We are all collectors at heart. As a child I collected stamps and coins, perhaps emulating my older siblings. But coin collecting was a non-starter then as I knew very few people who had travelled to other countries and had a lot of interesting coins.
Decades later I had my own collection of coins after I could afford to indulge my passion for travel but the interest has waned. I still have coins of currencies that are no longer in use after the adoption of the euro. But I find it difficult to identify many of them.
A friend in a WhatsApp group of old schoolmates recalled being given a glossy paper bag by another whose father travelled abroad often on business. She recalls being very pleased with the gift which was kept for many years. As family members started spreading their wings and moved abroad, their visits home meant a lot of gifts and a lot of colourful glossy plastic bags, which were carefully preserved by my mother.
Met with a blank refusal
Asking her for any of these was met with a blank refusal. These were too good to be used for any frivolous purpose and remained neatly folded in her cupboard. I, too, was guilty of hoarding these until I realised that there were so many other options available such as gift bags and boxes.
Everyone in my family collected books which provided so much pleasure. In fact the only time I was excited by schoolbooks was when they were new and had to be covered with brown paper. The crisp new pages unmarked by grubby fingers was a sight to revel in.
My brothers collected comic books, a hobby taken up by my nephews years later. Their collections have been dropped off at their parents’ place with strict instructions not to dispose of any.
My sister and I loved to spend the afternoons walking in our huge compound, looking for feathers and unusual stones or even beads. We felt adventurous and soon it became a competition to see who found the most interesting objects. Our collections grew as we chanced upon so many intriguing objects which we were convinced were rare finds.
Collector becomes a hoarder
The only drawback of collecting is when the collector becomes a hoarder! Collecting things can be healthy as long as they do not interfere with our use of living space. When collections expand beyond the ability to organise these possessions, we can feel overwhelmed.
Sadly, my sister who was very creative and loved to experiment with different art mediums, was unable to control the impulse to buy art materials, which soon covered every available space in her house. Offers to help her declutter were met with a lack of enthusiasm and even resentment. When she passed, her daughter was left with the unenviable task of clearing up, which was very painful emotionally.
Another sister collects teapots and antique furniture. Luckily, she has a big house which can accommodate all these. According to a recent study, people are more likely to begin a collection when they have more than one of any item.
People also collect things for fun, or nostalgia, connection to a certain historic period or the prestige behind owning the largest collection of something. People also value the belongings of celebrities such as a player’s jersey or memorabilia signed by famous people.
If you have a collection that tells a story, reminds you of a moment in time and makes you feel good, then keep it. An avid collector takes great pleasure in the act of searching for items to add to a collection,
Collecting things can be a stress buster, mood booster and relaxing activity. And there are even those who collect quotes. In the words of Ada Louise Huxtable, “Clutter in its highest and most organised form is called collecting.”
Vanaja Rao is a freelance writer based in Hyderabad, India
