Are you a collector? Do you have a prized collection of Barbie dolls, music memorabilia, coins, or baseball cards? As we reach the final weeks of the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge, we still have a few tasks to wrap up. This week, we tackle a particularly challenging area for some. It’s time to think about decluttering collectibles and consider if we need to let go.
I admit, I’ve never been a collector—beyond a few items of music memorabilia and a small collection of pins. That said, I know several people who are avid collectors. Some even dedicate entire rooms in their homes to display their collections.
Who are these avid collectors? A survey conducted by Morning Consult in 2021 showed demand for collectibles surged during the pandemic. One in three Americans consider themselves collectors of physical items. Men are twice as likely to be collectors as women, with young men fueling the surge.
Decluttering collectibles is an emotionally-charged topic for some but the increased interest could make this a lucrative task if you’re willing to take it on. Are you ready for week 47? Let’s get decluttering!
This post was originally published in November 2021 and republished in December 2024.
What is the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge?
In this year-long journey, we’re tackling one task at a time with the goal of cleaning up and organizing our homes. If you’ve just joined us, no worries. You can jump right in with this week’s challenge. Just check out the first two posts in the series to download your free checklists.
You can get easy access to all previous weekly posts on the main Decluttering page.
Week 47 – Decluttering collectibles
As I mentioned, I’m not a big collector so decluttering collectibles wasn’t a difficult job for me. Here are some photos of my music memorabilia and my collectible pins.
Decluttering collectibles – questions to ask
Decluttering collectibles is an emotional area for some. Start by asking yourself a few questions to decide if you’re ready to take this on.
- Why do you collect a particular item? If you don’t remember why, they probably don’t have special meaning for you. It may be time to let go.
- Do these things make you smile when you look at them? I love to look at my pins, my pop vinyls, and my other music memorabilia. They bring back great memories and put a smile on my face when I look at them. As Marie Kondo would say, they spark joy for me!
- Do you have space for them? If you do, then keep them. If you’re faced with downsizing, it might be time to let go. Perhaps you could keep a few favourite items from the collection and pass the rest along to another collector.
- Are you proud to display and show off these items in your home? If your collectibles are stowed away in boxes and haven’t seen the light of day in years, get them out and display them. If you’re not willing to do that, you may want to revisit the first question and think about your why.
Extreme minimalists would say there is no place in your life and home for collectibles. I disagree! As with every decluttering task, keep what makes you happy and have space for—and say good-bye to things that don’t.
One last word on collectibles. If you decide to keep them, don’t be afraid to use them. I know people who spend a lot of money on limited edition collectibles only to leave them in the box, “because they will be worth more money that way”. If your goal in collecting them is profit, that’s okay. But if you bought them for you, take them out of the box and enjoy them. Life is too short!
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What I got rid of
Here’s what I got rid of this week. Just one set of Toronto Blue Jays collectible pins that has been gathering dust on top of our china cabinet for years. With Christmas on the way, I’m sure they will make another fan or collector very happy!
2024 Update
It has been three years so I’m rebooting the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge to see how much I can get rid of in 2024.
Since the first round of decluttering, I’ve added a few more Queen pop vinyls to my collection. And I’m still not ready to let go of these items so I didn’t add to my decluttering challenge tally this week.
So that’s week 47 done. Now, if I could only get my husband to declutter his Road & Track magazine collection that has been gathering dust in our basement for the last 30 years, we’d really free up a lot of space.
But that’s a challenge for another day…
If you have friends or family members who could benefit from a little less clutter in their lives, please share this post and spread the word!
Are you a collector? How do you feel about decluttering collectibles? Tell us below.
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It’s comic books for me and I just can’t see myself decluttering these! This is a hard one. 😆
Some things are hard to part with, Ab. Every time I declutter clothing, I look at my collection of band and concert t-shirts and say “NO WAY!” No-one needs that many t-shirts but they are all very special to me.
Love this…and well-timed! I think there’s a convergence this time of year about collectibles and holiday decor that I need to tackle. Some things are collectible as mementos and need to be cared for, stored properly and some need/deserve to be displayed. Figuring that out – for me – is the trick!
Thanks, Michelle! 🥰
We have our fair share of holiday collectibles too, Vicki. But I know people who literally had whole rooms full of Barbie dolls and Queen memorabilia in their house. Then they retired and downsized and were faced with selling it all. That type of collecting doesn’t feel worth the effort to me.
Ooof. Agree, agree, agree! 🥰
I’m not a collector. And I still have way to much stuff. There was a point I started to collect cat statues that I found on vacation. After five of them I decided not something I wanted to keep dusting
Right! We do buy a Christmas ornament for our tree when we go on vacation but I’ve never understood the trinkets and souvenirs. The memories are in your head!
Yes! How many doodads do you need?
No collections here Michelle! Having extra stuff sitting around gives me anxiety and- I can remember as a young adult having to clear out older relatives homes holding years and years of massive amounts of stuff…both junk but also collections that while important to them at some point, meant nothing to anyone else. So much stuff that I promised myself no one would ever have to do that when I’m gone.
It is sad when someone pours so much energy into collecting only to have someone discard it when they’re gone. I’m glad we’re not collectors.
My husband collects Funko Pops and we recently got some new furniture to display them a bit better (and to sort through what he wanted to let go of and sell on). I collect mugs (they all get used) but have to sort through them as I think there are quite a few I could donate as they are just stuffed in the back of a cupboard!
The Funko pops are just so cute! I admit that every time they release a new Queen one, it somehow finds its way to my house. How does that happen? LOL
I too do not collect much but the collectibles I have are mainly movie posters I have displayed on my walls and displays of my favorite tv shows and movies. I like to display and use my collectibles so there is nothing there I could possibly declutter. Love your thoughts on unboxing collectibles bought for me. Nothing looks great in a box. 🙂
Right! I don’t understand why people would leave things in the box. These things are meant to be admired—and that involves getting them out of the box.
I have too many books. I donated a box of books to a charity this week. I’ve still too many and it’s unlikely I’ll read them again!
Books are a challenge for a lot of people. I have vowed not to buy any more—unless they are really special—and use the library instead.
You know, I never thought about it much, but I collect ,one than I thought! Albums from my younger years, CDs, corks, dolphins, jewelry. It all has a place and fits except maybe the albums and CDs. I was hanging on to them in case they were worth something someday. They are in tubs put away, because we haven’t had time to convert all the albums to a thumb drive yet, then I may donate them after that.
I kept my albums in crates in my basement for years. Last Christmas, my daughter came home from college with a turntable that her friend had bought for her. We went down to the basement and got out my albums and played some of them. It was awesome.
This year for my birthday, my husband and daughters gave me a turntable. My albums are now on shelves in my office and are being played again. It’s so cool to listen to all that old music again!