No one wants to be told that they have gone over the edge. In my years of collecting I have certainly had some close calls. This article will be aimed towards people who may be new to collecting. More specifically, people who are new to collecting one sixth scale figurines. As much fun as the hobby is , it can be difficult at times. However, we are going to discuss some things that I have dealt with as a collector personally and would love to share with my fellow collectors. That being said, here are 3 Signs that You May Need a Break from Collecting.
Space
The first and most obvious sign that you may need a break is space. As someone who had over 100 one sixth scale figures, it was becoming more obvious that I needed to scale back. I have found that if you are getting to the point where you are struggling to display all of your figures it is time to review the collection. Letting some figures go clears some space, allows you to admire some figures that may have not been getting the limelight, and puts some money into your pocket. Never let your shelves get too crowded, and if you do you can take a break and evaluate. That last note brings us to the next point, money itself.
Money
It may seem obvious, but an issue with money and collecting can really sneak up on you. I found personally that preorders were really my issue. It is easy to see a figure that you may be interested in, place an order and totally forget about it. Then the release comes out of nowhere, and you have an unexpected expense. Some dealers end up charging a non-refundable deposit. This means that even if you cancel that preorder, you are still out something like 25 dollars.
If it gets to the point where you are dipping into money needed for important things like bills, you need to take a step back. Obviously you can just manage your money and dodge these issues, but it is easy to fall down the rabbit hole in collecting. It is important to take a step back and ask yourself if you really need the figure that you are ordering.
Happiness
The key to collecting will always be happiness. Again, this seems like such an obvious point but there is a certain feeling that accompanies some figures versus others. Figures that you are truly passionate about; whether it be the Hot Toys figure you have been waiting for or the custom project that you poured your soul and heart into will always carry that feeling of happiness when you look at it on the shelf. As I have slimmed my collection down over the years, I have found myself much more pleased with my collection. The collection is now focused around figures that I truly love.
The key to collecting anything, including one sixth scale figures is being true to yourself. You also need to be making sure that you are on top of yourself. You have to make sure that you are keeping tabs on your space, money, and happiness while collecting. Collecting is fun, and you should not let yourself get to the point where you need to take a break. Hopefully these 3 Signs that You May Need a Break from Collecting help you maintain your collection as well as your happiness.
