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Stupid things you collected

2K views 38 replies 30 participants last post by  PassionateWriter 
#1 ·
I've been going through boxes of things from different parts of my life, and I'm amazed at the junk I've collected. I think I must be part crow.

Over the years I've collected:
  • magnets
  • key chains
  • stickers
  • gum wrappers
  • bouncy balls
  • ribbons
  • hair scrunchies
  • Chevron Cars
  • McDonald toys
  • Burger King toys
  • Beanie Babies
  • computer gadgets
So what collections have you wasted money on?
 
#3 ·
I recently came across a box in a closet I was cleaning with ticket stubs to every movie I had been to from 1998 to about 2005. I wouldn't call it a waste of money, but WOW did I see a lot of movies back in the day!
 
#5 ·
I had the soda can tabs too, for the longest time. I was in middle school and by the end of the year everyone would give me their can tops. I had literally thousands and thousands of them, all strung up and about fifteen feet long.... I wonder what happened to them? I guess my mom must have thrown it out.

I guess I also used to collect mp3's back when they were free. I'd download songs I didn't even like, just so I could listen to it if I ever wanted.
 
#6 ·
LOL when I was about 6-7 I had a "smurf" collection -- consisting of about 6 or 7 smurfs. Other than that I don't collect these kinds of things. And sadly I have no idea where my smurfs are.
 
#7 ·
  • Teddy Bears and anything with a bear printed on it
  • Pens/Pencils
  • Key Chains
  • Knick Knacks of all sorts
  • Sets of Books
I wanted to add the things I am now thankful that I never started collecting. I always envied my friends who had those pretty pastel Precious Moments figurines. The first year of my marriage my husband bought me two and I thought I was on my way to a new collection. Thank goodness I never asked for more. I cherish the two he gave me, because they represent important events in my life. I want no dustables now so I am glad I didn't have to decide to get rid of them.

Oh - China Dolls, too. I still don't really know what to do with them.
 
#8 ·
As a kid:
-any sort of cat themed thing (figures and stuffies), Ugh! I am happy to say that I have finally purged all this stuff!
-fancy pencils and erasers
-patches from places I visited
-coins
-I had a smurf collection too (don't know where it went either?)
-feathers, leaves, and cool looking twigs (I know, my husband thinks this is really weird...I must have been a shaman in a past life
)

Now:
-McCoy flower pots
-Tea pots (although I think my collection is *done*)
-Fortunes cookie fortunes (I like to give them out to people when they need a random perk)
-Books
: (especially out of print SciFi and Archeology books)
-I still collect patches from places we visit and give them to DS
-DH and I started the tradition of collecting those rolled pennies from museums and zoos before DS was born, we still collected them, but now for DS

I like collecting patches and rolled pennies for DS because they are small and are reminders of trips. I'm terrible about collecting things though. I have a strong tendency for it and try to keep myself in check. I suppose that's the hazard of being an archaeologist.
 
#11 ·
I only really have two:

Toy horses. Seriously. They were everywhere in my room when I was a kid.
Stuffed animals. I think I had 2 refrigerator boxes full of stuffed animals when my mom sneakily donated them.

I just started a new collection though
of those Call of the Wild wolf figurines. I've always wanted to collect wolf stuff and when I was a kid there were very few things out there. I'm letting myself pick a few select pieces of the Call of the Wild line and am going to put them on a nice shelf in my bedroom.
 
#12 ·
Sand from everywhere I traveled. My poor step-dad had been holding on to it for me for years. He moved to South America this summer and I told him he could toss it.

That's really the only thing I ever collected...
 
#13 ·
Rocks. I have rocks in every room of my house from every place I have ever been. Beach rocks, ocean rocks, river rocks. I have yet to collect a moon rock. It's gotten to the point that I am considering repatriating some of them back to the beach. I remember one time when I was repotting a large plant with my Mom and she asked if she could use a particular pile of rocks for drainage in the bottom of the pot. I replied "No! those are my GOOD rocks). She thought I was nuts.
 
