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Hey, before you guys read this post, just keep in mind that I'm mostly venting and asking for a bit of advice. I'm not condemning the hobby, nor am I personally attacking anyone who doesn't necessarily agree with me. Again, just sort of venting and asking for opinions.

Yesterday, I decided to take pictures of my collection to post on another website's collection forum. After I photographed my main display, I decided to take out some of the figures that I've had in storage for the past 6 months to take pictures of them. After having taken pictures of them and gotten a good count, I've realized that I have almost 500 figures on display, and another FOUR HUNDRED in storage. Four hundred figures that I'll probably never put out on display. Then, looking at my display, I realized that almost half of the figures I actually DO have out...I only bought for the hell of it or just bragging rights.

My wife came in the room and saw all the figures I had packed up and she just made a passing comment like, "Wow, you sure have a lot!" Not in a judgemental voice, just sort of in a surprised voice. Hearing this kind of made me think about selling off the majority of my figures. But there was this little voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me not to. I mean, I have doubles of figures that I don't even care too much about, but it's almost like I have a hoarding mentality. This sort of lets me know that I should cool my jets before it gets out of control.

However, I'm very hesitant to sell off these figures. Despite the fact that they're not displayed, and probably will never be properly displayed, I feel an emotional connection to them. The high that you feel when you finally get that new figure and transform it is still there...but for some reason, I don't have the desire to display them and I have a little feeling that if I don't stop, this hobby could eventually pose a problem and overwhelm me. There are so many cool things about many of these figures, but if I keep them, they'll take over my ENTIRE room, and eventually, maybe even 2 rooms.

I know it's been a long rant, so I'll sum it up here (tl;dr). I have A LOT of figures and most can't even be displayed (and probably will never be displayed). I know I should probably sell them off, but I can't get rid of that tiny emotional connection that I have with EACH of my figures. Anyone have any advice on what I should do? What would you do? Has this ever happened to anyone else in the fandom?

I think all of us with large collection go through this at some point. I have approx 1500 figures with about half on display and the rest packed away in storage bins. Personally, I decided not to sell and keep, which I'm glad I did now that the moment has passed.

As someone who started thinning out their collection a year ago, I'd like to offer you some insight: Selling your toys is a pain in the ass.

First, if you start a sales thread, the majority of your stuff will sit there for months. Selling toys isn't instant cash.

Two, most collectors I've dealt with are class acts, but the ones that aren't will make you want track their IP addresses, bus down to their houses, knock on their door, politely ask for "optimus617" and then punch them in the dick.

Third, it's time consuming. Bumping threads, answering e-mails, confirming sales, boxing things up, taking things to the post office. It can become a part-time job.

However, if you decide to go through and sell off chunks of your collection... congrats! You'll discover that you'll have more space for the stuff you like, more cash to buy exclusives, and, in my case, a happier spouse. I found it easiest to sell stuff in chunks (all of Animated; all Alternators; all Cybertron - save Movie 1 Mudflap). Good luck on your decision.

When in doubt, keep them all!

I mean, it's not like you're running out of room, right? And if you're feeling that guilty about it, start taking some out of storage and play with them, social conventions be damned.

Well, if a part of you wants to free up space but it's at war with other, perhaps there can be some sort of balancing act. If you have doubles, start there. Sell or donate the duplicates.

You don't have to get rid of everything in haste. Take it slow and easy if you wish. Out of 900 figures, even negating the doubles, there are bound to be some you don't have an emotional connection to, they've just been around forever and you've gotten used to them being there. So while you're in this state of "I have too much" go through and separate the figures - the ones you cherish from the ones you don't / the figures you only kinda-sorta like. Then you can think about selling or donating a few of them each month (ex: 1-5 figures). This way it's more of slow transition into getting rid of things rather then filling a box and throwing it on ebay as quickly as possible and regretting it later.

I find it helps when you have them in a place where you know you've made the decision they're to be sold. Sometimes you pull things out because you change your mind, but I find most stay in the bin and have their allotted fate. I will admit though it happens on a different scale for me. I don't have anywhere near as many Transformers as you. What I have are three FULL bins of miscellaneous toys from when I was a kid. Things I've hoarded in the sense that most haven't been played with in 10-15 years. So when my grandparents have yard sale, which usually happens once a year, I go through pick out two dozen or so things from those bins to bring out to sell. Last year I got rid of 8 Polly Pockets from the mid 90's. A little sad to see them go because I loved them as child, but knowing that other enthusiastic kids got them made me happy. Especially the one little girl who loved them so much she couldn't decide which one she wanted more (her aunt actually came back a short time later and secretly bought her the other one ). And you know, I've never truly regretted selling anything at any of the yard sales (or donating the left overs). It might be a little sad to see them go but it quickly turns into a shrug of the shoulders because I'd made the decision to sell them days ahead of time.

It's totally up to you what you do of course. This is just a method I use to get rid of things I find I'm only keeping because of nostalgia.

im glad i read this fr future reference. I'm at 500 Tfs now and when i have 1000+ I'm not selling. any. no matter what.

Dude just keep them. Your dilemma will pass; just give it a few days. These have more value than money alone. As long as you have the space, you have Transformers! Also, you may want to simply buy figures that you really want and restrict the ones you think you ought to have for bragging rights as you said. Just a few thoughts.

lots of disadvantaged kids out there. you could donate them to good will. or my wife is a nurse so what I do is bake up a few hundred cookies and go down to the hospital and make some sick kids day with a few cookies and a toy.

opps double post......so got any gum.

I know what you mean. I have a 5 shelf bookcase downstairs that houses my favorite stuff. Then I have another 5 shelf bookcase upstairs that holds most of the other stuff. Then I have a box of stuff that doesn't see the light of day. I don't want to sell the box, but I don't display it either. I keep thinking, since I don't display them, would I rather just have the money?

Every time I go into that room I think about selling those figures. I just never do.