How to Regain Control of a Collection that Has Become Unmanageable
You likely did not sit down one day and decide that you were going to start collecting whatever it is that you are now known for collecting. The process of becoming a collector is typically one that evolves over time and without must direct planning. The spontaneous nature of collecting plays a major role in arriving at the unexpected epiphany that things have really gotten quite out of hand. Collecting is by nature a phenomenon of human nature that does not reach the height of efficiency in a state of chaos. Improve your collection by dismissing disorder.
Specialize
A collection that has grown so unwieldy that management seems a hopeless dream may be the result of lack of focus. You may have started out collecting DC comic books and then extended that focus to include other publishers. Or you may have started out collection vinyl albums based on cover art only to find yourself stimulated to add a certain genre of music because you like most of the album covers. Try to the find core attraction that you got started collecting in the first place and locate the initial focal point of attraction. A collection that is taking over the house can be pared down to just that element that used to get your heart pumping.
Collection Addiction
Chaotic collections can often be the result of an unrecognized shift from collecting because of that emotional element to collecting because it’s there. Compare the earliest examples of accumulation with those since you noticed the loss of order. You may find that those initial collectibles exhibit a sense of desire based entirely on the object itself whereas the later additions became part of the collection because your feel you need them for a sense of completion.
To put it as simply as possible: just because there may be ten different dispensers that Pez decided was necessary to complete its special collection doesn’t mean that you need all ten to complete your collection. If you don’t really like “Star Wars” then don’t feel compelled to buy Pez dispensers featuring Yoda and Darth Vader. If you never particularly cared for the White Album, then don’t buy records to add to your Beatles collection that relate to that album simply because you think you need them. Avoid becoming a collector for the sake of collecting and stick with collecting based on the love you originally felt.
Catalog It
The problem with a collection may not be so much that it has grown too big, but that it is simply disorganized. You need to take a break from the collecting new stuff and dedicate some serious time to getting things organized. Invest in a software program that allows you to do just that. Creating an easily accessed catalog of your collection doesn’t necessarily have to involve a lot of tedious data input anymore. You may be able to download software to your cell phone that creates a catalog of your items simply by taking its picture or capturing an ISBN number with your cell phone’s camera.
A computerized database can help you organize your collection so that you can instantly retrieve information that stretches across a vast range of information. Depending on how you create your database, the ability to locate the exact location of the item, the year it was made, the appraised cost, the price you paid for it, the site where you found it and anything else may be just a few clicks of the computer mouse away.
Exhibition and Storage
You may want to exhibit some of your collection, but that doesn’t mean you have to display all of it. The choice for exhibition may depend on the size of the collection or may depend on the size of the collectibles. You can certainly expect to display more of a Hot Wheels collection than a collection of golf clubs simply on the issue of available space. A collection that has become subject to chaos may be brought back under management and control by choosing to limit how much of the collection is put on display. Choose the best examples for showing off according to your own personal criteria and then retake control by storing the rest safely away. Storage may simply mean wrapping up in protective containers and securing them out of sight in a closet or attic. Storage could equally well mean investing in external space ranging from a small box in a bank to a 10×10 storage unit.
