BrickG Posted January 14, 2017 Well, not all of it. I'm facing another country move. I came from the US. I moved to the UK. I'm going back to the US next month. I'm applying for another UK visa which may be accepted or denied which could mean I'll make my way back to the UK. So I decided to organize my Lego before I'd go back to the US with plans to put it in storage to later be shipped to me if my new UK visa is denied or to just take out if I move back here. In doing so I was overwhelmed with TRUTH! ;) The truth is, I never have time to do anything with this stuff and I spend too much money on it. It seems wasteful. I used to at least go through my Lego and attempt to build something a few times a year. But my life has just not allowed that for about 3 years now. And I don't see enough openings in the future to allow for this hobby. I still have grand ideas of something new to build but I just never actually get to doing it. Other stuff in my life just takes priority like hanging with friends, lazing (gotta have my lazy time gaming or watching TV), girlfriend, attending to my new business, etc. It just seems hugely wasteful in money and it's quite a bother to move around every time I move, which is every year even if I stay in the same country (which I don't always!). So I'm seriously considering selling it all, probably in bulk because I only have less than a month more here. MINUS the minifigures. I'm keeping those even if I didn't technically look at my collection for a year since I moved from my last place here in London (they were still in boxes!). As useless as they are I can't really get rid of these. I might still collect them too and just bricklink good ones. And I kind of want to keep the most impressive display sets like the X-Wing, AT-ST, Slave I, Simpsons House, etc. But 90% of my Lego I'm really considering getting rid of... I'm just concerned that I'll regret it later. I might regard it as my "dark ages 2.0" later in my life and weep as I think about all the thousands of dollars of Lego I gave up for barely anything at all. And part of me was wanting to give it to my future kids if I ever have any! But honestly, I just can't imagine me having enough free time in the foreseeable future to even do anything with my collection once a year. It'll just sit there. And I don't like how that feels. So I'm struggling! I feel like I should sell it. It doesn't feel compatible with my life atm or in the foreseeable future. But part of me is hesitant. :( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Britain Posted January 14, 2017 I've got to recommend keeping it! Moving it may be a pain I agree but even if you don't have time for it anymore what with work/social etc you can still keep it stored away. Unless you can sell it for a worthwhile price (and not for hardly anything like you potentially mentioned) I think it's worth keeping hold of. I sold all of mine when I was in my dark ages and regret it now.. stupidly I had a box of Lego fairly recently of broken down sets I sold for about £100 which I regret now too.. I never learnt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrickJagger Posted January 15, 2017 If you're considering keeping the figures you should keep the entire collection. Like you said, you might regret this in the future, and you won't make nearly as much selling your sets if they don't have the figures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-zenn Posted January 16, 2017 On 14-1-2017 at 4:47 PM, BrickG said: I feel like I should sell it. It doesn't feel compatible with my life atm or in the foreseeable future. But part of me is hesitant. :( You said it yourself already... If you're in doubt, don't do it. It's a risk you don't actually want to take. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Robianco Posted January 16, 2017 I'd also say don't do it. I've found myself in a similar situation to yourself and I'm glad I didn't sell. I actually do quite a bit of buying a selling of Lego to help fund my own collection so I'm used to moving things on when I want to. I also consider my minifig collection just as important as anything brick related if not more. I moved house around a year ago and shifted my Lego collection into storage then back out into our new house... I've still got most of my collection in their original boxes as I don't have room to build and display everything but I also like to have instructions and boxes around so I can dismantle and store. My minifigs are all in storage boxes ready for setting up on display and are in my office with me... along with a few sets at a time... I've thought about selling up just like you due to lack of time in being able to build but I'm glad I still have all of it... It's still mine... as long as I can afford it. If you don't think you'll use it, build it or even look at it much over the next few years then maybe it will be the right time to sell... but get a good price for it. Selling it for under it's value is just a big no for me, you may as well keep it and then find use or pass it on to family. I think things get to a point where they become very clear... I've had hi-fi and audio equipment that I've bought and sold in the past and then picked up new stuff that I'm happy with... You'll know when you're ready to sell. If you're hesitant then don't do it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Foxw Posted January 16, 2017 pretty much what everyones said mate. yes right at this moment, you don't have time. been there, done that. long as you still love your hobby, keep your stuff. yes it a pain to store/move. but when your life finally gets to the point where you can enjoy it, you'll get to enjoy it. thinning though I would suggest, anything that makes you go "Why did i get this" n if you can't think of a reason right away, prolly should move on. it's how i've maintained several collections over 30+ yrs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrHerofan Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) I would personally get rid of things you can't see yourself using again. I myself have been thinking about getting rid of parts of my LEGO collection because of wanning interest. I realized a few weeks ago that I don't really do much with most of the sets that I own. Like they go on a shelf and they don't really get used after I build them. Yeah sure they look nice on a shelf, but I know that if I continue buying more things whats on the shelves now will just get put in storage in the future. It just seems like a waste to get stuff that will only get put away and rarely seen again. But again it's your decision and what ever you pick is whatever you pick. If you want to keep your collection then keep it. If there are parts that you can't see yourself using again then sell it. Edited January 17, 2017 by MrHerofan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
