My entire collection before moving

David, I wish I was more disciplined in my buying ... my collection grew to enormous size, now I am stuck managing hundreds and hundreds of items ... there is a point when the fun of collecting is overwhelmed by the burden of inventory management ...

@chav

I seem to be facing that dilemma now as well. When I moved 3 years ago, my collection was a bit overwhelming. It took 3 or 4 trips in my pickup to move my models, and nearly 4 months to pack them up. Now that I am finally starting to open them up and redisplay, I've reached a tough decision, some of them have got to go. It is time to downsize, although I haven't yet decided in what way that will take place. I have the future to consider too, my sons and grandsons are only interested in a very small part of my collection. I have to decide what will happen to the rest. 

It's been a while since your post, but I'd like to add some information. Your collection looks amazing! It must feel bittersweet to pack everything up before moving. I know how attached we get to our stuff. Each piece probably has its own story, right? If you need help with the move, I’d recommend checking out discountmoving.ca . They know how to make things easier and stress-free. Moving can be such a hassle, but having the right support can change everything. Plus, you’ll be able to focus more on your new place and less on the chaos of packing. Can’t wait to see how you set everything up in your new home! Best of luck with the move, and keep us updated on how it goes!

I'm in that same boat. My grandsons are interested in the Muscle cars, not so much the 50's or the trucks. My wife says she would be at wits end trying to sort, box and sell them. My buddy Curt gets access to pick the ones he wants. 

I have over 70 large cardboard boxes holding all the model boxes.   With well over 1000 cars, I will probably start selling them off in the next 5-10 years as none of my kids want them, and my wife definitely does not want them.  I will probably try to narrow them down and keep some.  Even though I just ordered 2 more Billy bookshelves from Ikea to be able to showcase the cars better. I will enjoy them while I have them.

Here it kind of goes again.  What happens to my car collection when I die?  I'm going to be 73 years old in September, so I've certainly reached the age that I realize that the road in front of me is a lot shorter than the one behind me. 

My car collection is of no concern or value to my kids and being honest, my wife either.  I've settled on the mind-set that I'm not going to downsize or sell any of my collection.  I'm going to continue to enjoy the collection until I've left the planet! 

And though I'd like the kids and/or my wife to see a value in the collection, I'm not going to be concerned while enjoying my collection that they don't or won't.  So should they not want to take or make the effort to move the collection along when I'm gone, I'll be gone, so it's not my worry. 

I really think there is too much thought that goes in to "what will happen to it?".  I've concluded that I can't take anything with me when I leave, nor do want to or need to.  So my advice to everyone here, just quit worrying about it and enjoy your little cars.  

@georgeschire 

I agree George. I am 55 years old and started only 5 years ago collecting. But it's my hobby right now and it gives me pleasure right now. I am not collecting for my kids, cause I have non. One room of our house is completely reserved for cars and if I want I have 2 more rooms that can be filled. My wife likes the cars too. She builds 1:24 scale houses, so there is a.connection... What I am trying to say is, that this is the way we want to spend our free time beside other hobbies. And I agree with you, I am not worried about what happens with my collection when I am gone, cause it gives me joy right now. And I could be gone tomorrow or when I am 99. So age shouldnt be the reason to start a collection or to downsize it. Everything is administrated , insured and when we are both gone, it will be auctioned and go to some charity program or so. 

@georgeschire 

I like your attitude, George.  I'll be 73 on 7/31 and though I keep thinking I should begin selling my collection, I just can't do it and continue to buy, but at a much slower pace.

My only real concern is leaving my family with a room full of models and displays.

Posted by: @whodeytink

@georgeschire 

I like your attitude, George.  I'll be 73 on 7/31 and though I keep thinking I should begin selling my collection, I just can't do it and continue to buy, but at a much slower pace.

My only real concern is leaving my family with a room full of models and displays.

Well when I die, I guarantee there will be a room filled with diecast cars.  And in the scheme of it all, what the family does with it, if they don't want it, will not be of any concern to me.  Nor will anything else I owned.  Once I'm gone, they are no longer mine.    

At 84 I have thought many times that I should be selling off my collection of 6,000 plus models. I have so many boxes in my garage that take up so much space, I could place another 1/1 scale collector car in there. If I were to start mating my model cars to their boxes it would take years, and frankly, I've got better things to do with my time. My wife also enjoys the cars and tells me if you enjoy them why would you sell them? We have no kids so whatever happens when I'm gone is spelled out in my will and the executer of our estate.

This whole subject can be easily avoided by living to be older than dirt.   

@jack-dodds 

I agree with you. If I packed up my entire collection of cars, trucks, planes, and trains (locomotives and freight cars), it would fill a similar number of boxes as David V showed at beginning of this post. I am also up there in years, and no family member will be interested in them.  I quit worrying about what happens to the models and just enjoy them.

Posted by: @georgeschire

 I'm going to continue to enjoy the collection until I've left the planet!   

I really think there is too much thought that goes in to "what will happen to it?".  I've concluded that I can't take anything with me when I leave, nor do want to or need to.  So my advice to everyone here, just quit worrying about it and enjoy your little cars.  

Very well said, George, and advice that I will follow! I'm going to show your entire post to my wife and son as well. Really great, George! 👏

Posted by: @georgeschire

So my advice to everyone here, just quit worrying about it and enjoy your little cars.  

valid point George. Here in Melbourne we have a large dedicated purpose built motor apprentices/diploma school. Its a newly built high tech building near the CBD. I have tentatively offered the collection to them but still need to speak to the right person. The bequest would include all custom made wheeled showcases and easily removable wall cases. If they dont want them then yep, the executor can sort it all out!

Posted by: @chav

David, I wish I was more disciplined in my buying ... my collection grew to enormous size, now I am stuck managing hundreds and hundreds of items ... there is a point when the fun of collecting is overwhelmed by the burden of inventory management ...

Hey Chav, hope all is well. How is the Delahaye build going?