# Collecting something can give you new purpose, what do you collect.



## Jondalar7 (Feb 27, 2021)

I read once that collecting something keeps the mind active and maybe the body too. As for me I know that the people who collect something are easier to buy gift for. I have many collections but the one that was most fun was my bellybutton lint collection. It is now in two small glass bottles. 

I did most of my collecting in the 80s but started in the seventies. I found that girls on Venice beach did not have much lint just sand and oil. Harry bikers with beer bellys and skulls on their t-shirts seemed to have the most belly button lint but you have to be real carful how you ask. I even have famous bellybutton lint. 

A late night DJ named Wolfman Jack had a toenail collection and I sent him a toenail that I grew especially for him that was a half inch long. I asked for bellybutton lint in return and I now have it wrapped in waxed paper in my collection. When those electric screwdrivers came out, I made a little twisty auger thing that fit in the end of it and would whir and turn round and round, perfect  for belly button lint retrieval. Did I mention that I am an inventor too!

What do you collect?


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## Ruthanne (Feb 27, 2021)

I collect cds, mostly oldies.  I used to collect old coins but sold them all some time back.


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## Kathleen’s Place (Feb 27, 2021)

Nothing anymore.  Used to collect bird houses, santa’s, gosh I can’t remember what all anymore. Got rid of it all when we downsized. Now I just collect dust


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## Dana (Feb 27, 2021)

I collect music....


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## lia (Feb 28, 2021)

refrigerator magnets


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## PamfromTx (Feb 28, 2021)

You name it, the hubster and I collect it.


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## katlupe (Feb 28, 2021)

I collect ceramic cats in a curio cabinet and translucent vases that I display with fairie lights on top of my kitchen cupboards. I think I collect music CDs too.


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## Jondalar7 (Mar 3, 2021)

My daughters mother just bought a mobile home that has been the residence of the same guy and two wives for 27 years. It seems each wife collected something different and he kept them all. He is moving to assisted living and taking only his suitcase. There are hundreds of twenty year old silk and plastic flowers everywhere, thirty bird houses, dozens of cute plaques with sayings on them. 20 Broken little horses set on the fence and much more. Inside is a salt and pepper shaker collection covering the dinning room table, fifty bud vases in the book case and every kind of nic nac you can imagine on any surface or wall space in the house. 
I was laughing and thinking that my kids will be just as overwhelmed when they see in my work shops.


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## Pinky (Mar 3, 2021)

I used to have collections of carousel horses, Wizard of Oz figurines, china dogs of all sizes, cranberry glass, pottery from Australia, fine china cups/saucers .. and more.

A few years ago, I donated it all to a local hospital for their fund-raiser bazaar.

The only thing I can't seem to break myself of, is pierced earring purchases. Especially when I tend to wear only a handful of favourites  

edited to add: I'm collecting books by a personal friend and author. Up to #4 now. I proof-read for her.


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## asp3 (Mar 3, 2021)

I mainly collect music I like, but I don't usually collect specialty music items like colored vinyl or boxed sets.  All the music I collect is for my listening pleasure and most of it is in the form of computer files.

I also have a collection of books by Harlan Ellison.  It isn't complete but it has most of his books and a couple of specialty items such as a Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction issue dedicated to him and his fiction.


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## Lee (Mar 3, 2021)

Fabric....I like to sew, and there is a name for people like me. We are known as a Sable

S  stash
A  acquired 
B  beyond
L  life
E  expentancy


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## Chet (Mar 3, 2021)

I suppose collecting is fine if that's what floats your boat but not myself. Jack Palance the actor, collected art from around the world, and after he passed there was a big sale of his stash. Seems he couldn't take it with him.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 3, 2021)

The only thing I collect is Bella’s poop, three times a day, wrapped carefully in a bag, and deposed of in the appropriate manner as demanded by the laws of state.  Otherwise, I am afraid, Bella might collect it herself which is just totally disgusting.


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## jujube (Mar 3, 2021)

I used to collect Santas and had over a thousand of them, ranging from almost full size to one carved from a grain of rice.  I lost interest after my husband died and I eventually sold 99% of them in an antique store.

Now, all I collect is pounds and inches and dust bunnies.   And aches and pains.  And years.


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## hollydolly (Mar 3, 2021)

I don't collect anything now, but I used to collect Postcards. I have several large books full from all over the world that friends would send or bring back for me.... and I also used to collect Fans... this type... 







