I still consider myself a collector, even as I am going through one of the largest toy purges in my toy collecting career. I guess largest isn't the right word, how about hardest. Just last tonight I decided it was time to let go of some more things I never thought I would part with, I guess the catalyst was I was sorting through a tote of Star Trek toys and I looked over at the stack of totes I still need to go through and I thought, why am I storing some of this stuff. I mean I enjoy my collection, but some stuff I think I am just storing for no reason. I don't plan on opening some of it and I really don't plan on displaying it, so why am I holding on to it?
I couldn't answer that question really, so right then I decided it was time to make the cuts that hurt the most. I knew there were some loose toys and some packaged toys that I was holding onto out of some weird collector obligation, I gathered them up, reluctantly at first, and shot pictures of them and posted them at really good prices. I say really good because of my first round of stuff, eight auctions with low buy it now prices, five lots sold just as fast as I could post them. I was actually posting one and went back to revise it when I got two notifications that it sold to two different people. Don't ask me how that happens. I got it all sorted out though.
At first I was kind of disappointed, not that they sold or sold so fast, but that when I was ready to write this post I would only have three auctions going and undoubtably all my die hard toy collecting brothers would look at them and think "yeah, wow! Really letting some stuff go". My plan was to put lots up in groupings of ten or so, or for that matter as many as I could before I got tired of posting them. I plan on making some more cuts. If you remember this picture...
There were about 24 totes there and a couple boxes of toys. I can say that two of those totes is miscellaneous items that are not toys, so subtract those and that leaves lets say 22 totes. Probably most of my fellow collectors out there could easily double this number, but I used to work at UPS in college so I can pack a tote. That picture was taken around 2007, so the number of totes have fluctuated over time, emptying a few, refilling a few. This year I started a few little purges, maybe loosing a couple of totes here and there bringing the number down to around 19 totes, but recently I really doubled my efforts to clean house. My recent efforts have emptied 7 totes off that number. So I am sitting at 12 totes now, plus you have to take into account those little shelving units I am sorting into, those are probably where my first few totes of things went, which I am going to say have been a life saver sorting things to sell. It's so easy to pull a drawer and get a quick view of what i want to keep and what i want to thin out.
I still have a long way to go, I want to get that number of totes down to maybe 6 or eight, almost half of what I have now. Also I want to get the little shelf units to a more manageable point to store my keepers. So why all of a sudden this great purge? The purge to end all purges? A few reasons.
My Focus and thoughts on collecting have changed.
1) While there are a few Items I think I will always keep in their original packages, for the most part I am opening up things that I don't have already opened and enjoying them.
2) Loose items I have that are in great condition and can find another home I am letting go, as with some of the packed stuff that I can tell myself to let go.
3) The reason I say I am still a collector, I am planing on picking up a few great pieces for my collection, and also a few select pieces for my focuses; Batman, Stormtroopers, Classic Trek (Spock!), Vintage Star Wars, and a couple others I don't want to reveal at this time.
What does all this mean? Hopefully a more streamlined collection, better judgement on future purchases (which I doubt), and maybe help fill some holes in other peoples collections. So as long as this little Jawa is hanging around on the blog...
I will be in a continuous house cleaning frame of mind. Rest assured I have a few things coming in the mail I can't wait to get my hands on and shoot pictures of.
10 comments:
"...and a couple others I don't want to reveal at this time."
Hmmm, could it be....DOLLIES?!?!
Yeah, Chunky B, I feel like I'm going through a similar thing. My "collection" has gotten out of hand, and I've really been trying to focus on the things I love most.
Good luck to you, brother! I'll be sure to keep an eye on your auctions!
You have to do this Charles sometimes so no worries.For myself i seem to be always rotating things out and keeping a small sortment of things i just don't want to get rid of. : )
"file photo of Chunky B"
Careful, you might have people locking that away as a mental image of you. Ha, ha. You look nothing like the Comic Book guy on the Simpsons.
I admire your resolve to stick with this and keep on purging the collection. It's inspiring.
Stuff comes and stuff goes... it's just good that you're able to let it go when you're finally over it. I go through a good purge every now and then. Always seem to have too much junk though. ;)
Every great collection needs a good purging now and then. I have no problem selling 20 items and then using that money to buy one really great item. You lessen the clutter and are left with items you truly love to have around.
no toys purge here... the closest thing to a "purge" was some loose & broke & incomplete figures from Spawn series i gifted to a friend of mine & collector as well... i’m not planning to sell anything from my collection (& sometimes i have aggressive offers to sell some pieces but i’m not Wall Street if u know what i mean)... if so, i would prefer to donate it, but regardless if i own a figure for something emotional or rational, the figure i own will b with me "till the end" & for that very reason i’m not acquiring more figures for my own sake =)
I would like to help you out but the US bidders only please keep me out. LOL No the shipping will kill me before the toys reached me.
What you do is wise nevertheless of getting what you dun really want for the one you want.
I hear ya. You and I are the same page right now.
i've been trickling some stuff out too- It's funny when something sells and it's kinda "disappointing"... i've felt that! BUT, it's good- they are just possessions, and once the thrill of photography & writing the post on it is over, what's next anyway?
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