2017 resolution - shopping my own bag and wallet collection. Any one else?

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#20,461
bakeacookie said:
Oh man. I’m between collecting and wanting to use the bags. Lol. Can’t I do both? [emoji23]

Very good point on the stress of not using the bags. There were points in the year where I got stressed on the amount of stuff I had that wasn’t getting used. I sold or gave away the stuff that I was having trouble using, and I feel better now, despite the quantity I still own.
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I think you can absolutely do both! As long as you’re happy and can afford your “habit,” why not?
 
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#20,463
catsinthebag said:
I think you can absolutely do both! As long as you’re happy and can afford your “habit,” why not?
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Currently, my habit is affordable.

But I’m eyeing pieces outside of my comfort zone (hello Petite Malle! [emoji7] ). So the ban will help me re-evaluate my habit, get me to appreciate what I have by using it, then I can see what I’d like to continue collecting after. [emoji4]

Though, right now, I am happy. I love everything in my collection, and I’m happy using them. Letting go of the ones I was forcing myself to use really relieved a lot of stress. Same with letting go of charms and SLGs I no longer loved.

Keeping it to where I only bring in things that make me happy to use is where I have to focus, as well as accepting that nothing can keep me happy forever. So when it’s time to let go, I have to let things go as stress free as possible.
 
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#20,465
westvillage said:
I consider this idea often. There are only so many days in a year to use what we’ve already invested in, whether that investment is monetary, emotional, aesthetic or something else, so whatever we add has to interfere with what we’ve already chosen. Did anyone learn the concept of opportunity costs in economics? I’d hate to have to explain it, but this seems similar. If the goal is to be a true collector, such as to acquire all or most LV’s in canvas patterns, then additions can build that collection, and adding the same type of bag supports the goal. But if the goal is different ... if it is to USE the bags, then any addition will have a negative impact ... bringing in a new bag will have a definite cost to the remainder of the “collection.”

Personally, I experience a fair amount of stress at not using my bags. While buying a bag gives me a quick happy jolt, it will also increase my stress as the jolt goes away. So I too have to be very careful what comes in from here on. I’m not at all sure how to proceed in 2018. Pondering...
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Ah... I get that. There’s this point in life that I accept the fact that I have bought too many and already stepped over that fine line between the “user” and “collecter” long time ago. There’s also a phase, particular with Bal and Jumbo (MM, too (?) but with leather (?)) when I went on a frenzy and really collect the piece that I like.

Now, I accept the fact that I have too many to just say I use them. Of course, I use them, but cost per wear or any other measure simply can’t justify having this many bags anymore. I’m a collector who happen to use stuff I collect and when the happiness of owning that bag diminishes to the point that cannot offset the unhappiness of having it as part of the mass clutter in my closet, it has to go.

I bought too many in such a short time with MM lately which although I’m happy with the pieces I get, I’m not so happy with the way I did. I should have phase it out bit by bit just so I can really spend time with each bag before moving on to the next. But since they were discontinuing my favorite leather, I had to. I’m happy I got them, but having too many bags come in at the same time is a bit overwhelmed. I still have 3 more coming which I placed long time ago. But After this, I plan to take a break for a while (knock on wood). Maybe from the forum even just so I can block the temptation. I can be strong, but not always. And when I’m still in a bit of the frenzy mode, it can be very very bad. [emoji28]
 
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#20,468
catsinthebag said:
This really resonates with me. I am definitely NOT a collector — I want to use all my bags, so unused ones cause me stress. BUT, I also run up against another economic theory, learned from DH: Sunk costs are irrelevant. I have trouble selling bags I’m not using if I know I’m going to take a huge loss. It shouldn’t matter, since getting any money should be better than having an expensive item sitting in my closet. There are a couple of bags I would have sold long ago if I had been able to get more money for them, but the loss was too great so I hung on to them, promised to use them more, but... well, they still sit. There are a couple of bags that are what I’ll call “special use” bags, and knowing that, it’s OK for them to hang out in my closet and only be used a couple of times a year. But the bags I thought would be everyday bags and didn’t work out that way? That’s I can’t recoup my losses on? Those, I struggle with.
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Bags isn’t an investment. And everyone view it differently. If you aren’t happy keeping it, sell it. Don’t emphasize on the money you’ll get. It’ll only amplify the sadness that you cannot get those you spent on it back. Instead, put your focus on getting rid of stuff you’re not happy with. You’ll feel better. (I live where secondhand market sucks and most of the time, I simply give my bags away. I don’t get to recoup even a cent, but the feeling of getting rid of the “burden” is great and at least, you’ll make someone happy. [emoji4])
 
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#20,471
vink said:
Bags isn’t an investment. And everyone view it differently. If you aren’t happy keeping it, sell it. Don’t emphasize on the money you’ll get. It’ll only amplify the sadness that you cannot get those you spent on it back. Instead, put your focus on getting rid of stuff you’re not happy with. You’ll feel better. (I live where secondhand market sucks and most of the time, I simply give my bags away. I don’t get to recoup even a cent, but the feeling of getting rid of the “burden” is great and at least, you’ll make someone happy. [emoji4])
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This is good advice. On a couple of bags, I’m trying to find the balance between rarely using them but still liking them and using them occasionally. I don’t know if I would miss them if they were gone. More than the money, that’s the thing that stops me, because once I’ve decided to sell a bag, I probably won’t re-buy it (unless I sold it because the color didn’t work and I got a different color, for example). I hate bag regrets!
 
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#20,472
vink said:
Ah... I get that. There’s this point in life that I accept the fact that I have bought too many and already stepped over that fine line between the “user” and “collecter” long time ago. There’s also a phase, particular with Bal and Jumbo (MM, too (?) but with leather (?)) when I went on a frenzy and really collect the piece that I like.

Now, I accept the fact that I have too many to just say I use them. Of course, I use them, but cost per wear or any other measure simply can’t justify having this many bags anymore. I’m a collector who happen to use stuff I collect and when the happiness of owning that bag diminishes to the point that cannot offset the unhappiness of having it as part of the mass clutter in my closet, it has to go.

I bought too many in such a short time with MM lately which although I’m happy with the pieces I get, I’m not so happy with the way I did. I should have phase it out bit by bit just so I can really spend time with each bag before moving on to the next. But since they were discontinuing my favorite leather, I had to. I’m happy I got them, but having too many bags come in at the same time is a bit overwhelmed. I still have 3 more coming which I placed long time ago. But After this, I plan to take a break for a while (knock on wood). Maybe from the forum even just so I can block the temptation. I can be strong, but not always. And when I’m still in a bit of the frenzy mode, it can be very very bad. [emoji28]
Click to expand...

I love that you came to this (being a collector who happens to use the stuff you collect) and are at peace with it. There seems to be so much pressure now to downsize, and it’s not always necessary if you love what you have. I love this thread because there are so many different approaches and ways people have found what works for them!
 
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#20,474
I really like the analyses about the bags we have which have been discussed several posts up. Sorry I can't individually quote now. I was at that point too before that I felt unhappy about having so many bags in my collection. I have trimmed it now to a more manageable level but I still want to prune it. I've started limiting my buys since last year but I think I'm a little more successful this year. Hope next year is better!

Cats - Congrats on the BV!! I hope it works out well for you since that bag is gorgeous.

Bake - oh, twins with your cousin! Yay! [emoji7]
 
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