 I had so many colours and patterns. At one point I had them up all over one wall in a bedroom.... then I changed that to hats.. but now I don't collect anything


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## JonDouglas (Mar 3, 2021)

Collecting knowledge on how to do/use/apply new things (e.g. tools, machines, computer applications and languages, photo editing software, etc.) gives my brain purpose and exercise.


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## Remy (Mar 3, 2021)

katlupe said:


> I collect ceramic cats in a curio cabinet and translucent vases that I display with fairie lights on top of my kitchen cupboards. I think I collect music CDs too.


Oh no, a competitor.  I have been collecting cat figurines since I was very young. They are harder and harder to find in thrift stores. Probably go quickly also.

Love deer items. Also hard to find.

I try to edit what I buy but I like knickknacks and do seasonal decorating. Spring/summer for 6 months and fall/winter for 6 months. Picked  up some bunny items recently.


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## OneEyedDiva (Mar 3, 2021)

Music, stamps in a way...I don't have them in a special book or anything and clip on earrings (costume jewelry). I also used to collect the folding fans @hollydolly. I'd get the pretty glittery ones, sometimes at dollar stores.


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## HoneyNut (Mar 3, 2021)

Might not count as a collection, but I have been all excited this past year when a new species of bird shows up, I guess I am collecting "sightings".
I read a small book a few years ago that a guy collected a Tardigrade from every county in his state and observed them and wrote the book about them.  I thought that was really a cool project.


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## Jondalar7 (Mar 3, 2021)

Chet said:


> I suppose collecting is fine if that's what floats your boat but not myself. Jack Palance the actor, collected art from around the world, and after he passed there was a big sale of his stash. Seems he couldn't take it with him.


I find it is not about the having but the searching, hunting, the bargain and sharing the adventure of my finds with anyone who will listen. I once shared my collection with the patrons at an open mike night and when I turned on my bellybutton lint collector machine a woman in front fell out of her chair.  It's the sharing that counts!


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## garyt1957 (Mar 4, 2021)

As a kid I collected comic books and Elvis records, then went to sports cards and autographs. I've sold the sports stuff and started on the comic books.


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## Jim W. (Mar 4, 2021)

I've suddenly become a collector of road reflectors aka pavement markers.

These things....



Why?

Because for the past few months I've been making it a point to go out for a daily afternoon walk. 

My daily walk takes me alongside some heavily traveled local thoroughfares upon which these markers are used and which apparently are prone to coming loose and being flung onto the side of the road, etc.

I come along, find them laying there in the grass and for some unfathomable reason, cannot resist picking them up and taking them home with me.

I currently have four of them.

Nowhere near as clean looking as the one in the picture, though.

Mine are all dirty and have a thick coating of some kind of tar adhesive on the back.

I might decide to devote some time and energy to cleaning them up a bit. 

Maybe even try to sell them back to the local highway dept for a buck apiece after I collect a couple of dozen or so.

Oh Lord..... I hope I don't amass a couple of dozen of these things!!!!! 

I've got too much useless junk collecting dust around here as it is!!!!!


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## Chet (Mar 4, 2021)

Jondalar7 said:


> I find it is not about the having but the searching, hunting, the bargain and sharing the adventure of my finds with anyone who will listen. I once shared my collection with the patrons at an open mike night and when I turned on my bellybutton lint collector machine a woman in front fell out of her chair.  It's the sharing that counts!


I get the *searching, hunting, the bargain* thing. That's why I like yard and estate sales but for nothing in particular.


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## MarciKS (Mar 4, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> I don't collect anything now, but I used to collect Postcards. I have several large books full from all over the world that friends would send or bring back for me.... and I also used to collect Fans... this type...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those are beautiful. I have a small collection of masks but they have since been stored away. All the dusting is just too much. I put almost all my knickknacks in storage.


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## Linda (Mar 4, 2021)

*I've collected books my whole life but I started downsizing a couple years ago.  I'm down to a couple hundred now and most of them are in storage bins in a shed in my back yard.  I still look through books at the thrift store and occasionally buy a few.*


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## MarciKS (Mar 4, 2021)

Linda said:


> *I've collected books my whole life but I started downsizing a couple years ago.  I'm down to a couple hundred now and most of them are in storage bins in a shed in my back yard.  I still look through books at the thrift store and occasionally buy a few.*


And I thought I was bad.


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## Jim W. (Mar 4, 2021)

I have a small collection of pocket knives.

I'd like to have more, but I'm too old to start throwing money at something like that.

I used to enjoy watching Cutlery Corner late, late at night/early morning, on one of the home shopping channels.

I think they do a live thing on YouTube, now.


