Tips for starting a collection including why people collect, how availability plays a part, and how display increases a collections joy factor
People are habitual collectors. It has been ingrained in us from birth to gather and hoard. Defining what we are going to declare as a collection will help us start to build a personal one of our own choosing and keep it in focus as we add to it.
Why
If we are to have a collection that fulfills our need to gather, we must know what it is we want. Consider why you are attracted to certain items. Is it color, form, memory, or some other emotion? Dose it satisfy some underlying need? While you may never fully answer these questions, just asking them can help characterize a collection that is a bit scattered into a collection that has a very central focal point.
Where
Where you live can often sway your collecting habits, purely through the availability of certain objects in comparison to the unavailability of others. While the World Wide Web has certainly had a partial impact on this, it will never totally eradicate it. Collections are such a personal representation, and yet they are often started by stumbling onto an item. Then, once you pick up or handle something and other items like it, you find you must have them.
Space
No matter how much you covet something, with the full intent to make room for it and all its counterparts, the start of a successful collection should take into account how much physical room you can commit to its storage and display. If a collection totally resides in boxes and drawers, tucked away out of sight, it will still be a collection but not one that is wholly enjoyed.
What
Some people begin a collection before they even know they have. They acquire an object they like, then another, and before they know it, they have the ground works of a collection. Other people will actually state that they are going to start a collection of this or that. Some item that they feel will add to their décor or grow in value. Sometimes they are just caught up in the craze of some passing fad, such as Ty Beanie Babies or Pokemon Cards. There is nothing wrong with collecting items such as these, as long as they actually enjoy both the collecting aspect and the items themselves. Too often with a fad, the collecting part is enjoyed, but the collector finds they have absolutely no use for the collected items, nor is any pleasure attained beyond the initial thrill.
Display
How you display your collection is as important as the collection itself. As stated earlier, a collection is still a collection if it is stored away out of sight. However, when properly exhibited, a collection is far more enjoyable. You can share it with friends, family, and yourself. A collection that is part of your décor or easily accessible will be available to both view and add pieces. Remember, a large portion of the fun of collecting is the joy of sharing you collected works with others. If you have your items on display, it can open up avenues of discussion and oftentimes pave the way for collectors of mutual items to barter and trade. Moreover, anyone with a successful collection knows that a large part of the enjoyment comes when you are able to share your love of an item with others who are equally fascinated with the same.
