Disorganized Collection and no time

[Kevin]

A few months ago, there was discussion here about an episode of American Pickers. Some guy was trying to sell 1950s cards. I didn't see the episode, but the general consensus on net54 was: "Holy Hannah, the way that collection is organized [or disorganized] is giving me anxiety."

I am collecting T206, C46, 1950 Bowman baseball and football and have more than enough 1955 Bowmans to say I'm collecting that set as well. The issue, these cards are NOT organized in ANY fashion. They once were. I left them at my parents' house in 1994 and brought them there after I made purchases. I set up shop at my home in 2014, settled down, but never felt comfortable bringing them to my house.

I now have a completely disorganized mess. Retirement is 4.5 years away (March 2030). My son's baseball life with travel and practice takes up a lot of weekend time. I also have a second evening job.

I think I'd pay someone to help me organize this. I'm not sure where to start. And what exactly do I do with Preacher Roe or Ralph Kiner cards that don't fit into my collection? lol

[DrSatanis]

Originally Posted by Kevin

A few months ago, there was discussion here about an episode of American Pickers. Some guy was trying to sell 1950s cards. I didn't see the episode, but the general consensus on net54 was: "Holy Hannah, the way that collection is organized [or disorganized] is giving me anxiety."

I am collecting T206, C46, 1950 Bowman baseball and football and have more than enough 1955 Bowmans to say I'm collecting that set as well. The issue, these cards are NOT organized in ANY fashion. They once were. I left them at my parents' house in 1994 and brought them there after I made purchases. I set up shop at my home in 2014, settled down, but never felt comfortable bringing them to my house.

I now have a completely disorganized mess. Retirement is 4.5 years away (March 2030). My son's baseball life with travel and practice takes up a lot of weekend time. I also have a second evening job.

I think I'd pay someone to help me organize this. I'm not sure where to start. And what exactly do I do with Preacher Roe or Ralph Kiner cards that don't fit into my collection? lol

Sounds like you're close to a major restructuring of the collection with a lot of life events happening at once.

While mine's not retirement (lucky you, mines divorce LOL). The major life change is really helping me trim the fat as it were.

I'm trying (poorly) to limit my purchases to pieces that finish projects, not just "oooo that's pretty I want!" If it doesn't make sense in the collection, it doesn't get purchased.

Same can be said for my other collections. I've shifted from "I want to have the biggest/best collection in the world" to "my son is going to have to deal with this when I die. Do I want this to be difficult for him or easy?"

My biggest shift has been trimming the fat, keeping only what makes sense for the collection. A lot of my stuff I've passed on to other collectors for dirt cheap (don't get me going) just to get it to a manageable level.

Spreadsheets have become my friend! Thanks Excel!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by DrSatanis

Sounds like you're close to a major restructuring of the collection with a lot of life events happening at once.

While mine's not retirement (lucky you, mines divorce LOL). The major life change is really helping me trim the fat as it were.

I'm trying (poorly) to limit my purchases to pieces that finish projects, not just "oooo that's pretty I want!" If it doesn't make sense in the collection, it doesn't get purchased.

Same can be said for my other collections. I've shifted from "I want to have the biggest/best collection in the world" to "my son is going to have to deal with this when I die. Do I want this to be difficult for him or easy?"

My biggest shift has been trimming the fat, keeping only what makes sense for the collection. A lot of my stuff I've passed on to other collectors for dirt cheap (don't get me going) just to get it to a manageable level.

Spreadsheets have become my friend! Thanks Excel!

I agree. I don't know Excel almost at all but I can put numbers in boxes.

I suggest take each card and put it in a spreadsheet. Then make a pile of your cards you have put on it. Then organize them one by one.

It's like the saying says, How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Edited to add, if you have no time, then hire someone to do it for you or find a friend to do it for free

.

[Knightlax5]

Originally Posted by Kevin

A few months ago, there was discussion here about an episode of American Pickers. Some guy was trying to sell 1950s cards. I didn't see the episode, but the general consensus on net54 was: "Holy Hannah, the way that collection is organized [or disorganized] is giving me anxiety."

I am collecting T206, C46, 1950 Bowman baseball and football and have more than enough 1955 Bowmans to say I'm collecting that set as well. The issue, these cards are NOT organized in ANY fashion. They once were. I left them at my parents' house in 1994 and brought them there after I made purchases. I set up shop at my home in 2014, settled down, but never felt comfortable bringing them to my house.

I now have a completely disorganized mess. Retirement is 4.5 years away (March 2030). My son's baseball life with travel and practice takes up a lot of weekend time. I also have a second evening job.

I think I'd pay someone to help me organize this. I'm not sure where to start. And what exactly do I do with Preacher Roe or Ralph Kiner cards that don't fit into my collection? lol

How many cards do you have? If its within a few hours of Charlotte NC I would be more than happy to take a day and help

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I am collecting T206, C46, 1950 Bowman baseball and football and have more than enough 1955 Bowmans to say I'm collecting that set as well. The issue, these cards are NOT organized in ANY fashion.

I now have a completely disorganized mess. Retirement is 4.5 years away (March 2030). My son's baseball life with travel and practice takes up a lot of weekend time. I also have a second evening job.

I think I'd pay someone to help me organize this. I'm not sure where to start.

I simply don't understand. You must have liked the cards to buy them. And if you like the cards, you must like looking at them. So what's the problem with gathering them up and at least sorting them by kind? And then sorting them by year and then number?

And if you find that you no longer like or want to collect some of the cards, those are the ones you let go, i.e sell. Plus you'll probably find doubles you can let go while sorting through your cards.

But if you think you can't find the time, you don't actually need to WATCH even baseball games on TV. Tune into game broadcasts on the radio while sorting through your cards. It's the same for the news. Radio will do.

