If you’ve watched one of those reality shows that attempts to help hoarders clean out their homes and change their ways, you may be shocked by the living conditions. Of course, these shows depict the most aggressive examples of hoarding, but very often collectors get lumped into the hoarding category by those who don’t understand their passions.
Whether it’s books, figurines, video games, or any object you’re passionate about, collecting too much can become problematic. I’ve collected movies and video games for decades. This collection stemmed from my love for watching movies and playing video games. I recently began collecting vinyl, adding new titles to the records I’d purchased as a child (when records were the primary format).
I’ve defined collecting as any group of like things that are curated and organized. After this year’s Record Store Day, my notion of “collecting” has been up ended. Suddenly I’m wondering if I’m a collector or just someone with a lot of stuff. I’ve always said I enjoy collecting certain things, but that may not be the sole trait of collectors.
Defining yourself as a collector
Social media is rife with various top 10 lists. I’ve made a few myself from my favorite movies to video games. We all mentally store our top 10 lists of our various collections. Then I saw a top 10 list that changed how I viewed collecting.
It seemed simple and not particularly noteworthy until I reread its wording. This list was titled “The top 10 records you should have in your vinyl collection.”
Should have? Me? Why would some stranger presume to tell me what records I should own if I’m to call myself a collector? I did have a few of the albums on the list. They were landmark titles by legendary bands. Such records have sold millions of copies, so naturally, many people have them in their collections. But this insistence that all record collectors should own these specific records kind of got me thinking.
In my mind, the top 10 records in your collection should be the ten records you love listening to the most! In my assessment, I wasn’t considering value, condition, rarity, or age. My collections are full of things I love to watch, listen to or play. They were all things I valued in my pursuit of fun. But collecting has many other facets.
I’ve never bought a video game because it was rare. Nor have I ever purchased a movie because It’s considered to be a classic. I own a few rare titles and some that are perceived as universally loved. My purchase decisions always came down to my feelings about the item and the enjoyment I’ll get from it regardless of what it is.
A guy with a lot of stuff
When I buy a movie, I know I’ll watch it many times, often with friends. I rarely buy a video game that I don’t want to play or a record I’ll only play once. My collections hold value to me – perhaps only to me – because they are things I enjoy interacting with. Listening to. Watching. Playing. They aren’t things I’d lock away in a vault, nor are they worthy of a vault.
My movies, music, and games are on shelves waiting to be touched, dropped, and experienced. Defining myself as a collector was more of a defensive answer to: “Why do you have all this stuff?”
The reality I’ve arrived at is that I’m just a guy with a lot of stuff. It’s organized and valuable to me, but none of it is rare, old, or in pristine condition. It’s just my stuff. If you’re a collector, that’s cool. I’m just a guy who digs music, movies and games. If you’ve got stuff, I’ll bet it’s the best stuff in the world! I’ve got stuff like that too 🙂
Tell me about your stuff…
By CapeCod.com staff
