Who knows about your collection?

[TequilaMockingbird]

This topic was introduced by Jenna on the IMP forum and I thought it was a fun topic to discuss here as well!

Who knows about your collection?

Other than my fiancé I don't talk to anyone outside the forum about my collection. My mom does know that I still collect these since I was a kid but not that I actively acquire them like I do. My fiancé is as supportive as an outsider can be I guess. He doesn't really get it (in fact I think he would be shocked to know just how extensive my collection was let alone how much money I've spent over the past few years….) But I give him credit for trying.

What about you?

[8Caroline8]

My boyfriend 6 + years knows, and he actually thinks it's really cool! He will remind me if i forget about an auction,just stuff like that. I can also talk to him about it when i am really excited that i found something! I want to collect them because they don't make toys like this anymore. I hope someday to give them to my kids (when i have them) to play with! Sounds scary, i know, but if they are anything like me when i was little i actually really took care of my toys,played gently with them because i loved them so much! In the meantime it is just so cool seeing new color variations, and learning all there is to learn about this toy line! Both of my older sisters know i am looking for them, but they don't know i collect them really. Other than that i don't really tell people, but i think it's cool so if anyone "found out" or i just never felt the need to tell them i wouldn't be embarrassed! People collect all sorts of weird stuff that makes them excited like when they were a little kid!

[jeapos88]

My family knows, my mom is more okay with me collecting than any of my other family, she has Even gotten to the point that she has bought me a few sets, but there are still times that she doesn't get why I like to collect, and she definitely doesn't know how much I've spent

[LPS-in-Germany]

Nearly everybody who steps my house knows about me collecting toys.
They see it in my office and in my LPS room. Last one is right next to the twins' rooms and it has no door.
If they don't like it - it's okay for me. Also if they think I am a freak...I am really not caring about what others could think about this. Honestly...I am proud of all my stuff and it was way too expensive to waste any time on hiding things. It doesn't make a bad mother, bad wife or bad person in general of me - so what?

All the others disturbed by the fact I am a toy collector are welcome to leave

[Nina:)]

I agree with Cora. All people how Knows me know or hear that i Love toys! The postman is my best friend when he Rings at the door Lol!

I Feel better since i collect toys and do what i wan't (Like wear my Little Pony t-Shirts ) and i learn a Lot of people and friends know how are Collectors too. So my life is Full of fun

[LPS-in-Germany]

I hope someday to give them to my kids (when i have them) to play with! Sounds scary, i know, but if they are anything like me when i was little i actually really took care of my toys,played gently with them because i loved them so much!

It was in 2008 when I started to shoot a few auctions on ebay but I was flat broke all the time - I was a student. In 2012 - when I already had the twins who were two, I had exactely the same thoughts you mentioned. I thought it was a good time to grow my childhood collection for later giving it into their hands. I honestly have to tell that you remind me that I aimed to do so. I totally forgot about it.

They have tons of vintage LPS (mostly of my extras and some gifts from Nina) and even some parts that I surely may ask good prices for but my personal collection still belongs to me. They are allowed to play with all of the sets but I have introduced a rule that NOTHING will leave my LPS room. Sometimes they complain that I have "so many more toys" than they have (which isn't true when you count all of their vintage LPS, Filly Ponies, Playmobil and Lego items etc. together). One day I definitely made the mistake to tell them that "this all will be yours later".

"Mama, when is this going to take place?"

[moonlightkitty]

Mine aren't on display anymore, but when they were, they were prominent, so anyone who visited my house would see them. No one ever asked about them though I would have loved to talk about them to someone who didn't know!

My colleagues at work know because I get my packages delivered to work. In fact, for my work Secret Santa, whoever mine was (I don't know) bought me some Hasbro LPS so I think my entire office knows!

My husband knows and supports me. He loves how much I love them and how excited and happy they make me. He asks me to tell him about my new ones, too!

My mother knows and doesn't approve. She doesn't think a grown up should be collecting children's toys. However I told her after I pay all my bills and pay off some of my loans and put some money away for the house I want to buy, whatever is leftover is mine to spend on whatever I want, and they make me happy, and that's what I care about.

[kristap012]

One of the bedrooms in my house is a toy/craft room. Every wall is filled with my many different collections. And since my house is not very large anyone who comes into my house sees it.

When I first started truly collecting my boyfriend did not understand it and would be angry at how much I spent on "toys" but now is supportive. He is always willing to take me to the second hand stores or to bid on auctions for me because I get too stressed out at the end.

My mother is much more accepting of it now too and tries to find me new things all the time. She doesn't totally get it and there is no way I would tell her how much I have spent on some things but she doesn't say anything bad about it anymore and she tells everyone I collect.

I have a sister who thinks I'm crazy but also has given me toys for more than one Christmas gift.

My brother and his girlfriend are completely supportive but that could be because he collects Lion King so they get it.

At first I wouldn't let anyone outside my immediate family know about my collecting. I felt embarrassed, but now it doesn't bother me. I love my collections and work really hard researching and trying to complete them. I have finally accepted that it is ok to collect them and it doesn't matter if someone thinks I am weird.

[Waylah]

Jason, my other half, sees it as one of my hobbies, he gets it. My family knows, so do my close friends, its not a secret. I wore the charm bracelet to a party just last week! I'm happy to laugh at myself, everyone has a little bit of crazy. My sister knew I collected, but not how much I had, and she was quite excited last weekend when I said I had pretty much all of them. She wants to see my collection now! I'm going to give her a deer set, which she asked about.

I guess I'm just confident enough in myself, and don't take myself too seriously, so I don't have anything to hide. . . except . . my pony n pet stable. Only Jason (and you guys!) know how much it cost!

[ibuildabrit]

Everyone knows I collect lol. My best friend thinks it's awesome that I'm an expert on them and old co-workers used to buy me the Hasbro LPS. It was really cute of them. Few people know how much I've actually spent but I can't really afford to buy them anymore so it's a good thing that I have most of them. Or least most of the ones I want.

[Alie]

For my part, I still live at my parents. (but alone because they are not often at home now they are retired.)
And I have a random job because I am an artiste painter for cinema, so I have difficulties to finding my own apartment (I want to live in the capital but it's very very expensive. And my apply is often poorly perceived and rejected faced with so many requests which some seem more secure for an owner.)

So my parents know for my collections but didn't care a lot.
They laugh and often said me "when will you grow up ? You're still a child."
I don't display so much at home. (no space) I put everything in a very organized way in my dressing.

My friends know but never saw the extent of my collections because it' stored. And anyway I more often see them in town or outside because I don't have my own home so…
They consider me strangely at this subject. They often ironise me.
They do not understand very much. Maybe they worry about me or maybe they don't care ? They say nothing. Some of them maybe think of as a kind of "mental illness." A kind of psychological blockage due to a childhood trauma ?
We do not have same interests.
Some like sport. My best friend loves fashion and antique furniture. (and we share that)
Another friend is a single mom who has no time for anything than her children, she almost has no other hobbies except cooking.

This is no more freaky than all of this.
I do not share THIS passion with the others. This is my secret garden.

My concern is when I'll finally find an apartment. I'd probably do like I can, not as I want.
It will be inevitably be much smaller. And finally and inevitably I would invite people to my home.
It could be start to perturbe me. Maybe I stop collecting at this time. And let all of this at my parents. ???
You all seem to live well with it. It's encouraging to me.