Fear of Running Out of Space?

[Concavenator]

Do anyone of you experience or have experienced fear of running out of space at some point?

When I was younger, I remember thinking about something that's rather obvious - if I keep on collecting, a point will be reached in which I'll run out of space. I decided to forget about it, but starting 2 years ago I decided that I wanted to do something about it. And so, the "purge" started. And now I have reached a point in which I no longer feel comfortable selling anything else, because if I did, I would be losing what I consider to be valuable stuff. Though I'm glad I did said purge, as I have more space for stuff I like now, and I really like everything I currently have.

But I wanted to ask you all about this, how do you manage your acquisitions in order to not run out of space? And if you no longer have space or are close to that point: what would you rather do: sell figures to make up for it or creating more space? (buying showcases, cabinets, more shelves...). I know this probably is an inconvenient topic, but I would like to hear your thoughts about it and I think many of us have thought about this, even at some point.

[Duna]

My suggestion is: first, don't sell a figure that you like a lot. I've bought new figures and I felt from the beggining that they didn't "fill" me (and sold them) but I've also recently bought "old outdated figures" like the Carnegies that I like a lot. It still hasn't happened to me that I sold a figure that I regretted to.
Second, it's better to adjust your available space, by adding middle shelves, you'll be doubling your space without crambling figures. Third, you can buy a cabinet, even a small one (there's always room for a small cabinet as I've discovered in my tiny apartment).
And finally, just know your own tastes and you'll have a glimpse of if that will be enought space probable for decades or a few years. For example, if you want to collect, for example, Invicta or WWD or Carnegies or Battat, you know the exact amount of space you'll need. And there won't be any more figures, once you finish, it's over. If you collect Jurassic World, you'll know that they'll be squeezing the saga until the infinite and you'll have to have a large room or be very selective, not knowing which the next figures will be. If you collect every PNSO, Collecta, Safari, Schleich or Papo figure that is released, your collection won't have an end, soon and you'll need to find a better storage solution for it. If you just collect one, two or three figures of these companies a year, and you have your own rules to adquire new figures (for example, only sauropods, not mammals, only in 1:35) you'll have very few to add every year and there's easy room for them.

In my case I though I was going to be out of space last year and I still have room for two years or so at my collecting pace (usually 3 PNSO, 1 Eofauna, 1 Safari a year and some vintage).

[SidB]

Another approach that I use to supplement my usual shelf-based collection space in library units is the following concept employing IKEA picture holders utilized at the top of walls, which makes use of otherwise unusable wall space. Currently I display my large Safari/ Carnegie Safari collection. Previously, my Battat collection found a home there.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

I rotate what I have on display and keep most of my collection in storage. When packed away, it doesn't take up much space. At this point, I feel as though what I have already greatly outweighs what I would like to add to my collection, so I'm not worried too much about space. My fossil collection, on the other hand, requires more care in storage and so is something I'm more worried about running out of space with.

S @SidB That's a great setup. It's a nice balance between shelving and diorama, and works really well in the space. It kind of reminds me of the dioramas in Hester and Chester's gift shop at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

[SidB]

I rotate what I have on display and keep most of my collection in storage. When packed away, it doesn't take up much space. At this point, I feel as though what I have already greatly outweighs what I would like to add to my collection, so I'm not worried too much about space. My fossil collection, on the other hand, requires more care in storage and so is something I'm more worried about running out of space with.

S @SidB That's a great setup. It's a nice balance between shelving and diorama, and works really well in the space. It kind of reminds me of the dioramas in Hester and Chester's gift shop at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Thanks, @Pachyrhinosaurus , I've never been to Hester and Chester's, but I've seen some model railways in hobby shops treated in this same fashion; they were cool and made an impression, so  think that they were the inspiration, and lack of space closer to the ground provided the incentive to look up, way up.

[Faelrin]

See my collection thread (though I think it has been some time since I last updated it). I've pretty much reached that point, but like I'm moving here soon, so that or may not open an opportunity for more space (though my aquarium does use quite a bit of space as well). Worst case I'll need to pick and choose which figures to store or sell in the near future. At the very least I want the film canon Mattel stuff (such as the new Hammond Collection releases), my BotM stuff (still have yet to open my poor ceratopsians because of the lack of space + moving, never mind the future Yutyrannus, etc), and the bulk of what is on my bookcase display currently.