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## mrstime (Mar 5, 2021)

I used to collect ducks, then I sold a few at yard sales. I have several that I will never part with, unless they were really valuable, which I doubt. I collect Southwestern native art, especially pottery, and some of the Northwestern art. I love it all! I collected books for many years and then because of a big move I sold them to a used book store. I kept about a half dozen of my favorites. Then I also collected Taste of home cook books(magazines), recently I gave almost all of them away, a lot of ladies really really liked them and were shocked that I was giving away years and year of them free. They went to good homes I know.


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## Happy Joe (Mar 12, 2021)

Wile experiencing covid/solitary confinement I decided that I needed something to help exercise/maintain my mind/mental agility so I have been collecting three dimensional/"mind bending" puzzles; for lack of any good way to categorize them I decided to do it by the number of pieces; one piece, 2 piece etc...

The one piece is the so called snake cube... How difficult can a one piece puzzle be?  Its a couple of feet long and consists of flexible joints and seems to have only one solution...





the hardest so far for me was/is the so called coaster puzzle (3 pieces)


the newest (next week) will be a star puzzle;


 collecting gives me some thing to look for & look forward to...

My feeling;if you don't use it you'll loose it...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (Mar 12, 2021)

I also collect (and read) books;  ran out of shelf space so I now collect e-books...
Having an e-book collection is relatively boring since it mostly exists in a memory device... it takes essentially no space as its virtual.. Its easy to transport; can carry the library in one hand/pocket...

...collecting real STUFF is much more satisfying. IMO.

Enjoy!


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## Don M. (Mar 12, 2021)

We collected a bunch of Hummel Figurines, years ago.  Back in the 1980's that was quite a fad.  However, that activity seems to have faded quite a bit over the last couple of decades.  Some of these figurines are still worth thousands of dollars....if EBAY is any indicator....but, I kind of doubt that our collection would be worth what we paid.  I suspect that this collection will be something that the kids/grandkids can deal with after we pass.


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## SetWave (Mar 12, 2021)

Long ago (seems like everything was long ago these "daze") I would bring home something I found along the cliff or at the beach; shells, driftwood, various odd and and/or interesting items along with the unavoidable sand and toss them by the front door. After awhile it looked as if the waves had washed them there. Cool.


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## Verisure (Mar 15, 2021)

I don't buy or collect anything. I create. Owning things gives me no pleasure. I creat bonsai trees and when I get tired of one I just give it away or maybe sell it. I put a lot of work and thought and time (years) into making a bonsai tree just the way I want it then after I have succeeded I usually get tired of it after a couple of years. But I am never bored because I have several that I am constantly growing and planning, and I am always experimenting with new ideas.


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## Verisure (Mar 15, 2021)

Jondalar7 said:


> My daughters mother just bought a mobile home ......


Do you mean your ex-wife?


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## Jondalar7 (Mar 15, 2021)

Verisure said:


> Do you mean your ex-wife?


Never did like calling her ex.  Former maybe, First sometimes, but still in my life in some way and i'm still the rock she can count on to always be there for her and the kids.


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## Keesha (Mar 15, 2021)

Jondalar7 said:


> Never did like calling her ex.  Former maybe, First sometimes, but still in my life in some way and i'm still the rock she can count on to always be there for her and the kids.


This is so kind and mature of you. It’s so nice learning of couples that keep this type of relationship even after deciding to split. 
Good for you. Not that you needed my approval 

My collections, buttons, beads, & books. 
And fabric. I didn’t want to ruin the B’s. Lol


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## gloria (Mar 16, 2021)

I collected Snow White and the 7 Dwarf's . Have now given to my Niece.


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## Verisure (Mar 16, 2021)

gloria said:


> I collected Snow White and the 7 Dwarf's . Have now given to my Niece.


I am the 8th. dwarf. The one they never talk about.


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## Jeweltea (Mar 17, 2021)

I collected Jewel Tea Autumn Leaf China which my mother gave me and I filled in with some missing pieces. I also collected quilts. I have antique quilts and some I made myself and even some newer Amish ones. I have not bought any quilts or Autumn Leaf in years though.


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## Jondalar7 (Mar 17, 2021)

Lee said:


> Fabric....I like to sew, and there is a name for people like me. We are known as a Sable
> 
> S  stash
> A  acquired
> ...


Hi Lee
 I sent this to my sister who is a quilter. She quickly assured me that it applies to her. She recently found a pattern she loves and it took 29 different fabrics. She had all but 5 of them in her stash..


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## Marie5656 (Mar 17, 2021)

lia said:


> refrigerator magnets


That is my new thing. I have always had them, but now more so. My apartment door is metal, so I can put magnets there too.


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