Thinning the herd-

[Galactica]

A few months ago the need to went through one of those periods where I have to get rid of STUFF! I poured through my crafty/toy room, rooted through the basement- and combed through the pony bins to take out all the ones that weren't absolute favorites.  Everything went into bags to await the next trip to the thrift store (I know I know, but I didn't belong the board then)

Unfortunately, once we loaded everything up into the car to go- I looked in the pony bags (big mistake) and realized how awesome the ponies were that I was about to lose! I honestly couldn't even see what I was thinking - and re-rescued all of them.  At least everything else went to the thrift store- but the ponies are safe and sound again.

Do any of you ever get the feeling that you have to shed stuff like crazy- only to change your mind or regret it later?   It seems like I do this a lot. 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Nope, once I put something into storage to "forget about it", I usually decide that if I am not enjoying it and it's just sitting in a box with no plans to enjoy it, to pass on the love to someone else. 

I must admit that this purging only comes about once a year or two, however... so I very rarely get rid of things I have already spent time and money acquiring...

[Dragonflitter]

Nope, I am a major packrat and never let ANYthing go. *hugs her box of ribbons and shiny strings that she might find some use for later!*

[Starly]

Nope, I am a major packrat and never let ANYthing go. *hugs her box of ribbons and shiny strings that she might find some use for later!*

This is me, I keep even the PACKAGES to pony stuff I open, from toys, to cards, to blind bags, to gummies. I save it ALL!

[cazz25]

I keep hold of things and store them and then I go on crazy sort and clear out missions and like everything goes. Then a few months down the line I'm like, oh what did I do with .... oh year I got rid of it doh! I never learn.

[achab1984]

Oh yes I do it all the time. I collect things like crazy to later on sell it again. Then I wished I didn't and buy it again. I hate it when I get like this. I wish I could just say into something and keep it.

I think we are all about the same.

I was cleaning my house today to take stuff to good will. But do not worry there is no ponies in there. Just stuff I can seem to sell on ebay. Mostly clothes.

[medleysong]

I absolutely get like this. It was one of the reasons I sold off my entire G1 collection. At the height of my craziness I had over 2000 ponies. I went from loving them to hating them because it had just gotten out of control. Once my twins were born and I needed the room it gave me a good reason to clear out the ponies. I have never once felt sad about it. Well...a little about selling my MOC Blue Medley, that hurt a bit but other then that I am pleased to be free of the addiction (ha ha). Now I am having fun again with ponies. My daughter and I are loving the G4s and we have quite a collection of American Girl dolls as well. I took most of my strawberry shortcake and Care Bear stuff and dropped it at the thrift store though. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of selling and shipping it. So yep, totally understand where you are coming from!

[Galactica]

I keep hold of things and store them and then I go on crazy sort and clear out missions and like everything goes. Then a few months down the line I'm like, oh what did I do with .... oh year I got rid of it doh!

Yeah- that is me.  Particularly ifI have been particularly collect-y or active on ebay- I feel like I have an obligation to part with some other stuff that may have fallen into disfavor.  Also- I sometimes just am seized with the impulse to get rid of all STUFF.

One thing I have learned from that is that I generally do regret parting with things that are near impossible or impossible to replace (ie prototypes or my foreign collection). So I have tried to thin my collections to only super special stuff.  But then MH dolls come out- and they are so cute and inexpensive for BJDs.  Then Hasbro starts making cute ponies again- and they keep getting cuter! Suddenly there is packaging everywhere.  (I would keep the packaging too except that it takes up way too much space)

Ah well- time to purge again this weekend.  I actually have quite a few lose, played with vintage rainbow ponies and a couple of babies that I think I am finally ready to put out to pasture.  I will take a pic of them and stick them on the board to see if some other hapless collector wants to adopt a new herd. 

[Dusky]

I just did this, and I'm doing it still!

