Need holp coping with selling collection

[ClosetAvalanche]

I've decided to downsize my massive collection to fund my new business. With a near complete g1 collection and rare internationals, I've calculated 20-30k. It was a hard decision, but the right one. I plan to keep my favorites. I've told myself I can always start collecting again down the road.

The problem is, i have no idea how to cope with letting them go. I walk into my pony room and am instantly filled with happiness. Then i remember they will be going to new homes and get depressed.

I'm asking has anyone here sold their collection. How did you cope? And why is it so damn hard to being attached to colorful plastic!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Yes... I have done it a few times... I always need the space or the money more than the colorful plastic.  Or I was in a situation where I simply could not store or transport them.  Since I've done this, I really feel less of an urge to have a large collection, which has tempered my temptation to SHOP SHOP SHOP.  I haven't looked on ebay outside of doing price checks for almost 10 years now!

[katrine2309]

Well, not so much downsized as I never had more than 43 ponies at the most. I have a «core collection» of 34 ponies. They, I will never sell as they mostly consist of my childhoods and a couple of grails from my childhood years. But I do have several «floaters». Ponies I found second-hand, ponies especially from my region that I bought for research or ponies who came in a lot with another one I needed. I don’t have the room or the finances to have a lot of ponies, but I wanted you to know that there are other ways to be collecting. I, for instance really like accessories, and I REALLY like puffy stickers and backcards. I have a weak spot for ponywear, especially for babies and Megan and Sundance. And I do a lot of research on pony history (particularly in my region of the world). I collect information you could say

I’m not sure if you feel like this, but I think many (including myself once) becomes extra sad because selling ponies means letting go of collecting them. Letting go of the community too. It doesn’t have to be like that though.

Have you already decided who will stay with you? If not, that could be a good start - mentally preparing yourself to sell the rest. Good luck!

[NightGliderSA]

Sorry, this sounds like a really rough decision! It is difficult to advise as everyone collects differently so all I can say is this: perhaps look at each and every pony / set individually, hold them, and keep only those that truly make your heart feel happy. Be honest with yourself. You can perhaps take photo's of those whom you are selling as memories. And, what may help is the knowledge that the ponies that are being sold on will be going to people who are collectors like yourself and as such will love those ponies as you have done. They are not being 'thrown away' and neglected.

Good luck with getting through this: pony hugs!

[Snapdragon]

Yeah, that does sound really rough! I mean, I guess it comes down to - are you more excited about the prospect of starting a new business? Or are you more happy having a massive collection that brings you joy? I mean me, personally, I'd probably try to get a small business loan instead, because the idea of giving up my ponies is too awful!! But you may be SO EXCITED about this business that the idea of giving up your ponies is totally worth it! So I'd try to focus on that feeling - the new business excitement, the things you want to do with your business, the new opportunities that will open up for you! You could make an imageboard, if you're a visual type of person! Maybe seeing the 'final goal' would make letting the ponies go a little easier!

Another thought is, if the little buggers are tugging at your heartstrings too intensely, you could try a 'dry run' - put them all into boxes, clean out the room, and then see how you feel after a week or two, or even a whole month (if you have that much time). Do you feel relief at the imagined money? Or are you sad that your happy place is gone? If you find yourself missing certain ponies more than others, you can go and pull them out, and try the experiment again. Do you feel okay now that you still have Sundance, or do you miss the entire army of them?

It sounds like a tough decision, and I am sending you big hugs through the internet!! Best of luck, with whatever you decide!

[Kazzellin]

I rather second Snapdragon's suggestions - trial run to see if the empty/mostly empty room and reduced collection depress you or if it helps you cope. Speaking as someone who has most of her collection in storage, it might not (opening a box and finding ponies tends to make me go ), but you never know until you try.

In addition to the small business loan, there are other otions as well. If you have a 401(k), sometimes you can take a loan out from that.

If your business is a craft one, then there's also the option of Kickstarter and similar crowd-funding sites. Come up with a product to make, figure out how much it would cost to make, say, 100 or even 500 units, do some research on Kickstarters themselves, set up the kickstarter, and see what happens. You could work a few projects this way, especially if you develope the rep of good communication, working in the set timeline, and always shipping/making things right, even if they might not be your fault (I helped Kickstart one of David Willis' books for his webcomic, which included a print only available to the Kickstarter. The print was creased in the mail, I mentioned this on the Kickstarter page - and he unexpectedly sent me a new copy of the print!). I know Mr. Willis tends to have his Kickstarters end sometimes in the 5-digit surplus range; granted, he has a large following due to his webcomic(s), but he also has that awesome, reliable Kickstartee rep.

Anyway, there are options that don't involve selling what makes you happy. (We're also running on the assumption that you've already got a mortgage on your home and refinancing isn't an option, but that may be going a little extreme. )

[banditpony]

I feel like I'm always on the other side of advice when it comes to these things.

Let me start off with I get VERY attached to my stuff. I love stuff. I love having lots of stuff. I cry when I have to let go of stuff. And it's not an easy task emotionally.

But if I decide it's time for something to go -- for whatever the reason, life changes, need money, need space, just know I'm over it, then it's TIME for that to go.

I even got rid of some childhood ponies with the last year or so. :/ And let me tell you /that/ was hard, because those could NEVER be replaced. 

I'm going to be honest with you. If you put half of your collection away-- it's probably going to hit you like a TON of bricks and it's going to make you sad. And when you open it up again it'll be like again. It just toys with your emotions.

This is how I did it. I evaluated my collection as a whole. And I picked out a certain percentage I didn't want. Mostly the ones that meant the least to me. And after I did that, and felt comfortable to move on I repeated the process.

I took my time. And while it was a bit hard to sell, the emotions were manageable.

And while I probably only had a collection of ~200, I'm down to <20 now. And I'm STILL trying to figure out who is the next to go. (Really due to space right now).

I do not regret a thing. My life has changed. My priorities change. I still look for things to buy, I never stop. *shrug* I still like ponies. And if I wanted to, I can buy more.

[Foxtale]

I've been downsizing, not quickly enough... but even the ones I had duplicates are hard to get rid of sometimes.

The way to cope for me, is to make set standards. So when I go back and start feeling sad or questioning my decision I remember the standard I set and move on. For example, I decided to get rid of any loose G3 I had in box, all of them. I carefully went through the collection and double checked and when I second guessed my decision I missed one I remembered I had it in box. It could work similarly knowing that you can always re-buy them. And when you feel sad, you remember the reasons you gave them up, the set goals you have, and that brings me back to happiness.

Another thing that helps me is photographs. A lot of times is the documentation and the memory of the item that is more important than the physical item.  Photographing and letting go helps me to know that i won't "forget"  It wont be in my space now but I can always go back to my hard drive and see them.

Not sure if these techniques will work for you but I figured I would offer.

Good luck with your new business and selling your collection. It sounds like an exciting time in your life!