Collections are odd things, by nature. Typically a collections is filled with stuff that is interesting to the person who gathers it, but often doesn’t mean much to everyone else.
Also, you walk a fine line between collecting and hoarding, and it’s important to know when to stop. You don’t want to end up on television under a pile of pizza boxes and paperbacks you just couldn’t donate fifteen years ago.
If you’ve always wanted to collect something, though, these 17 people’s obsessions might give you some ideas on where to start!
17. Is that…legal?
Don’t ask how or why, but I collect stop signs, especially the ones road workers hold that say stop on one side and slow on the other.
16. We all need more creepy things in our homes, yeah?
I like collecting weird creepy little statues you can find for like $2 at thrift stores. There’s always a section of the store filled with these little porcelain statues covered in dust that definitely came from some random old ladies home. I’ve got a jester head fridge magnet, a baby clown on a ball, some weird little bears, and more baby clown figurines. theres a LOT of creepy baby clown figurines. Along with these I like to by those cheesy bad mugs, ones that just have weird stuff on them. I’ve got one with “every day is a great day to pray” and “praise the lord” both have illustrated baby bears praying to god, I thought they were funny. I have a cherub coffee mug that I legitimately like, I think the painting on the mug is actually really pretty. Last but not least I have a painting of a bald eagle soaring through the air with an American flag in its talons, in the bottom right corner is the word “Russia”. The frame to that painting is the kind of untreated wood that you get splinters from if you’re even in the same room as it.
So I think it all boils down to “I collect weird and oddly funny things from thrift stores that probably came from dead people”
15. My toddler would die.
I have a collection of hundreds of bouncy balls, like the ones you get for a quarter out of those machines at the grocery store.
14. Musical instruments are awesome (but expensive).
I seem to be collecting a number of musical instruments. So far I’m up to: 3 mandolins, a guitar, two ocarinas, a violin (just got that for Christmas), and a tin whistle. I’d also like a bodhrán, a keyboard, an octave mandolin, and a guitar in the shape of a lute.
I also have 12 or so Funko Pop figures.
13. I can’t decide whether or not he’s serious.
I own twenty-three copies of Paul Blart: Mall Cop. I call it the Paullection.
12. You could start your own casino.
Playing cards and shot glasses. I try to get a shot glass from every city I visit and the playing cards just kind of happened.
11. Can I ask why, though?
Ink pens with advertisements on them.
I have 10,000+ and no two are the same.
Edit; what 10,000+ ink pens (and my favorite pen) looks like.
10. Too cool for school.
Vinyl records.
9. Gotta love when arbitrary rules are involved.
Bicentennial quarters(US). They’re not really worth anything, but I like the way they look. My rule is, I can’t buy them, only find them.
8. The party is always at this guy’s house.
Pinball machines , I had 11 at one point , I have only 3 currently . The prices went sky high plus the number of collectors has gone crazy since I started .
7. I feel like this is how too many collections start.
According to my Christmas and birthday gifts I collect soaps. YOU GET ONE CHRISTMAS SOAP SET.
6. I need to see this collection.
Sand samples from major desserts around the world
5. What do you DO with it all, though?
Small little aesthetic pins and postcards from places I’ve traveled before.
4. Nerd alert!
Dice sets, dragon figures, movies, and video games. And blankets.
3. Those will definitely be worth something some day.
Disney Pins! I’m not as advanced as some, but I have a pretty good collection of open and limited edition pins, mostly Stitch and Villains.
2. I’ve always liked the idea of this, but I’m not organized enough.
Ticket stubs. One day I’ll look back at a big game or movie that I got to see “back when I was young” and my kids will tell me how old I am.
1. My husband IS a geologist, and we’re drowning in rocks!
Minerals!
I missed my calling to be a geologist.
I’ve really got to start collecting things besides plastic bags, books, and shoes. So unoriginal!
What do you collect? Is it as interesting as these? Tell us what got you started in the comments!