62Bricks Posted January 17, 2017 Maybe a different perspective: Let go. It's making you feel guilty that you've amassed this collection with the intention of enjoying it and building with it, but that you don't have time or enough space. Getting rid of the collection will get rid of that source of guilt and that bad feeling. I did something similar when I moved from one state to another and had to condense my belongings into the space of one 14-foot moving van. Except for some personal irreplaceable things and a couple things that were big purchases for me (a bicycle and a guitar) I gave away most of my stuff. Felt good, and over the next several years I was able to distinguish the things I really needed to replace (A garlic press! Should never have given that away!) from the things I never really needed to own (That old typewriter was cool looking, but weighed a ton.) In my case, I threw myself a sort of reverse housewarming party - I invited friends over to the house I was about to move out of, set out all the stuff I wasn't going to take with me, and invited them to take it home. One poor schmuck - I mean good friend - even carried off that old typewriter. LEGO is absolutely replaceable. The sheer amount of it on this planet is staggering. Get rid of it now, and come back in ten or twenty years or whenever (if ever) you find yourself moving around less. You might find you have a more appreciative view of what it was you bought because you truly enjoyed it and what you bought because you were telling yourself you'd have time to enjoy it one day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VaderFan2187 Posted January 17, 2017 2 hours ago, 62Bricks said: Maybe a different perspective: Let go. It's making you feel guilty that you've amassed this collection with the intention of enjoying it and building with it, but that you don't have time or enough space. Getting rid of the collection will get rid of that source of guilt and that bad feeling. I did something similar when I moved from one state to another and had to condense my belongings into the space of one 14-foot moving van. Except for some personal irreplaceable things and a couple things that were big purchases for me (a bicycle and a guitar) I gave away most of my stuff. Felt good, and over the next several years I was able to distinguish the things I really needed to replace (A garlic press! Should never have given that away!) from the things I never really needed to own (That old typewriter was cool looking, but weighed a ton.) In my case, I threw myself a sort of reverse housewarming party - I invited friends over to the house I was about to move out of, set out all the stuff I wasn't going to take with me, and invited them to take it home. One poor schmuck - I mean good friend - even carried off that old typewriter. LEGO is absolutely replaceable. The sheer amount of it on this planet is staggering. Get rid of it now, and come back in ten or twenty years or whenever (if ever) you find yourself moving around less. You might find you have a more appreciative view of what it was you bought because you truly enjoyed it and what you bought because you were telling yourself you'd have time to enjoy it one day. Well, you'd then have to be willing to ignore any potential regrets in the future. And LEGO is absolutely replaceable? Some aftermarket minifigs might beg to differ... But, asking an AFOL community will totally get you an unbiased answer... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Britain Posted January 17, 2017 4 hours ago, VaderFan2187 said: Well, you'd then have to be willing to ignore any potential regrets in the future. And LEGO is absolutely replaceable? Some aftermarket minifigs might beg to differ... But, asking an AFOL community will totally get you an unbiased answer... Haha I completely agree, Lego can be replaceable depending on what it is, but it'll empty your wallet a damn lot quicker than it did the first time round. I mean, just look at the Star Wars UCS! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkles Posted January 17, 2017 Lego is replaceable but, looking at the prices for most retired sets, it will cost you. The Green Grocer added another zero on the end of its retail value and most of the seasonal and gift sets run pretty high for things that were once $10 or simply free. My advice would be; if you have the time, check the price of your sets if you were ever to replace them - many will be extortionate if you've bought modulars, various licensed sets or other rare sets with lots of minifig-scale parts that MOC makers love. One good thing about Lego is that most open sets hold their value unless you literally start breaking pieces. As someone who likes photography, I can say seeing a camera you bought for $2000 five years ago being $3-400 now is disheartening. Sets like 21110-1 Research Lab have gained, not lost, 4x the value over a similar period. If the Lego isn't broken, you're going to earn most of those thousands back with a little research and time. I'd weigh up the price of storage vs. the value of your sets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kibosh Posted January 17, 2017 Unless you need the money, don't sell. If you feel guilty, just stop buying. Put what you have away in long term storage until the day comes that you do want to build again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
