Other ideas of things you can collect include autographs, watches, wines, art, hats, figurines, cups, shot glasses, key-chains and postcards. If you like spending time outside, try making your collection nature-based. Consider collecting seashells, rocks or pebbles, fresh flowers, acorns or leaves. If you have inherited a small collection from a friend or family member, consider expanding on that.
If you’re collecting rocks, try collecting the rocks by different rock classifications. If that’s too specific, you can collect based on factors like location, color, texture or shape. [2] X Research source
Find out what the most sought after pieces in your collection are and always keep an eye out for them. [4] X Research source Decide if you’re collecting for investment or enjoyment. If you’re looking to make money off your collection, you’ll need to do far more research than if you’re just collecting items that make you happy. [5] X Research source
Ebay is a great place to look for pieces. You can pay outright for items, or bid slowly to try to get the best deal possible. The con to using Ebay is that you don’t get to see the item in person before purchasing. [6] X Research source Craigslist is a great option to buy pieces as well. You can search by your location, or if you’re willing to travel a little further, you can expand your search to a nearby state. The added benefit of shopping on Craigslist is you get to see the item in person before committing to buying that item.
When shopping at antique or thrift stores, make sure you dig through every item. The gold is often buried amongst the garbage. Arrive early at garage and estate sales; the best pieces tend to go early. Come back on Sunday, sometimes the owners of the sale will drop their prices to rid themselves of their inventory. [7] X Research source
Consider only adding to your collection while on vacation. This way, you tie pieces of your collection to fun memories from your travels. Collect from experiences. Pick a collection that doesn’t cost any money. Consider collecting matchbooks from restaurants or coasters from bars. Collect seashells from your beach vacations or rocks from cool hikes. Your collection doesn’t have to be expensive to have personal value.
When shopping for pieces, stock up on extras whenever you can. You can use these duplicates as leverage when trading with other collectors. Part of having a collection is refining it. Edit out old pieces you no longer care about to make room for new ones. Sell the old ones on Craigslist or Ebay, or take them to a pawnshop to have them appraised. Use the money you earn to add a new piece to your collection.
If you collect books, try sorting your books based on color or size, rather than subject matter, for a more interesting aesthetic. If you don’t have room for a curio cabinet, spread your collection throughout a couple of rooms in your home.
Try using tabs within the binders to organize your collection by category. If you are organizing baseball cards, those categories can be dictated by different positions, teams or years. You can also sort the collection according to what condition each card is in. Be careful to store your binders someplace safe and dry to keep your collection from warping or getting ruined.
If items from your collection are easily broken, take care not to hang them anywhere dangerous. Update the items you are showcasing. As you buy new pieces, remove the old ones from your walls and replace them with the updated versions. This will keep your collection feeling fresh and exciting and will also serve as an icebreaker when people come to visit.
