Do you have a collection you love?
Or maybe one you don’t really love, but somehow fell into?
Or maybe you are thinking about starting a collection of something you truly enjoy.
Let’s talk about it.
Collections rarely happen overnight. Most are built slowly over years, unless you are fortunate enough to inherit Aunt Edna’s glass collection. And let’s be honest, that is not reality for most of us.
Building a collection around what you love, without well meaning friends and family gifting you things they think fit, can actually be harder than starting from scratch.
How I Fell Into a Collection I Didn’t Mean to Build
Years ago, I decided I liked a couple of Boyd's Bears, the resin figures, not the plush. That was all it took. Everyone who knew me jumped on that bandwagon, and suddenly every birthday and Christmas included another bear.
If I am honest, I loved some of them a lot. Others, not so much.
I even visited the Boyd’s place in Pennsylvania once and bought a jean jacket there. I have since sold that, because of course I did. But over time, the collection stopped feeling special and started feeling like a burden. I did not love it anymore, and I did not want all of it sitting around.
So I did what any good reseller would do.
I sold it.
Piece by piece, I watched it go. I kept a few, very few, and that felt right. It did not make me sad. I was genuinely glad those pieces went to people who truly appreciated them.
The Shift From Collecting to Curating
Since then, I do not really collect the same way. When you collect, you want to add pieces you love, not items you feel obligated to keep because someone else thought they belonged in your collection.
Now, I am far more intentional.
For me, it is vintage colored glass. Blue, green, and especially purple. I love purple glass. I buy slowly. I buy what speaks to me. And honestly, no one I know really thrifts or antique shops, so I do not receive filler pieces. That works perfectly for me.
A Gentle Truth About Gifting Collections
When you buy for someone else’s collection without their input, you are taking a risk. The piece might be loved, or it might quietly head to donation or resale.
That is not a lack of appreciation. It is about taste, style, and how someone wants to live with their things.
If you are adding to someone else’s collection, try this:
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Get their input
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Be sneaky, be bold, or be honest
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Make sure it is something they actually want to add
Collections should bring joy. Not guilt, obligation, or clutter.
Sometimes the most thoughtful thing you can do is let someone curate their own story.