[Balticfox]

My ultimate organizational tool - Ultra-Pro sheets in a D-Ring binder:

[Kutcher55]

Isn't organizing a big part of the fun?

[mortimer brewster]

Sounds like this would be a neat retirement project. 2030 is not too far away. Just put the cards away until then and deal with other life's happenings.

[BioCRN]

If you have space to leave it out to come and go, just start somewhere and eventually piles will become sorted into smaller piles and then into some kind of order.

Unless you have severe time or focus issues pulling you in other directions it tends to come together doing it when you can and want to...

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Kutcher55

Isn't organizing a big part of the fun?

I agree. If actually "collecting", things aren't bought just to be immediately put aside and forgotten. A good start for Kevin would be to buy a half dozen or so card boxes (or even empty cookie tins) and sort through one pile/one drawer putting each card in a box with ones from the same set.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Balticfox

My ultimate organizational tool - Ultra-Pro sheets in a D-Ring binder

Most of my stuff doesn't fit in a binder, so MY ultimate organizational tools are Itoya folders

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I think I'd pay someone to help me organize this. I'm not sure where to start.

If you are looking at your collection as a chore, you might want to reconsider why, exactly, you are participating in the hobby. It should be fun to you, not work. You should look forward to enjoying your stuff, not seeing it as an intimidating task.

Originally Posted by mortimer brewster

Sounds like this would be a neat retirement project. 2030 is not too far away. Just put the cards away until then and deal with other life's happenings.

This. Just pile up all your cards, keep them safe and out of sight, focus on your family and work priorities now, and look forward to the day when you can, at your leisure, take your time and enjoy going through it all. By then you'll have forgotten what all you have, so it'll be like a treasure hunt.

Main thing - I think you should consider your attitude towards your collection and enjoy it more.

[ClementeFanOh]

Kevin- I feel your pain! I love acquiring cards (and comics), and I most
definitely do NOT enjoy organizing them (I don't much care for cleaning
windows or dusting either, it's drudgery).

Recently, I began the process of narrowing my focus points in both sports
cards and comics. I am trading/selling items that are outside my main
interests, to acquire bigger ticket items that are inside my interests. That's
one way to trim the fat.

I have an idea to some day take a solid week to clean up my collection. It's
simply not a priority now. Heck, when I'm looking for a specific card I often
find an item I forgot I own- it's like acquiring it all over again, and it reminds
me of the joy of collecting.

Trent King

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by Kutcher55

Isn't organizing a big part of the fun?

Yes it is

[Balticfox]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I am collecting T206, C46, 1950 Bowman baseball and football and have more than enough 1955 Bowmans to say I'm collecting that set as well.

And what exactly do I do with Preacher Roe or Ralph Kiner cards that don't fit into my collection?

So I count only six categories including miscellaneous. That doesn't seem to be such an intimidating task.

[DrSatanis]

Originally Posted by Mark17

If you are looking at your collection as a chore, you might want to reconsider why, exactly, you are participating in the hobby. It should be fun to you, not work. You should look forward to enjoying your stuff, not seeing it as an intimidating task.



This. Just pile up all your cards, keep them safe and out of sight, focus on your family and work priorities now, and look forward to the day when you can, at your leisure, take your time and enjoy going through it all. By then you'll have forgotten what all you have, so it'll be like a treasure hunt.

Main thing - I think you should consider your attitude towards your collection and enjoy it more.

I'm doing the same with television...I haven't seen a good show since 2000. As soon as I turn 70 I'm watching everything, starting with Breaking Bad LOL.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by DrSatanis

I'm doing the same with television...I haven't seen a good show since 2000. As soon as I turn 70 I'm watching everything, starting with Breaking Bad LOL.

I would also recommend binge watching Longmire and Monk. From today until you turn 70 you can look forward to doing that.

[DrSatanis]

Originally Posted by Mark17

I would also recommend binge watching Longmire and Monk. From today until you turn 70 you can look forward to doing that.

Darn I already finished Monk. A whole life wasted!

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by DrSatanis

Darn I already finished Monk. A whole life wasted!

By the time you turn 70 your memory will be fading away, so you can watch it again! That's the upside to dementia. And you can enjoy a good chuckle at the same jokes, over and over again. It's like everything becomes a new experience.

[DrSatanis]

Originally Posted by Mark17

By the time you turn 70 your memory will be fading away, so you can watch it again! That's the upside to dementia. And you can enjoy a good chuckle at the same jokes, over and over again. It's like everything becomes a new experience.

Sir I am a father I've got that skill on lock! lol

[Beercan collector]

Monk is worthy of repeat viewings

[Kevin]

I definitely appreciate the feedback and I enjoyed the PM's. You are all very generous with your time. My T206 google drive spread sheet crashed, but Jay (The Monster podcast) sent me his, so that's good. I have a 1950 Bowman baseball and C46 spreadsheet. I really need to make the 1950 football and 1955 baseball spread sheet. Then get them in binders.

Not sure if I can carve some time for this with all the kids' activities and my wife's recent surgery. But I'll do by best. I'll keep you posted.

[Leon]

It's always our pleasure to tell people what we think.

Sometimes, life gets in the way of cards. It happens. I think you will be just fine whichever way you go. It's usually a marathon and not a sprint. Good luck with everything.

Originally Posted by Kevin

I definitely appreciate the feedback and I enjoyed the PM's. You are all very generous with your time. My T206 google drive spread sheet crashed, but Jay (The Monster podcast) sent me his, so that's good. I have a 1950 Bowman baseball and C46 spreadsheet. I really need to make the 1950 football and 1955 baseball spread sheet. Then get them in binders.

Not sure if I can carve some time for this with all the kids' activities and my wife's recent surgery. But I'll do by best. I'll keep you posted.