Store Your Collectibles So Mom Won’t Throw Them Away

Most of us have heard stories of kids who had comic book collections, moved away from home, then learned that some of those issues were worth a small fortune. They decided to retrieve them, only to learn that their mom had tossed them out or donated them to a church fundraiser, along with that copy of Action Comics #1.

We suspect the people who will most benefit from this advice are college students living in a dorm or apartment while attending school, or new college graduates who still keep some of their belongings at their parents’ home.

However, this is really for anyone who wants to keep a prized collection safe. You don’t want young children playing with your Funko Pops, your spouse making room in the closet by putting your comic books in the garage, or your roommates browsing through your baseball card collection. After all, you neither want your collection given away nor do you want it damaged.

Why Parents Get Rid of Collectibles

Parents recognize early on that their children outgrow their toys quickly. If not for a periodic purge or old items, they would end up with boxes of toddler toys and more that their kids no longer need. Letting go of toys is important for a child’s development into adulthood as well as keeping their rooms in order.

The problem arises when a child or teen starts collecting something they find special, such as sports or collectible card game (CCG) cards, figurines, comic books, stamps, coins, and so on. These aren’t just toys. These are prized items, and collecting them may turn into a lifelong hobby. Even if not, if you’ve gathered a fun collection during your teen years, you probably want to keep it to look at now and then. In any case, sometimes parents don’t get the difference between old toys and collectibles and may attempt to make room and clear your collection out.

When to Protect Your Collectibles

In most places, you have to be 18 before you can rent a storage unit. Fortunately, as a teen, chances are your parents aren’t simply getting rid of your things from time to time, and your collections should be safe. Let them know, however, that the collection is important to you and to let it be.

When you go off to college, though, you may not want to bring your collectibles with you. You’ll likely either be in a dorm room or a small apartment. There, you’ll want mostly the essentials. Or, you may get a job and move out, but your parents may keep a room for you at home. Whatever the case, it’s when you leave your collections at your parent’s home that they’re in the greatest jeopardy of being seen as something you no longer care about.

Storing Your Collectibles

This is the ideal time to store your collectibles. In fact, you may need a storage unit for more than just your cards, manga, or figurines.

Find a unit that’s the right size for everything you need to store in it and make sure it has climate control. Not only do you want to keep your items safe and private, but you also want to make sure they stay in top condition. Climate control keeps the temperature and humidity in a safe range for all your belongings, and especially for your collectibles.

Whether your collection goes up in monetary value or just has sentimental value isn’t the point. It’s important to you, and a good self storage unit will preserve your collection so you can enjoy it any time.