The Joy of Collecting
By Jennifer Snyder
Collections get a pretty much universal bad rap. They can be expensive, dusty, excessive, and even dangerous. Collections, however, are not a bad thing, without them we would have no libraries, museums, or preserved scientific specimens. Collections allow us as a human race to understand and document the world in which we live.
A true collection is more than what is found in the candle cupboard or picture frames in the closet. Although it may feel good to label our own excess with such a clever and appealing name, collections are intentional. The collector makes a conscious decision to acquire department store shopping bags, for example, which means shopping bags from the grocery store would not be part of their collection. Collections are limited and exclusive, which is inherently what makes them special.
A collection is a joy, it itself. A "collection" of beanie babies or Disney movies that once belonged to your children, saved in case they might be worth something, is not a true collection. Part of the joy should be the investment itself and even if such investment never shows a return, that's okay because of the love of the items. Ask any wine collector; they do not pay $1,000 or more for a bottle of wine because it might increase in value. They pay big bucks to enjoy the wine.
Another facet of the joy of collecting includes time, space, and money. Once a collection interferes with your job or finances it stops bringing joy and becomes a burden. If your treasures interfere with family life and social experiences, it has gone too far. Finally, if you are sleeping on the sofa because the beanie babies have taken over the bed, it is time to stop. This includes renting storage units to house a hodgepodge of collectibles.
A true collection should add value to your life, not detract from it. When considering your collections ask yourself, what will my heirs do with all of this stuff? Hundreds of turtle figurines may pose a heavy burden on a grieving spouse or children.
Finally, enjoy those items that you love. Get them out of storage and into your space.
Have a Neat day,
Jennifer Snyder, Certified Professional Organizer
Neat as a Pin Organizing Exerts
www.neatasapin.net
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Collections get a pretty much universal bad rap. They can be expensive, dusty, excessive, and even dangerous. Collections, however, are not a bad thing, without them we would have no libraries, museums, or preserved scientific specimens. Collections allow us as a human race to understand and document the world in which we live.
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