinet.
Regrets
As I began to sell pretty much everything I ever liked in order to clear up space in the house. Part of that made me think if I sell everything I will no longer be a toy collector. After selling a few items I truly adored, I came to the realization that maybe I didn’t have to stop collecting stuff if I just limited it to the things I truly love. Granted this is MY philosophy and these are MY goals. But they have served me well in recent years.
What can you do?
In the long run you will save a lot of money if you have direction. It will make it easy to compile lists and prioritize the things you especially want versus the things that you want that are especially rare. The other big win that comes with having goals is that you’ll be able to plan your display better. For most people it’s difficult to display 650 action figures and vehicles. When you manage your collection you will actually enjoy it more. That’s not to say don’t have a large collection, just plan accordingly. You may be able to rotate the items you display periodically. You can properly store one collection while the other is on display. This method will give you a scheduled chance to dust and clean the items that have been on the shelf for a bit. Believe me dusting is something you will need to do often. Also as I can attest, moving one collection into storage and setting up the other gives you a chance to look at each item and reflect on its importance to your collection or remember the thrill of the hunt. You may also find that some things aren’t that important to you which then makes them either a “for sale piece” or trade bait for your next big thing. However you choose to do it the best part of collecting something is enjoying the fruits of your labor. If you don’t take the time for that you may just have an accumulation of items or quite possibly you could be a hoarder… eeep!
How do you display your collection or stay organized? Share! I guarantee you will teach somebody something.
Feel free to share pictures of your collection or talk about what types of goals you have. Also be sure to sign up for my email list so you’ll never miss a thing. Also Check out some Sample Collections on Pinterest
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with 80's Toy Review