I got home from 5 years of University and jobseeking and realised that I had a good 10-15 years of toys and faff in my house, because I hadn't got the stones to get rid of it. Mostly, my parents hadn't bothered to clear stuff and wouldn't let me clear away things when I was younger as they claimed the things were of sentimental value. I had several relatives who thought quantity was better than quality when they gave gifts... there was a lot of junk.

In the last month and a half I've shifted over 20 binbag sized loads of stuff purely to donate to charity shops, and I've sold off/am selling off all the larger pieces in my pony collection (playsets, spares, etc). I got to the stage with the ponies that I couldn't face having several crates of sets and G3 art stuff around (most of it new/mint/unused), so I donated all of it to Ponycon. They're really happy with all the stuff and that way it goes to collectors *and* raises money for charity. Awesome!

Now I just have the other half of the loft to go through...

[shabbychicdee]

sometimes i do this, some times i sell some ponies then really regret it afterwards so now i have to be disparate to sell stuff, this is only cos i lack space and sometimes i have thoughts of getting rid of all my g3 things to make room for my g1's. G1 is my priority and comes G4, iv got boxes of ponyville and G3.5 new born cuties and playsets i would get rid of as they are really big boxes but every time i look in there i just dont have the heart to sell or give to charity cos i have a little girl who will love them (when she is a little older) but she has a dozen g4's already.
i look at the G4's i have and think do i really want to commit to these and think i should make room for my vintage stuff then i look at their little faces and think awwwwwa. 
i know exactly where your coming from, its such a hard decision to make, then you get all "they are too awesome to toss away"
i hate hoarding and am scared of it, LOL and im a collector. crazy right?

[Gypsy_Nights]

Yep I do the same thing!  Every now and then I feel I have to much and do exactly that.  But I sell mine.  And then later after I already sold them sometimes, I think why did I ever sell her!     And want to get her back to  add her to my collection again!     Luckily sometimes I realize this before I sell some of them.

I have been doing it alot more lately because I am going to be getting my own pony room soon so I will have more room for display!!!     I'm so excited!

[teresat]

I'm doing the purging constantly. I've been using craft supplies, old books, and old toys to fund the pony buying!

I think I need to thin the herd though.....But I can't do it! I look at the ponies and change my mind.

[slj84]

I do about every 6 months I go through a purge where I go through everything I own and usually donate a ton of stuff.  I have sold off my collection twice already and turned around about a year later start collecting again.  I have two conflicting personality traits.  I'm a completionest but I can't stand clutter! so I want every set complete but then I see them all clutter and it makes me so crazy! 

Right now my collection consist mostly of g4's, about 15 g3's and 2 g1's that are all stored in my closest so I get a thrill when I open the door and see them all, but the doors are usually shut so the clutter doesn't get to me.

[Galactica]

Oh- I have done the get rid-of-entire-collection and then re-collect it all.  I think the act of collecting itself is a fun game that is addicting.

I also don't want to be a scary hoarder - but I am a collector and obviously have some tendancies.   I also LOVE my collections- I look at them and they make me so happy!

My grandmother is a craft hoarder for real.  She really does have some NEAT stuff (since she has been collecting for so dang long- she is 89). But she has roomS packed all the way to the ceiling- and it is so dusty and impossible to access.  My Gramps is just as bad- he collected magic stuff (mostly his own- he was a magician back in the day) and can't part with anything- he seriously has ever National Geographic from 19[something way old] to the 1980s.  I force myself to look at their piles when I visit- get myself good and scared- and then always go home and get rid of bags and bags.   

I often wish my partner was more supportive/understanding (ie would buy me a Derp for my b-day spontaniously instead of nag me to get rid of more stuff) but on the other hand- two collector nuts (like my Grands) probably also feed into each other's collector maddness.

[shabbychicdee]

my partner would go nuts seeing your grandparents place and all those National G's, he loves watching those trash collector programs, sorry forget what they are called, they pay good money for old collectable stuff. though he is anti hoarding too he loves old, vintage, retro collectable stuff, i guess i do too old people have the best things from the past.
my mum doesnt throw anything away and guess that scares me enough not to hoard but ponies are a hobby ....and are addictive to collect