I also share my bed currently with my Mattel JW Brachiosaurus, Apatosaurus, and Mosasaurus on the side closest to the wall or at the foot of it. And probably the future upcoming Dreadnoughtus, aside from a bunch of stuffed animals, such as the Paleozoic Pals. I'm short and keep a room to myself (and I don't date), so it works out, and still leaves me (and my new cat) plenty of room to sleep comfortably.

S @SidB I too think that's a great display. Very nifty to have come up with that.

[SidB]

Thank you, @Faelrin .

[Concavenator]

@Duna that's very good advice. You're so right in that if you collect discontinued lines you know how many space you'll need, though that doesn't apply to me as I don't collect vintage figures (and I'm very selective with what I get, I'm not a completist by any means). However I think I really should set limits as to how many acquisitions to make.

The mid shelves idea is great, from what I saw in your collection thread, it works brilliantly for you in the DETOLF but for the moment I'm not too sure I would go with it just yet, because now I have very few figures (I went very strictly on my "purge"). I would strongly consider it if I see I'm running out of space, but in my case, I no longer have this issue. Also, my family isn't as passionate about dinosaurs as I am, so they tell me to keep my dinosaurs at my room lol. And I don't have space for even a small cabinet in my room. However, I plan to move from my house at some point (hopefully not too far away!). When I do I will without a doubt get a showcase and display my collection there. I really like the DETOLF and particularly the BESTA.

S @SidB as others have said, that's a very clever use of space, and it looks very nice!

@Pachyrhinosaurus clearly if you store part of your collection the space issue is controlled. Though there are some people (me included) for which storing defeats the purpose of collecting (if you buy something that's supposed to go on display yet it goes to storage, what's the point in buying it?)

@Faelrin yep I saw your collection thread, you have a massive collection indeed (compared to mine's anyways lol). Since I see you also use shelves, have you thought about installing mid shelves, as @Duna suggests? In any case, hopefully you'll have more space when you move.

[SidB]

@Concavenator , once again, IKEA comes through!

[Creature]

I definitely worry about space! Especially since my taste often runs toward larger models. I'm in the process of moving, so everything from all collections will be packed up for a while, but I'd love to eventually have a place with room for a number of large shelves, or large curio cabinets.

[SidB]

Space sometimes materializes in unexpected locations. A window side planter box between two display areas presented an opportunity to link them together, while adding another element to the changing contents of the planter:

[SidB]

Objects originally intended for quite different purposes can serve the collector well, and look good in the process:

[ceratopsian]

Those shallow glass (plastic?) dishes are perfect for repurposing. Absolutely live them. Wonderful idea for coralline the white sand. (If that's what it is!)

Good to see someone else here grows cacti and other succulents!

[SidB]

Those shallow glass (plastic?) dishes are perfect for repurposing. Absolutely live them. Wonderful idea for coralline the white sand. (If that's what it is!)

Good to see someone else here grows cacti and other succulents!

Glass, actually, so they're fairly heavy. I just got back from Arizona, including a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden. Fabulous!

[ceratopsian]

The one in Phoenix?  I visited that once on a trip to Arizona but way back in the mid-1990s!

Those shallow glass (plastic?) dishes are perfect for repurposing. Absolutely live them. Wonderful idea for coralling the white sand. (If that's what it is!)

Good to see someone else here grows cacti and other succulents!

Glass, actually, so they're fairly heavy. I just got back from Arizona, including a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden. Fabulous!

[SidB]

The one in Phoenix?  I visited that once on a trip to Arizona but way back in the mid-1990s!

Those shallow glass (plastic?) dishes are perfect for repurposing. Absolutely live them. Wonderful idea for coralling the white sand. (If that's what it is!)

Good to see someone else here grows cacti and other succulents!

Glass, actually, so they're fairly heavy. I just got back from Arizona, including a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden. Fabulous!

Yes, it was Phoenix; 23 degrees celsius and sunny -

[ceratopsian]

Thank you, S @SidB! Rather more clement temperature than when I visited one June. It was around 100F!

[SidB]

Thank you, S @SidB! Rather more clement temperature than when I visited one June. It was around 100F!

Yikes!

[Mellow Stego]

Thank you, S @SidB! Rather more clement temperature than when I visited one June. It was around 100F!

Yikes!

Oh yeah, I live in Southern Arizona, but near some mountains so we have some good weather here. Tons of snow birds actually.

As for Phoenix that place can be unbearable during summer months. I remember going there to watch the Diamond  Backs play in a nice air conditioned stadium. The game ended around 9pm and was still over 100 degrees outside.

[Mellow Stego]

Double post