Any tips on reducing a collection

[morrisey0]

I don't generally sell my junk, any of it.

I figure that I bought it for a reason. Even though I may lose interest from time to time, I figure that it will return.

That would be the opposite of how to reduce the size of a collection.

[juicedcoupe]

I don't generally sell my junk, any of it.

I figure that I bought it for a reason. Even though I may lose interest from time to time, I figure that it will return.

That would be the opposite of how to reduce the size of a collection.

I guess it's good that I have a big house and decent sized property, because my collection includes more than RC. In the grand scheme, it's probably one of my cheaper hobbies.

[JosephS]

I've been collecting parts and multiple projects faster than I can complete, but done purposely so there's future projects awaiting on the shelf, knowing I won't get to them for them for some time. It's caused clutter multiple times taking up all work space on an 8' long work bench, due to lack of organizing in a timely manner. A constantly busy work schedule, multiple home projects, helping others and a 5 yr old whipper-snapper always take priority over toy-time. Some day things will settle down when I have more of a regular schedule for the hobby. I started getting larger plastic storage bins to separate each individual project and the parts collected for each project. But I don't plan on getting rid of any of it any time soon.

I'm somewhat in a similar position, were it's more worth it to have extra around because. When I do have time to get down projects it can be sporadic so it sucks to have the time but be missing parts. Then again it sucks to spend 5 of the 20 minutes I do have digging though an unorganized parts drawer.

[JosephS]

Thanks to everyone for chiming in. All of the different perspective have been helpful. I think I am going to take a bunch of the ideas and see how I can apply them.

I think I am going to focus on platforms; cars with many critical parts in common. From there I will keep a pair of cars, one to run and one for parts. Instead of keeping a body for each car I can have one that I use between the two.

I wish I had shelf space for display but that's not realistic, so I should likely take apart anything I'm not running and store it nicely. All of the open space will have to go for runners. It sounds like plastic bins are the go to. Although if I get the chance I would get kit boxes.

I'll also need to take the time to better organize my parts. I am going to have to put some though into this. I pick up cheap modern parts so I have things to cut, glue and drill if I have an idea. I don't have as much time to experiment and those parts can get in the way. I think I need to think about what I want my future projects to be and trade or sell the newer stuff.
For vintage parts, can likely keep less spares if I consider a whole vehicle as extra parts.

The main regrets I see here are from selling cars, I'll hold off on that.

So I would
keep
1 a stamp 6 gears 1 as parts
1 rc10t
1 rc10t2 1 rc10t2 as parts

Seems like that would leave me some space to pick up a car or two without having to worry about where to put them.

[RC10th]

Agreed the biggest thing about selling is regretting, however, if you have no emotional attachment to something then selling it isn't hard. If you 'think' you'll regret it then don't sell it.

I personally don't think your collection is excessive, and 12 cars shouldn't take up too much room if stored in bins/tubs. Surely the wife would let you have some room to display a car or two

My opinion is though if completed cars are stuffed away in bins and tubs and sort of forgotten about where is the enjoyment of them?

Obviously you'll do what's best for you, but I wouldn't rush into anything.

[LowClassCC]

I personally have over 20+ rc cars that currently reside in my living room. we wont talk about how many are in other room of my small house. I am in the process of building a small building just to serve as my rc workshop and a second for rc storage. Each building will only be 8'x12' but that will provide more than enough room for everything. How do I limit my collection? I don't buy anything I am not planning to keep forever.

[JosephS]

Agreed the biggest thing about selling is regretting, however, if you have no emotional attachment to something then selling it isn't hard. If you 'think' you'll regret it then don't sell it.

I personally don't think your collection is excessive, and 12 cars shouldn't take up too much room if stored in bins/tubs. Surely the wife would let you have some room to display a car or two

My opinion is though if completed cars are stuffed away in bins and tubs and sort of forgotten about where is the enjoyment of them?

Obviously you'll do what's best for you, but I wouldn't rush into anything.

I am kind of there on the completed cars being stuffed in tubs as well. My collection truly doesn't take up a ton of space. I just don't have much to spare. I can display a car or three but that's really it. Basically 2 shelves on small utility shelf, unless I use my workspace as storage.

