Collecting - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Collecting

Eirlys

Over the years I have collected brooches and compacts, displaying them in cases and on boards. I then found that china cats had somehow collected me! On shelves Norfolk cats appeared as did Beswick and Royal Doulton kittens.They look life-like and best of all, don't need feeding or vet care.
Now, however, the time has come when I have to dispose of them. it isn't easy! Some have appreciated in value but the majority haven't. I shall keep one or two but the rest have to go.I intend down-sizing and living a more-minimalistic life.

Has someone else been in this situation? How did you deal with it?

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from

rachylou

Veteran

Ohmigosh. Had/have a crazy collection of porcelain figurines from my grandma. My mum didn’t understand them, but I love them. The history of porcelain is such a story! Once worth more than gold! Those figurines are the equivalent of gold bullion. Grandma did maybe buy one too many of the SAME ballerina, lol. But then again, she shipped all the ballerinas to us preparing to flee the home country (never did, btw), sorta using them for their original purpose.

Anyways, found an antiques/vintage/estate dealer to evaluate and take the duplicate ballerinas. Maybe there’s a local vintage/estate person in your town?

Anonymous

Kittens! I had a collection of Breyer model horses as a teen, but moved and didn't have space. Then a collection of exotic musical instruments- even after I stopped performing. Both sold to specialty places. They turned out worth much less than expected

Murph11

Veteran

I wasn't a collector, well, until mid-century modern gravy boats came into my life! I have 2 shelves worth (10) high in my kitchen, and that's it; no more. If I'm gifted one I cannot live without, it will stay at the sacrifice of one from the collection. No-growth policy strictly adhered to

Take a series of photos (individuals or groupings), print them off, and tuck them into a photo album. Then, let them go. You can look at the album anytime you like.

LAR101

Eirlys
Last winter I enjoyed reading
‘The Swedish Art of Death Cleaning’ and you might enjoy this short book also.
The author is downsizing and she writes about the process in a practical and funny way. You might find a kindred spirit there.
L.

kkards

Veteran

I’m a collector and not in downsizing mode...but I spent much of 2017 helping my mother downsize from a 2 level with full basement townhouse to a 1 bedroom with den apartment.
1) go as quickly or as slowly as you need. Don’t try to get it all done at once. It’s hard...physically and emotionally. So give yourself room
2) think about how you want to go through things. Do you want to tackle the collection of x by yourself? If not who do you want there. Different people may be better suited for different collections
3). Research who in your area might want/need what you have. For example my mom had a collection of charity cookbooks. Turns out there is a library at Radcliff/Harvard that collects and preserves them. Don’t know if they actually kept the ones my mom donated, but it made her feel they had meaning.
4) ask family and friends if/what they may want. You may be surprised
Hope this helped.

Joy

Veteran

Great advice. I might add after having to clean out my parents' home after they had left that many of one's "treasures" can be destroyed or disappear one way or another. My dad spent a fortune on books that were ruined by rain and water running into a basement room. Give them away or sell them while they have value.

cindysmith

Veteran

In the 90s, I had a collection of stuffed animals. They were all oversized, as in ginormous--like they were all about my height (5 foot 7 inches) and they were ridiculous but I loved having a 6 foot tall stuffed Foghorn Leghorn and a 4 foot tall Speedy Gonzalez and I had both Bananas in Pajamas and a gigantor Tweety Bird and and and

LOL

Eirlys

I really enjoyed reading your comments. So much has gone and I feel "lighter"!! This afternoon Daughter and her friend came and sorted one of the large storage spaces. Even the cat joined in!!
I now have SPACE where once resided rubbish! Not strictly true, perhaps where the latter is concerned, but certainly items I can well do without.

I may be moving from a six bedroom house to a one bedroom flat! The latter is where Younger Son and his wife live and they really need more room. I don't! So, the plan is that we swop! Their place is being gutted and I am acquiring a new kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living-room. I aim to start afresh now that I have lost my lovely husband. In this way I can keep my independence and have access to shops and restaurants, libraries, and even a theatre.

bridgie

Veteran

Eirlys, your new arrangements sound so nice. I think you will enjoy your new lifestyle. More opportunities to do different things, and not have to devote so much time to maintaining and upkeep of a large home. Of course you enjoyed it when your husband and children were there. But I do believe you will enjoy downsizing. I speak from experience. I am close in age to you.

BTW, Happy Birthday! Hope it was very special. I suppose part of it was

devoted to the project you mentioned above!

JAileen

Veteran

I would donate them to a thrift store. We had someone donate a huge collection of elephants recently. We’ve been selling them, and the money helps fund our charitable projects.

rachylou

Veteran

My cousin and her parents switched. It was a win win

Sal

Veteran

It is a challenge Eirlys and I have recently been through this with my Mum. We found new homes for some things and also my sisters and I took some bits and pieces. I had some friends who wanted various things too that I donated.

It sounds like a good plan to swap homes and you can be in a smaller fresh smart place. What a great attitude you have.

Eirlys

Well I hope all goes well for us. It's a new idea as far as I am concerned but it means I don't have to clear the family home and I don't have rent to pay! I am having fun thinking about furnishing a new place entirely as I want it. Offspring roll their eyes when I say I want a white/magnolia background but one can add different colours so easily.

Thank you, Bridgie, for the birthday wishes, my first birthday without my husband, Even when he was ill he would ask what I wanted for my special day!!

Anonymous

Sounds like a great solution for all of you!