#15 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by bowserli View Post

  • Teddy Bears and anything with a bear printed on it
Oh, I forgot that I did too! I love bears. I collected stuffed bears, and then I had quite a few bear figurines. I think they are all still at my mom's house. DS has my one special teddy but that is all I have here.
 
#16 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancouver Mommy View Post
Rocks. I have rocks in every room of my house from every place I have ever been. Beach rocks, ocean rocks, river rocks. I have yet to collect a moon rock. It's gotten to the point that I am considering repatriating some of them back to the beach. I remember one time when I was repotting a large plant with my Mom and she asked if she could use a particular pile of rocks for drainage in the bottom of the pot. I replied "No! those are my GOOD rocks). She thought I was nuts.
And I thought I was the only one!

I have old blue mason jars filled with rocks from vacation. Each jar is used only for a specific place and all are labeled.

I have recently been thinking that the jars must go. But then again, I always wanted one of those rock polishers......
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Caneel View Post
And I thought I was the only one!

I have old blue mason jars filled with rocks from vacation. Each jar is used only for a specific place and all are labeled.

I have recently been thinking that the jars must go. But then again, I always wanted one of those rock polishers......
I want a rock polisher too!
 
#18 ·
Rocks and seashells (although I still think most of them are pretty cool).
Erasers.
Lip gloss.
Animal figurines.
Dolphin memorabilia.
Squished pennies from places I visited (you know, out of those machines).
POGS (remember those? It was a quick fad. I'm dating myself pretty specifically now
).
 
#19 ·
Wow! I am not the only one who has collected erasers!!! I have a few of the big Christmas popcorn tins full of them. I have favorites and I started b/c I liked the smell
My mom still gives me erasers for my birthday every year (and I'm almost 30
)

I also went through a spoon phase and still have a few shoeboxes full and have no idea what to do with them.
 
#20 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by slsurface View Post
...
-feathers, leaves, and cool looking twigs (I know, my husband thinks this is really weird...I must have been a shaman in a past life
)

lol. that reminded me that DP and I have our collection of phallic looking nature items. The collection lives on our kitchen window and makes for quite the conversation piece
 
#21 ·
oh you collectors!
i'm not the collector sort, but i married into a collecting family. my dh has collected so many things that i could type all day. my mil and fil both like collecting things, two of the oddest being these hen on a nest figures, and anything watermelon. mil has lots of other collections too though. she sighs and moans every time we visit that nobody wants her hens when she's gone. ugh!
 
#22 ·
China dolls, barbies, rocks, shot glasses (I thought they were like little tiny cups).

I still have them and don't know what to do with them. The barbies are still in boxes in good condition. Do you think I could ebay them?
 
#23 ·
When I was a kid I collected everything, probably because collecting is marketed toward children at such an elevated level, you grow up thinking that is what you're supposed to do. Barbies, My Little Ponies, Bearenstein Bears books, pencils (we had a 25 cent pencil machine at school), erasers, etc....

I also had a HUGE amount of stuffed animals that took me until age 25 to finally get rid of them.
 
#24 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by NoliMum View Post
I also had a HUGE amount of stuffed animals that took me until age 25 to finally get rid of them.
good... this means I can't feel bad about the stuffed animals I still have stashed away
 
#25 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by BarefootScientist View Post
Rocks and seashells (although I still think most of them are pretty cool).
Erasers.
Lip gloss.
Animal figurines.
Dolphin memorabilia.
Squished pennies from places I visited (you know, out of those machines).
POGS (remember those? It was a quick fad. I'm dating myself pretty specifically now
).

I forgot about POGS! I had 4 to 5 hundred at one time.
 
#26 ·
When I was a kid, I didnt collect anything really. We moved too often.
Now, we collect rocks and books ( tooooo many books!) and the hub's musical instruments...( Ok, the organ in the living room is mine. lol)
 
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