How to Organize a Collection
Ask yourself how you want to see your collection., Categorize., Invest in accessories., Mix and match., Be creative!, Track your collection.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ask yourself how you want to see your collection.
If you want to display your collection you will want to have some form of presentation to avoid just lining things up in a row (though sometimes that's the best way to go).
Do you want you collection to look creative or do you just want it to be displayed for the purpose of organization? If you are collecting figurines, do you want your characters to be in action poses and dioramas, or do you want them in categorized rows? -
Step 2: Categorize.
If you want everything to be neat, you can organize your collection into categories.
For example, you can display your state coin collection by year they came out.
This will give your collection a cool "museum-like" look.
If you have action figures, you can recreate scenes from the appropriate TV show or movie.
Make sure you have appropriate boundaries between scenes to avoid making your collection look like a jumbled mess. , Consider putting some funds into:
Display stands.
For collections with large objects, (figurines, porcelain, models) use stands and risers to provide more space and provide a better look.
Shelves.
For any collection, shelves can be used if cabinet, table or desk space is not available.
These also help elevate your collection to eye level making them easier to look at.
Card/coin books.
If displaying your collection to yourself and not outsiders your goal, you should consider buying coin or card books with plastic pockets to protect and cleanly display your collection.
Tables, desks and cabinets.
These will be your main form of displaying along with shelves.
Tables and desk provide plenty of space to lay out comics, create dioramas, place model trains etc. , To create more presentation and to make it look like you have a lot more items, mix and match the items in your collection.
Don't just keep your posters in one place and your comics in another.
Create tribute shelves to your favorite football player or line up three rare comics behind a cool-looking Spider-Man figure.
Be creative in doing this, you can add collectible stickers or other odd-ball items around your centerpiece on a shelf to add background. , If none of the above works, you can find other ways of putting shelves and tables to fit your collection.
Consider devoting an entire room or wall to your collection so you have some idea of the amount of space you have.
Look at other peoples collections to get inspired. , Keeping a list of what you have and what you want is a great way to ensure that you don't accidentally buy duplicates or forget about the items that you'd love to have.
The most basic way to track your collection is with software like Microsoft Word or Excel.
Depending on what you collect, though, there are websites that might cater to your specific tastes. -
Step 3: Invest in accessories.
-
Step 4: Mix and match.
-
Step 5: Be creative!
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Step 6: Track your collection.
Detailed Guide
If you want to display your collection you will want to have some form of presentation to avoid just lining things up in a row (though sometimes that's the best way to go).
Do you want you collection to look creative or do you just want it to be displayed for the purpose of organization? If you are collecting figurines, do you want your characters to be in action poses and dioramas, or do you want them in categorized rows?
If you want everything to be neat, you can organize your collection into categories.
For example, you can display your state coin collection by year they came out.
This will give your collection a cool "museum-like" look.
If you have action figures, you can recreate scenes from the appropriate TV show or movie.
Make sure you have appropriate boundaries between scenes to avoid making your collection look like a jumbled mess. , Consider putting some funds into:
Display stands.
For collections with large objects, (figurines, porcelain, models) use stands and risers to provide more space and provide a better look.
Shelves.
For any collection, shelves can be used if cabinet, table or desk space is not available.
These also help elevate your collection to eye level making them easier to look at.
Card/coin books.
If displaying your collection to yourself and not outsiders your goal, you should consider buying coin or card books with plastic pockets to protect and cleanly display your collection.
Tables, desks and cabinets.
These will be your main form of displaying along with shelves.
Tables and desk provide plenty of space to lay out comics, create dioramas, place model trains etc. , To create more presentation and to make it look like you have a lot more items, mix and match the items in your collection.
Don't just keep your posters in one place and your comics in another.
Create tribute shelves to your favorite football player or line up three rare comics behind a cool-looking Spider-Man figure.
Be creative in doing this, you can add collectible stickers or other odd-ball items around your centerpiece on a shelf to add background. , If none of the above works, you can find other ways of putting shelves and tables to fit your collection.
Consider devoting an entire room or wall to your collection so you have some idea of the amount of space you have.
Look at other peoples collections to get inspired. , Keeping a list of what you have and what you want is a great way to ensure that you don't accidentally buy duplicates or forget about the items that you'd love to have.
The most basic way to track your collection is with software like Microsoft Word or Excel.
Depending on what you collect, though, there are websites that might cater to your specific tastes.
About the Author
Nancy Brooks
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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