Will I lose cool points if I told you that I had a stamp collection when I was younger? I can still smell the acid-free pages now if I close my eyes. My collection kicked off when my Great Uncle Victor sent me a bunch of stamps from his wordly travels. With that jumpstart, I made sure to carefully cut out stamps from letters we received from family and friends around the world. I’m willing to bet that my mom still has my stamp album somewhere in her house.
I’m always intrigued when I learn of people’s collections. I like that the subject matter of what they collect makes you ask questions, like “why [insert items]?” or “when did you start?” It was results in a story that gives you a glimpse into their spirit. Speaking of my mom, she collects bells. My sister collects Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers. I collect coffee mugs. (Well, let’s call them tea mugs since I don’t drink coffee, lol). I am drawn to them because they represent an opportunity for reflection, self-care and peacefulness to me. Tea is one of my Secret Energy Sources. And last week, I learned that my friend, Amanda of Dude Mom collects snow globes.
Benefits of Starting a Collection.
An Outlet for Creativity. More often that not, our passion for certain things doesn’t always get the attention it deserves through our day jobs or extracurricular commitments, so having an outlet for that is important to honor our multitude of interests. Since I’m #teammultipassionate, I’m all for ways to showcase your love for certain things, people or places.
Develops Unique Expertise. Just by the simple act of collecting items, you’ll find that you are slowly becoming an expert of sorts on that item. You’ll quickly learn the best places to find them, their history, their value, their meaning, and more.
Expands Your Network. Birds of a feather, right? Finding others who share your passion automatically creates a kindred connection. You might find entire groups of folks interested in the subject your collection and, voila!, you’ve got a new network. That way, when you’re BFF is bored to tears when you’re busy talking about your latest vintage mailbox find, you can turn to your fellow collectors who will be more than hype to celebrate your haul with you.
The really great thing is that you don’t need any instructions or memberships of even lots of cash (unless you set out to collect antique cars or vintage Louis Vuitton bags). Just pick something that means something to you and GO!
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I am right on the edge between having a collection and hoarding!