Good to hear from you again and thanks for the story. I never really knew that about you. I’m glad you’re happier and on the other side of it all. I know I am, although I admittedly didn’t do it under any duress (fortunately). I’m enjoying – and more importantly regularly using – the few things I kept, and we’re all enjoying the space in the basement (and once again have or have newly available a home gym, den/living room area, office (now vintage computer/game room), maker space/craft space, and (sensible and restrained) storage down there). I’ve been hearing a lot of stories like yours (and mine), and I have yet to hear from anyone who ever regretted it.

I think the hardest part is not necessarily letting the stuff go – although that can of course be hard – but more in how to “relieve” yourself of it all. I absolutely was thinking about/looking for a way out for years. I never even thought an auction house might be an option. I’m glad it was, although the auction is still a few months away (so it’s not yet REALLY done).

And yeah, a LOT of people contacted me about taking portions of my collection over the past several months, but of course it was already too late. And of course some are pissed that a large majority is going to be at physical auction here in New Jersey. Those are the breaks, though. As you point out, I was never shy about my intentions over the years, so the time to step up in that regard was not when I actually found a way to get rid of most of it.

I’m also onboard with your concept of refraining from collecting mountains of tech stuff in the future. I’m going to think long and hard before I add anything new, and will look for ways to replace multiple systems or functions with single devices, e.g., the Retro Freak to replace a dozen classic consoles/handhelds. And, as you say, there’s emulation, which really can scratch an itch without the hassle of yet another system that’s not really necessary (and I’ve been fortunate to have had or handle almost everything anyway, so the appeal of physically handling real thing for me is not as strong as it used to be).

Anyway, thanks again for the story. All the best to you and yours.

I recall your original posts on this subject on the old AA forum. I think we were pondering if what you were doing constituted “hoarding?!?!” I didn’t believe you were a “real” hoarder then (or me either). It was clear back then that you knew this day would come, where you would make the decision to “declutter” yourself. The truth is (as expressed in your recent blog posts), you probably were some variant of hoarder, and it turns out that I was/am one too, more than I admitted to myself. I was actually closer to a real hoarder than you were, since you could justify your “hobby” on a “professional” basis. My “hobby” was just nostalgic hoarding.

In my case, due to medical and financial issues, I had to move to a smaller place a few months ago, and boy, did I have a moment of “facing reality!” I thought I was the type to live “lean and mean,” but the truth is that I had slowly, over time, accumulated an ever-growing collection of “nostalgia.” It was so slow that I didn’t even notice it was piling up! I still thought of myself as “clutter-phobic,” but in the end, I had an entire spare bedroom dedicated mostly to “nostalgia,” which turned out to be mostly junk once I realized I had to get rid of it all. I had a gigantic pile of old computer parts, a bunch of non-functional Amiga equipment and software, piles of old, dilapidated computer magazines and books, a couple of gaming consoles I barely ever used, and general knick-knacks that I had long forgotten I had. All of this was hidden away in a spare bedroom. Close the door, and the rest of my house looked spartan! Since I rarely went into that room, in my mind I was still living relatively clutter-free. I didn’t really have “that much stuff,” at least until I realized I had to move it.

I actually chucked my entire (non-functional) Amiga system(s) and software at the recycling center. That was the hardest loss for me, since I had such affection for the Amiga platform, but the state of my Amiga collection was shabby and not worthy of giving away, much less selling. Much of my stuff also suffered water damage due to the historic flooding a few years ago in South Carolina. Water was ankle deep in my house, and I lost a lot of possessions then, but tried to save my computer collection.

Anyhow, the truth is that these “losses” have barely had any effect on my day-to-day living, since the only enjoyment I actually got out of these items was knowing I had them. I didn’t use them, and to be honest, they took up space that might have been better used for other purposes, even aesthetically-pleasing “empty” space. I never got around to resetting up my Amiga, even though I always intended to. I believe you came to a lot of similar conclusions in your experience! It was a very strange realization to me that *I* had become a small-scale hoarder! How and when did that happen?!?!

In your case, you were a real-deal collector, and your “hobby” contributed to your professional pursuits. But since you’re not a basement-dwelling nerd, you had to choose “life” over “hobby.” The hobby will still, of course, exist, in a more manageable form. I still like tech stuff, but hopefully I will refrain from collecting mountains of tech stuff in the future.

Thankfully, I am quite pleased and satisfied with the state of emulation in today’s era. Since gaming is the primary reason I’d want to “play” these older platforms, most of that itch is scratched with the quality of emulators nowadays, with the added convenience of less clutter. It’s good enough to get a dose of nostalgia and occasional fun. I might still be a “hoarder,” but at least it’s in digital form and not physical!

Anyhow, I’m sure there are many tech geeks salivating on getting their hands on your collection when the auction ensues! It will be cool if you could get some pictures of you standing amongst your gigantic collection at the auction!

I appreciate that, but, to be honest, it was something I was thinking about for many years already. I just couldn’t figure out any good options for doing it. Fortunately, the auction house proved to be a wonderful solution. Hopefully the stuff can still get into the hands of people who will appreciate it.