I often wonder if the urge to collect is hard-wired in the human race, or just something encouraged by our society.
When I was a child, I remember my friends building collections of dolls, coins, baseball cards, comic books, and pop culture/movie memorabilia. I always felt a little left out. I don’t know if it was due to a lack of interest, short attention span, or early minimalist tendencies, but I had zero desire to participate in the collecting trends that were popular at the time (I won’t date myself by naming them!).
When I was a young adult, however, I finally caved to the pressure. In our post-college days, my boyfriend (now husband) and I started collecting vintage cocktail shakers to decorate our apartment. We had a great time scouring antique shops and flea markets to track them down. To be honest, I think we did it more for the thrill of the hunt than the actual objects.
Then one day, we stopped and asked why on earth we were collecting these things (we had acquired about 20-30 by that time). I think we both realized we weren’t getting any pleasure out of the objects themselves; we simply enjoyed having a mutual hobby, and could just as well entertain ourselves with other pursuits.
Fortunately, we were able to liquidate the entire collection on eBay in six weeks –- and we felt so *free* after the last one left our home!
Needless to say, that was my first and only foray into the world of collecting. I’ve only been tempted once since then, when I acquired a lovely kokeshi doll from Japan (see photo above) and considered purchasing more. However, I recalled my first collecting experience, and knew I’d eventually tire of them and end up selling them on eBay. Therefore, I decided to bypass the entire process by declaring that “one is enough.”
I’d love to hear about your experiences with collecting. Have you ever had a collection? Or have you dissolved one in your minimalist journey? Let me know in the Comments.
{If you’d like to read more about minimalist living, please consider subscribing to my RSS feed, or signing up to receive new articles by email.}
My collections are that of tumbled stones (I am somewhat of a new-age like creature…more down to earth than most)- I have about maybe 40 in a box- and essential oils, since I use them from perfumes to therapeutic needs. When I think of buying something, I ask myself if I am going to get a lot of use from it…or,…if I have survived without it to begin with, will I ultimately need it? I used to collect antiques and coins but it was too much of a hassle.
When I was a kid in the 80s, I remember a lot of girls collected stickers and traded them with each other, kind of like boys did with baseball cards. Someone gave me a “Sticker notebook” with laminated pages where you could place the stickers for display & carry them all around to show & trade with friends. I remember thinking, “What is the point of this whole thing?” Once you peeled the sticker off the page of the special notebook, it was already less sticky, so it was useless as a sticker. I never really got into it AT ALL, but all my female friends gave me stickers “to keep & to trade”….like they tried to make me a sticker collector. I recently found that sticker notebook in a box in my parents’ attic & I was reminded of how pointless it all really was! LOL.
In college, I must have expressed a love for penguins, cats, & sheep at various times because people have been gifting items with these animals on them to me for years…yes, about 15 years. I have cleared out a lot of my clutter, but those penguins are the next major thing to tackle. I put over 120 of them in a box last night to donate. These are stuffed animals, figurines,and random knicknacks with a penguin motif. Wait til they open that box down at the Salvation Army! Penguins for everyone! Door prizes—-a penguin for everyone who enters the store! I do really love penguins, so I have chosen a select 3 to keep & display tastefully on my book shelf. The sheep were not as beloved to me, so they were easy to discard…and I didn’t need all the cat knicknacks since I have 2 real kitties:) They are so much better than clutter-cats anyway:)
About the sheep: what I meant was that the actual knicknacks were not as beloved to me. I adore real, live sheep & hope to have a few one day on a little plot of land next to my tiny little cottage:)
I loved my sticker notebooks. I didn’t trade them, just collected. Loved having a “special” book for stickers and if I still had them now (just 2) they would be part of the small collection of sentimental items I keep.
When I was a kid, I collected books and beanie babies. However, after a large donation to the Children’s Hospital, I am free of all beanie babies and many children’s books.
BTW when I travel or go to concerts, I pick up a cheap little keychain that I put in a tin when I get home and at christmas time I get them out and hang them on the tree. Now that I have a grandson, he is thrilled to here each story as we take them out and hang them on the tree. They don’t take up alot of room and are put way with the few xmas things I use every year.
