How do you keep track of your collection?

[EVILFACE]

i just remember them.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I am keeping a detailed excel file which includes a few working sheets.

T-800: "I have detailed files."

 

[Amanaman]

Just like a dog show, I do a short list of what stays and goes. Over-analyzing can lead you down the wrong path, too. Instead of being rigid, I make a short written list of what I DON'T allow in my collection. A few general rules like, no kitsch items, a quota on fragile items, not paying over retail, etc.

If you're not having fun, something's wrong. Spreadsheets are boring.

 

[galactiboy]

If you're not having fun, something's wrong. Spreadsheets are boring.

Heresy! Although, they are a bit dry... and not for everyone. But I have started to try and remember rules. I used to pick up anything that I was interested in, but then had a habit of seeing it sold w/in a few months because I didn't really want it.

Now I try and ask myself, "do I want to pay retail for this and then 6 months later sell it for less?"

 

[DarkArtist81]

T-800: "I have detailed files."

Good one WG....

I just remember where they are and what I have... Don't really have a system YET. But then again I have only been collecting higher end stuff for these last 2 years, so not much to catalog yet.

Great ideas though... I might need to do that one day.

 

[Wetanut]

Not being as 'puter savvy as Lonnie, I could only do some basic stuff:
- Excel spreadsheet of item, Ed #, cost, date of purchase, from whom.
- Binder(s) filled with laminated sheets of each individual item with info as above, but also with pics & descriptions
- Both saved on a CD

Yeah, it was anal, but I realized about 1/2 into the collecting frenzy that I would probably never be able to replace some of these pieces ... at least at original prices. So I decided to insure them and the accounting began. I update every 6 months or so and provide my insurance company with an updated CD.

As others said, putting it together made me really think about the focus of my collection and determine what I was going to continue to collect...or not. It's really helped.

 

[KitFisto]

I just remember it all. When I see something I know if I have it or not. I could probably name just about every piece I have off the top of my head although it would take some time to list it all.

That said i don't collect many so called "cheap" items anymore. The cheapest stuff I buy right now are the Gentle Giant Star Wars busts.

I got rid of 99% of my Hasbro figures except a few decent 12" figs so that makes it a lot more easy too, but I do have a pretty large SW collection and a pretty large SSW LOTR collection too.

I don't know how I remember it all. I just do.

 

[creecher]

I have kept an Access database for years. What I have found is, it is best to start one as early as possible. I found it fun to enter details as each item arrived, and it made it easy. Recently my computer died, and I have some serious work to do, some time, to update an old save. The idea really turns me off, and some of the information will be impossible to retrieve.

It's interesting to note changes in prices, value increases and decreases, helps for insurance purposes, and quick reference when so much of it lives in boxes stored away, answering queries from other members at times. I have really enjoyed having had a database, but don't look forward to restoring it to its previous state. I have to thank Spaceman for his site, where I get information on prices also.

I also hyperlink each item to information and pictures downloaded from Sideshows site, which is going to be hard, now that they pulled the Highlander information from their site, and even though I pushed for Sideshow to update their archive section, it hasn't happened.

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

I'm reckless and just get what I think is cool. Order? Rules? NEIGH! TOY CHAOS!

 

[King Darkness]

MUCH to lazy for this sort of thing

 

[Bannister]

I just stack my boxes in a corner and remember what I have.

 

[lcummins]

I have kept an Access database for years. What I have found is, it is best to start one as early as possible. I found it fun to enter details as each item arrived, and it made it easy. Recently my computer died, and I have some serious work to do, some time, to update an old save. The idea really turns me off, and some of the information will be impossible to retrieve.

It's interesting to note changes in prices, value increases and decreases, helps for insurance purposes, and quick reference when so much of it lives in boxes stored away, answering queries from other members at times. I have really enjoyed having had a database, but don't look forward to restoring it to its previous state. I have to thank Spaceman for his site, where I get information on prices also.

I also hyperlink each item to information and pictures downloaded from Sideshows site, which is going to be hard, now that they pulled the Highlander information from their site, and even though I pushed for Sideshow to update their archive section, it hasn't happened.

Yeah, let's not forget spaceman's site! It is very useful for tracking your collection as well as the prices!

Creech, what kind of information did you lose? I have a lot of stuff archived, including web pages for most of the new Sideshow products over the last year or two, and most of the product images as well. Let me know if you need anything data wise...

 

[Amanaman]

I don't know how I remember it all. I just do.

It's in your tentacles.

 

[Darklord Dave]

No tracking here. I kind of like the surprise of finding something I forgot I had. Not so fun is buying something that I already have though. I should probably do something since I have storage units all over SoCal with stuff in them...

 

[lcummins]

No tracking here. I kind of like the surprise of finding something I forgot I had. Not so fun is buying something that I already have though. I should probably do something since I have storage units all over SoCal with stuff in them...

I hope they're climate controlled!!!

 

[Fritz]

I don't have anything in boxes. I promised myself a little over a year ago that if I don't have the space to display something I won't keep it in the box, it must be sold. If I run out of space, I just have to sell something I have to replace it with something new. I've kicked myself a few times for selling stuff this past year and have had to re-aquire it. Anyway, at least this attitude keeps Bob, Adam and Sideshow happy.

 

[sladesuperagent]

Excel spreadsheet. I hit 1800 figures in Oct. '04 and decided that there was no reason to have Spawn 1-18 in a giant cpu box, so I started throwing them up on eBay and I'm glad I had things cataloged. My goal was to get to 1000 and I'm only slightly over that, but I still could thin some stuff out.

 

[The Josh]

I use Spacemans site.

 

[Rocktonix]

Those of you that use excel would you mind sharing the format of your spreadsheet? Always curious to see what others use.

 

[Darth Loki]

I use an Excel spread sheet. Description, SN#, current value. This is mainly for insurance purposes and I updated it everytime I get a new item.

I also keep a list of pre-orders to give myself an idea of what's on order and how much is coming in a month's span.