Pursuing your Passions with Self Storage: Collectibles – from Stamps to Supercars

CATCHING THE COLLECTING BUG

Tom Hanks and typewriters; Rod Stewart and model trains; Madonna and art, Claudia Schiffer and … insects … yes, you heard that right!

Sometimes celebs have hobbies just like us – they’re collectors. Whether it’s small stuff like mugs, stamps, coins or vinyl, or bigger ticket items like classic cars or antique furniture, our collectables are items of great joy and bring untold value to our lives.

WHY DO WE DO IT?

Stashing stuff up for later use is part of human nature, but our reasons for collecting today are very different from days of yore. Today, we collect for pleasure but this in itself can be broken down in a number of ways: 

Learning Curve

Some collectors love to learn more about the objects that they acquire and can become real experts over time.

Keep the Good Times Rolling

Collecting items that we loved as children, that maybe we wanted but couldn’t afford then, can bring us real joy and take us back to a simpler time. Many collectors even began their passion as children and it’s become a link that has run throughout their whole lives. 

A Gift For The Future

Some collections – think cars, wine, vinyl – even rare toys still in mint condition – can be worth lots of money when sold down the line as these items accrue value over time. A keen eye now could mean a comfortable payout in the future.

Shared Passions

A passion for something can lead us to seek out like-minded collectors to share interests, exchange knowledge and just enjoy collections together.

The Number One Fan

Love of a favourite team, pop band, TV show, movie franchise or characters can lead to a satisfying and interesting lifetime of acquiring posters, merchandise, kit, endorsed items, rarities and more.

The Thrill of the Hunt

For some, the excitement of collecting comes from sourcing and tracking items down, maybe experiencing the excitement of purchasing items at auction. Finding rare artefacts and sometimes pipping another collector to the post in doing so is the driving force behind a continued collecting obsession. 

ACCRUING BENEFITS

Being a collector can also be very good for our mental health. It:

Drives Curiosity

As a collector, the likelihood is that you’re going to want to learn as much as you can about the objects of your passion so you’re going to devote time and effort to researching, reading and asking questions that will satisfy your thirst for knowledge – and turn you into an absolute oracle on your chosen subject!

Sparks creativity

Often our collections visually inspire us and stimulate us visually and mentally which can lead to all sorts of further creativity.

Gets You Organised

Collectors love to keep their items labelled, displayed, catalogued and filed neatly, often in a sequence like date, alphabetical, size or other orders. This takes planning, skill and commitment which can spread out to other areas in our lives and enhance the order of everything, not just the collection. 

Reduces stress

Mentally focusing on your collection can take your mind off other stressors in life. Organising it can be calming, and sharing with others can provide a valuable social outlet. 

Enables Social Interaction

Collectors are always interacting with others, whether it’s something as simple as acquiring a new object or being part of a wider appreciation club or association where people come together in real life or online to share the passion. Some collectors travel far and wide to attend conferences while others are more at home in chat rooms sharing the wealth of knowledge they’ve accrued and enjoying their shared love of their chosen subject.

Brings joy

Being a collector can create a sense of pride and fulfilment, of accomplishment at the knowledge gained through collecting and an overall sense of satisfaction. And it’s there to be enjoyed over and over again. 

WHERE DO WE PUT IT ALL?

A collection needs space. Whether it’s the collected items themselves or the equipment used to obtain them – think detectorist gear, for example, plus all those valuable and fascinating finds. It all needs to go somewhere so that you’re not tripping over it at home or having a nightmare trying to find a place to actually work on it and enjoy.

That place also needs to be secure – your rare whiskies aren’t really suited to being stored in the shed beside the plant food, for example; and for some collections, specific conditions are required such as temperature control for old manuscripts, books, maps or stamps.

A self-storage unit to store your collection is the way to go.

WHY SELF STORAGE FOR YOUR COLLECTION?

Space

It’s your passion, so you need room to display it, to grow it and to simply enjoy it. A self-storage unit provides this outside your home, freeing up valuable space, so that you have room to live, and room to collect. 

Security

Collections over time can really grow in value so you’re going to want to keep them under secure lock and key, and also safe from dangers like fire and flood damage. A self-storage unit is the ideal solution – check out the security offering of your chosen one and benefit from 24-hour surveillance, instant security alerts, coded doors, biometrics etc. meaning more peace of mind for you and the safety of your collection into the future.

Preservation

Delicate items can be under threat if not kept in the correct conditions. At home, there’s the risk of them being broken and within reach of curious hands which could destroy or considerably devalue them. You also might need to keep them safe from light exposure, damp or humidity. A self-storage unit can be carefully selected to preserve these items in optimal conditions ensuring that they stay in mint condition for as long as possible. 

Organisation

Use your self storage unit to file, shelve, alphabetise, stack, label, catalogue and organise your collection exactly how you want it to maximise your enjoyment of all your hard collecting work. Set up shelves, cabinets, secure storage boxes and display cases to your heart’s content and add to your whole collecting experience. 

Accessibility

You’ve worked long and hard to build up your precious treasure trove so you’re going to want to be able to see, experience and add to it whenever you want. Self-storage gives this freedom of accessibility with convenient hours – sometimes even twenty-four hour access so you can get to your equipment, show something off, or just delight in your accomplishment whenever you like. 

KEEP ON COLLECTING WITH SELF STORAGE

Accruing a collection – whether it’s cars or comics – can last a lifetime, and can fill that lifetime with enjoyment and joy. Whether your collection is of monetary or sentimental value – or both – a self storage unit provides a safe space for your precious things to keep them out of harm’s way and in tip-top condition. 

Unlock the freedom of extra space. Get in touch with Storage World today or get a quote online.