Storage – or a lack thereof – is a common gripe among homeowners, but for collectors, this problem reaches a whole new level. We’re all guilty of having stuff around the house, but when it comes to collecting, how can you proudly display your valuables at the same time as keeping clutter to a minimum? We first explored this when we chatted with some Comic Con attendees, but, more recently, we caught up with a few avid collectors to find out a bit about their hoarding habits and storage solutions. Meet George, Chris, Jan and Lee, who together boast some very impressive and eclectic collections indeed.
For George, who collects stamps and postal history of Spanish and Portuguese colonies, his journey began aged seven when he was given a collecting starter pack for Christmas. ‘I resumed collecting once I was in my mid-twenties, when I had the disposable income to buy the rarer, high-quality items that are often very difficult to find,’ George told us. Then there’s Chris, whose passion is Star Wars Lego – he explained that the Lego took him back to his childhood and fed his inner geek.
We also chatted to Jan, who has been collecting glass and china for 25 years from various locations, including Mdina in Malta, Cornwall and Murano in Italy – as well as children’s books and Country Life magazines. As for Lee, he collects FourFourTwo magazine and football shirts, and over the years has amassed a whopping 130 issues along with 60 or 70 kits. ‘It got to a point where I had so many it just felt wrong to start not keeping them, so I continued the trend!’ he said.
One of the biggest issues that crops up for collectors is, unsurprisingly, space. While you may feel pretty pleased with your ever-growing selection of trinkets and treasures, you run the risk of cluttering your abode. So, what did our collectors have to say about how they keep their valuables, and have they ever come across any problems with storage?
George has it the easiest of the group, with his stamp collection confined to one hardback album the size of a phone directory. ‘The large amount of literature and reference books that are required can take up a lot of space, but I don’t have any real issues – one of the perks of collecting something so compact, I guess,’ he added. Lee, however, confessed, ‘My kits take up a whole wardrobe in my house, and the magazines are stored in the loft and on my desk at work!’
Lee’s football kit collection
Jan said, ‘I store things around the house, in the attic, in shelved cupboards, in small Chinese cabinets, on bookshelves in three different rooms, and in a large dresser.’ While she doesn’t have a problem storing her collectables at home, she does sometimes sell her pieces on to dealers to make room. Meanwhile, Chris’ Lego has taken over his downstairs toilet, and is also using up space on his desk at work. He admitted, ‘I am already low on space – the items I like are large and take up a lot of space. Plus my partner doesn’t really want me taking over any more space.’
As for any handy hints about storage, Chris recommended getting creative with space – he’s even resorted to hanging his Lego from the ceiling: ‘I just had to optimise the space I have,’ he explained. Meanwhile, George has advised people not to store anything made of paper in lofts or sheds, as he’s often come across stamps and books damaged by damp in these spaces. Jan’s top tips were to ‘put up shelves wherever you can’ and ‘regularly sort out and move things on’.
It’s clear from chatting to our collectors that they’re more than a little passionate about their valuables, but what do their families say about their unique interests? According to Chris, most of his friends think he’s nuts, but like that they always know what to get him as a gift. George said, ‘Most people are bemused and surprised when they find out, as I’m relatively sporty and in my mid-twenties, so I don’t fit most people’s stereotypical image of stamp collectors.’ Jan’s daughter is also a collector of china, while Lee’s mates find his collection funny and deem it typical of him, but don’t see it as being weird as they’re also footy mad.
Are you a keen collector? Or any friends with obsessive interests and amazing collections? Do you have any savvy ideas for keeping/showing off your valuables? Share your stories and storage tips in our comments section below!
