Collecting VS. Hoarding

[clemso]

I am a hoarder, no doubt. I buy doubles for very miniscule reasons and then ask myself why?

[BlackKnight]

Honestly ...
I think Characteristics of Hoarding Struck onto me ..., when I progressed from Kitbasher ..., to Customizer. In Molds alone ...., I couldn't begin to explain.

[cjefferys]

I agree with what others here have said. If you have a collection lovingly displayed in limited areas of your house, you are a collector. If you have stuff randomly clogging large portions of your living space with no rhyme or reason, or tons of stuff just packed away in storage, never seeing the light of day, you are probably a hoarder. If I buy something and it ends up packed away in a box, after a year or two, I start to think if I can't or don't want to display it, it's time to sell it.

[TMANSTOYS]

My basement is very packed. I have gotten rid of some stuff that I no longer collect ( hot wheels , nascar, ) . All I did was fill it back up with the new stuff I collect. Thats just in my house. My garage is stocked up with over 200 christmas blowmolds. I just can't stop buying them. snowman.jpg

[Hector]

All my toy collection is in a 6' x 2.5' glass cabinet...hardly hoarding.

Having said that...my room is a bit cluttered...but that's just from pure laziness, lol.

[4NDR01D]

For me it's all about displaying the collection. The stuff that's not on display, is at least semi organized in some totes in a closet. If it's not on display, or you can't find it with-in a reasonable amount of time ,without turning your house up-side down, then for me personally I don't see much point in having it.

[bigphill]

This has turned into a very good thread, There is nothing wrong with a gigantic collection or even a "cluttered collection". On a side note I think that marvelmania's collection is the most impressive I have seen. I don't collect nearly half the stuff he collects, but its impressive.

[Werewolf]

I think there can be a fine line between collector and hoarder. When I see people buying stuff like rotting old boxes and shipping cases covered with mold, rat droppings and water stains they've obvously crossed that line, in my opinion. That's just nasty. They've gone way past collecting toys and are just hoarding garbage.

I hate clutter and I don't have the shelf space to display all my fav toys so I change it around alot depending on my mood. I also pare down my collection every so often getting rid of the stuff I've lost interest in.

[Bronxboykev]

Ask yourself this ...

Can you walk freely threw your house ?
How many Muliples do you really have or need ?
Do you have to climb over stuff ...to get to stuff ?
Are there any Dead Animals underneath your collection ?
Whats your house smell like ?
Any Plumbing Problems ?

Never ask a Non-collector if you are a Hoarder.

It might be funny but this is spot on.

All of the collections I have seen here are far from hoarding. If you have the space just do it right. My brother has been collecting both comics and toys for over 15 plus years, he has a storage unit and stuff in our shed but he is finally buying a home of his own and has plans to make a display that would probably rival that of Marvelmania or FAO Schwartz for that matter. I f you can do everything that Blacknight siad then Enjoy your Your collection. If not well then I will leave that to the Reality TV world and your family to sort out.

[MegomanJess]

Hoarding is buying more than 1 just because it's cool or rare and you have no interest in tradeing, selling it or displaying it.

[Sideshow Spock]

Ask yourself this ...

Can you walk freely threw your house ?
How many Muliples do you really have or need ?
Do you have to climb over stuff ...to get to stuff ?
Are there any Dead Animals underneath your collection ?
Whats your house smell like ?
Any Plumbing Problems ?

Don't forget are you unwilling to have repairmen come to your house for whatever reason because of THE HOARD, so things never get fixed, and conditions get worse and worse.

My sister in law is a hoarder, just as you see on the shows. It's a major family problem. Watching those shows, my wife and I just keep nodding at each other because we hear all the same excuses and rationalizations we hear from her sister.

[Adam West]

From the few Hoarder type shows that I have seen; it appears that what I can distinguish between a hoarder and a collector is a hoarder has an emotional attachment to an item or the item has some type of special meaning to them but they can't explain what it is. Most collectors may have an emotional attachment to an item, but they can explain it (it brings back nostalgic memories from their youth, it reminds them of a special relative, etc.). I do have some sizeable collections of items that I would love to display every single item, but it drives my wife crazy (sensory overload for her even if it is displayed in a nice neat manner). So, I do display items as not to create the sensory overload, pack other items neatly in totes and rotate them.

[Den82]

I've become somewhat of a hoarder. I used to hate clutter, but now I just let it build and build. I think I'm doing in hopes I'll be able to eventually open a store. There was a bunch of stuff I didn't buy this weekend I regret not buying.

I got stuff taking over every space.

[TMANSTOYS]

DEN82 let me know when your store opens.... cool stuff

[Figuremod73]

Nice collection. I would like to see your Transformers at some point to.