My then boyfriend, now husband, jokingly said once that my collection will change into something different after 6 months.. then he will bet.. and he always wins.. I have collected books written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, I have collected Sheet Music locally published by a Filipino pianist, I have collected beadworks magazines, I have collected yarns, and crochet hooks ( I used to own 180 pieces ) and some knitting magazines ( that I haven’t used ), I have collected japanese crochet book, I have collected Russian magazines and I have collected Chinese crochet books.. I also collected some vintage jewelry … after collecting each, I have forgotten why I’m collecting them anyway.. so I will move on to the next hobby.. I ended all of it last June.. I have started to sell my items.. I am no where near selling half the stash. but I am making progress one by one… I woke up one day wondering if I was drunk the whole time I’m buying these.. and more so when I come across your blog :) I realized that I am on the right track, and I will keep on doing this until when that time that I can leave the house, without so much as worrying on locking the door :)
I collect sterling silver jewelry. it doesn’t take up much space and I buy something new whenever we are on a trip or I see something at a rummage sale or thrift shop. I also have some Lenox china from my mother and mother in law= about 4 pieces and then I found 2 more vases at thrift shops. I have 6 small Orrefors crystal bowls, I love the clean lines, started with a piece at a rummage sale and the rest have been at rummage sales. I like off-white and clear glass and maybe will stop at 10 pieces of each. Never pay more than $5. Was at a thrift shop the other day and saw a collection of maybe 100 bells of all materials and sizes from everywhere in the world. I wonder how long it took and how much money it must have cost to make up such a large collection. Like you say, the fun is in the chase. I have also seen large collections of Christmas villages, owls, cats, angels, porcelain statuettes, etc. LLadros and Goebbels are expensive to collect, too. My things fit neatly into one small hutch I was given by my mother in law many years ago.
I collected Donald Duck pocket books. Still got about 200-250 of them in boxes upstairs… waiting for someone who wants them or a buyer. I feel so free now they’re not anymore taking up space in my own room! The most fun part was, like you, the collecting itself, searching for another pocket book, buying it, making the collection complete, but when I completed I almost didn’t look at it anymore.
Now I collect genealogical data from my family. But that can be done on the internet – even from family members of the 17th century – and is cost free, so I’m okay with it since it brings joy :)
Cleaned out my mother’s condo. Huge place with 4 walk-in closets and big room dividers full of stuff. I have 2 ashtrays and a few pieces of china. Also a pin and a scarf. My sister wanted a set of spoons. One nephew wanted a candelabra, another wanted china. My son scanned 5 big boxes of photos. I just went through greeting cards and letters 5 big boxes. Just saved a few.
My kids know I will only collect at museums or second hand at thrift shops or rummage sales. My daughter in law got a copy of a book on collecting for me. She stood in line to have it autographed. Either it is under $5 or a signed museum piece. The glassware I have is signed. EBay has taken the thrill of the hunt away otherwise.
I have gotten rid of more and more stuff. The biggest space is my Mom’s romance novels. She is in a nursing home and can’t store them all.
I have no idea if collecting is built into humanity. It certainly seems common enough based on the number of comments here.
My parents were – and are – big collectors. They still have a large vinyl record collection from back in the day, souvenir plates from various locales, and books. They’ve supplemented those collections now with puzzles and loads more books. My dad had to reinforce the shelves of some bookcases due to the weight of the volumes : ( They’re also susceptible to the “good deal” bug: that’s a condition in which a buyer simply can’t pass up a good deal, regardless of whether they need the stuff. Two “good deals” that I remember: a large set of cheap ball-point pens, and a full box (“ream”) of printer paper. I’m sure there are many others that I can’t remember, or just didn’t hear about in the first place. I simply can’t understand that thinking. To me, a good deal is one where I get something that I need, at a price that’s good to me. Buying something that I don’t need at a steep discount just seems like a waste of money and, more importantly, time.
I dread the day when my family and I have to clear out all of those “good deals”.
In my childhood, I collected GI Joes, Lego sets, computer games, and magazines. Later on (early teen years) it was remote control cars and movie ticket stubs. In early adulthood, when I started to travel on my own, I collected shot glasses, keychains, and magnets. Almost all of that stuff is gone now, as none of it added any value to my life. I did “inherit” the desire for books from my parents, but I’ve weaned myself off of most of my collection. The shot glasses and magnets are gone. I have only one keychain left: it’s a Sam Adams bottle open, and it’s earned a place on my key ring. Nowadays, when I travel, I take a few meaningful photos (meaning, photos of me and my sig other; I can find photos of memorable sites online) and save my money for eating out, tickets to ticketed venues, and accommodations.
My daughter the collector moved in with us after over 20 years on her own. She has everything “Hello Kitty”. Most is in our basement storage unit. It is the size of a small closet and was 1/2 empty until she moved in. I put her cups and saucers high up in the cabinets. All of the top shelves had been empty.