I am really conflicted on my gold pans, so they are going in a bin. Having the chassis anodized was a learning experience, but I am worried to drive them because they are scratch-less. One of the chassis has a small nick now from running on grass and it stands out like a beacon of silver on a sea of gold. I think I want a gold pan for the 40th of the RC10, so I may bin then until then.

[JosephS]

I personally have over 20+ rc cars that currently reside in my living room. we wont talk about how many are in other room of my small house. I am in the process of building a small building just to serve as my rc workshop and a second for rc storage. Each building will only be 8'x12' but that will provide more than enough room for everything. How do I limit my collection? I don't buy anything I am not planning to keep forever.

I was thinking about building a space as well. Without an engineering license I can't get any traction of building and safety for a plan review. I'll have to wait till the building boom slows down, or pay a project manager.

[LowClassCC]

I was thinking about building a space as well. Without an engineering license I can't get any traction of building and safety for a plan review. I'll have to wait till the building boom slows down, or pay a project manager.

I'm so glad I live here and not where ever you're at. All I needed was some lumber and screws.

[dinglem]

I am fortunate that there is a fairly large outbuilding on our property which is used primarily as a garage, but the footprint is pretty large (can take 6 cars) and the roof space above had already been converted into an office before i bought it. That space has inadvertently become my own hobby room and is now full of vintage RC and 80's BMX. It is a room I generally keep locked and only I really go up there, although the wife does occasionally store things in there when I am away. It is by no means organised in any way, in fact it is a right mess, but i know where everything is right down to the last screwdriver, and all of the valuable or precious to me items are somewhere safer than strewn across the floor. I am not too sure what i would do without this room as I currently have over 20 RC cars I would think. It doubles as my quarantine room when I was returning from trips abroad during COVID too. Not the worst place to have to spend a couple of weeks.

My thoughts on cutting back are..... if i clear this nice space the mother-in-law might consider converting it into a full on granny-flat and move in, and as such I am definitely in the buying and cluttering phase!!!!

Regarding cutting back - keep the ones you had back in the day or have bought to recreate them.... the new models you never had shouldn't really hold as much sentimental value. Only you really know which those are. For some reason I have managed to end up with several examples of some models... at one stage I had five Pro Radiants for example, but am now down to two. One of each should really suffice.

[JosephS]

I was thinking about building a space as well. Without an engineering license I can't get any traction of building and safety for a plan review. I'll have to wait till the building boom slows down, or pay a project manager.

I'm so glad I live here and not where ever you're at. All I needed was some lumber and screws.

It's size based. I can build anything I want under a certain size. Anything bigger has to prove it conforms to wildfire and earthquake resistance as we get both. I *could* just build but I want to add to the deed on sale. Finished space goes for $500 -700 sq/ft here. There is no way I could afford my own home if I needed to buy now.

[JosephS]

...

My thoughts on cutting back are..... if i clear this nice space the mother-in-law might consider converting it into a full on granny-flat and move in, and as such i am definitely in the buying and cluttering phase!!!!

My in-laws live in the house with me I am fortunate that they are pretty great. The joke I have is that if I built a granny flat that is where I would live.

Regarding cutting back - keep the ones you had back in the day or have bought to recreate them.... the new models you never had shouldn't really hold as much sentimental value. Only you really know which those are. For some reason I have managed to end up with several examples of some models... at one stage I had five Pro Radiants for example, but am now down to two. One of each should really suffice.

I understand getting more than you expect. Once I start looking for something I figure out where it is and keep finding kits at better values.

[JosephS]

Yeah this didn't work. This year I am making a conditioned shed to hold my collection.

[TokyoProf]

I have the same decluttering problem in 2024. I can downsize by 50% for sure. Advice from the expert “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo". Two main points for creating a plan to organize.

1) Spark Joy: Keep only the things that make you happy or are deeply satisfying.
2) Gratitude: Thank each individual item for serving its purpose before getting rid of it. Kind of like a proper goodbye.

The emotional attachment we have to things/objects can get out of hand lol.

[Elkcycles]

Have children. I used to have a large 1/5 scale collection (FG, HARM, Lauterbacher, MCD, HPI), but kids cleared that up quickly.