Nooo not the ponies!

[DaffyDilly]

4 years ago I culled my collection and sold the vast majority off. I moved in with my now-husband and the ponies sat in their moving boxes (barring a handful of customs on display and post-move purchases). I decided to sell off the remainder, barring one custom and my only actual childhood pony. I need the money, we want the space, and honestly I've had zero interest in them for the past few years. Time to start prepping for PonyCon, it'll be here before I know it.

G2-G4 not a problem. But when I opened the box of G1s it was 'maybe I'll keep you.. and you.. and I can't get rid of you'.

Seriously, these ponies proper get a hold on you don't they?! I'm going to be sat behind my stall sneaking ponies back under the table so they don't sell.

Anybody else get like this?

[Sweet Daes]

Forever a dragon guarding her hoard, I be. It's not just limited to ponies. My biggest hoarded treasure are my deceased husband's collection of eagles and Jack Daniels/Guinness memorabilia that are still in bubble wrap from my move almost 2 years ago...

I should do a purge because they are not doing any good where they are, but I can't seem to bring myself to do it, and it seems that the collection just gets bigger because of my partiality to it all. It makes me happy to see ponies and Legend of Zelda items, tins, shot glasses, plushies and figures that have so many memories attached to them, some of which I regained after theft.

[katrine2309]

Absolutely!! There are some ponies I know I’ll never sell, and then there are the ones that sneak up on you I did sell one of those once (baby Cherries Jubilee) and I regret it still. It’s years ago!

My advice- set a number. A number of ponies you’ll keep and be true to that number. No more ponies than the number My number is 42, and I currently have less than 30. But it is slowly growing right now. I sold several a couple of years ago, but now it is building up again

[CinnamonOnions]

These ponies are very sneaky. You say "I won't collect them", then you see them with your own eyes again, hold them and see their painted round eyes staring at you. Soon you notice you've fallen in love. Ooops.
My whole collecting and my 45 head herd happened because I fell too badly in love with a G1 Red Roses I was supposed to buy only to sell. "I hope this won't start a new hobby" I said as I was trying to not get too attached to her - two years later I've spent something like under 200 euros into ponies... and I never even liked ponies before that! Cursed G1s just have something so charming in them that you can't let them go.

[NightGliderSA]

Ponies are definitely sneaky that way! I can't say I am in the same boat as you though: I am still in the full blown joy of collecting and just on Saturday bought another shelf. This now sits where I can see my 'special' special ponies every time I walk into my bedroom and my heart gives a happy little jump.

So the only suggestion I feel I can make is to only keep the ponies that are to you 'special' special and make YOUR heart give a happy little jump 

Good luck!

[PoserBeachball]

NightGliderSA has put it so eloquently.

I'd just add that those special ponies will be very personal. I have limited room for my ponies- and much of it is taken up with duplicates/rehairs/'oddities'/damaged ponies.....if I love them they stay, even if it means sets can't be completed or they are worthless in monetary terms.
Go with your heart on this one.

[invaderhorizongreen]

Once  a year I do inventory, ,keep the best, hold on to some variants if they show up, and the rest go to a sales box. A few times I have changed my mind though.

[aquamarinemolly]

Absolutely!! There are some ponies I know I’ll never sell, and then there are the ones that sneak up on you I did sell one of those once (baby Cherries Jubilee) and I regret it still. It’s years ago!

My advice- set a number. A number of ponies you’ll keep and be true to that number. No more ponies than the number My number is 42, and I currently have less than 30. But it is slowly growing right now. I sold several a couple of years ago, but now it is building up again

This is some fo the best collection advice I've read in a long time  that was *exactly* what I needed to hear.