People collect things for many different reasons. For some it is a hobby, others are continuing a family tradition and many do it to make money. If you would like to start your own collection, first decide what you want to collect and why. For example there would be no point in collecting restaurant napkins because you think it will make you millions. Aiming to get rich is a risky reason to begin a collection, there are no guarantees that you will be in profit and you could end up losing cash.

To make money from a collection you have to acquire something which other people desire and will pay for. Art and antiques can be very prosperous but often need a high investment in the first place. Unless you consider yourself to be an expert in your chosen field, it would be wise to steer away from collecting anything with the sole aim of making money.

If you want to start a collection as a hobby, or because you are passionate about something, then it is very easy to get started. If you don’t know what you would like to collect, begin by writing a list of things that you’re interested in.

Top Tip: think of objects which you have always been fascinated by, whether it is china dolls, foreign coins, or postcards. Go through the list and cross out anything that would be too difficult to get hold of or is out of your financial reach. Make the final decision by looking through your options and deciding which would be the most satisfying and fun.

Keep an eye out wherever you go for items which would add to your collection. Start regularly attending car boot and jumble sales as well as charity shops. Ask your friends and family to look through their belongings to see if they have anything which would be relevant – if they know what you are collecting they might also spot things for you.

The internet is a brilliant tool for collectors, with many sites dedicated to particular collector’s items. Search online and browse through the different items available to buy, or even check out forums to talk to other collectors who share your passion.
Make a start by checking out the sites below.

World Collectors Net is a brilliant site which has hundreds of categories of different collectible items as well as message boards to communicate with like minded collectors.

Collectors Club Of Great Britain offers information on upcoming antique & collectors fairs, auctions and listings of regional collectors clubs. There is also an online forum which enables you to chat with other collectors.

Ebay is also a brilliant tool to use to make sure you are not paying too much for something in particular. Make sure you regularly check Ebay and similar bidding sites as new pieces are auctioned every week.

You should also make some room in your home for your collection or buy some appropriate storage solutions for your new artefacts. For typically collected items such as stamps, coins, die-cast cars etc there are a range of special containers to keep your pieces in. If you are collecting ornaments, toys or dolls decide whether or not you want to display them, and create an appropriate space or shelving accordingly. There are more ideas on how to store collectibles in the Tips and Tricks section of our blog.

If you need to make more space for your new hobby, or need somewhere secure to store any valuable collector’s items you may get your hands on, visit Big Yellow Self Storage in store or online. You can rent our self storage rooms for as little as a week, month, year or as long as you like. And you only have to give us seven days notice when you want to leave. Visit Quote & Reserve Online today to find out more.