Collection Inventory

[SRGilbert]

After you have been collecting games for as long as I have you dont need an inventory list any longer. You know what you have by just seeing it. When you go into a game store and look at the games out on the shelf..You know when you see one that you don't have cause you have never seen it before.

Prime example of this is atari games. If you come across an atari game you never seen before...pick it up. You probaly dont have it. if you do have it it is probaly a variant.

I was at my Game Crazy today. Saw a game I never saw before for the PS2. Some old ass game. Took it home and sure enough. I had it already but this one was a special edition. It came with a comic on the inside of the packaging.

 

Go for a list at the beginning then it will all sink in...

 

Sure if it's a game I think I haven't heard of, I'll pick it up, but even WITH my list I ended up buying a duplicate copy of a 2600 cart I alread had!

[VectorGamer]

I keep it all in my head. It's easier that way.

 

 

Keep it in my head? My collection now totals over 800 games spanning over 24 consoles and handhelds. There's no WAY I could remember that. Einstein has been reported to have said "Never memorize what you can look up on your iPhone." Well, he would have said that if he had one!

 

I have a Google docs spread sheet that I can access on my iPhone and any computer I have internet access.

 

At this point, I'll guesstimate that I have 300 carts. Of course, if I had a spreadsheet or database I could tell you the exact amount.

 

Anyway, I use those Irris tubs (1 quart?) that hold about two dozen carts. All are alphabetized. The Imagic, Konami, Xonox and Mattell carts I had to put in wood crates since they are longer than the standard. They are all stored on book shelves or wall mounted shelves.

 

For me anyway, finding a cart is not a problem. I know where the tubs are located and I don't have to open each one up because they have clear lids. I don't stack my carts so I don't have to worry about carts falling on my head if I wanted to play them.

 

If I want to add to my collection, all I have to do is look and see if I already have a cart if it happens to be up for auction. If I go to an expo, I make a list of carts that I want to buy and try not to stray from that list. I have a price guide that I reference to see where I have holes in the collection.

 

I collect label variations but any dupes I have I put up for sale to save space.

 

And while on the topic of organization, I have recently found that those Itso cubes from Target are excellent for organizing your collection. I have nine cubes for storage with three fabric bins and three shelves. The fabric bins are perfect for storing spare controllers and those TV games like PowerJoy. I store my extra consoles, Atari Age, Electronic Games and video game books in them. The cubes are $10 a pop but they are well worth it.

[hex65000]

I use three methods to keep my collection straight:

 

- My Memory; most up to date, but tends to lose important data periodically

- Spreadsheet; Good detail, but isn't updated regularly.

- Palm Visor; This ancient PalmPilot has just a straight text list and is the quick reference list to prevent inadvertent doubles from being bought. Think of it as my field list. Also not updated regularly, but I'm working on improving that bit.

 

I'm considering expanding my Palm list to encompass my guide books too. Just the typing in the first time is a total pain.

 

Hex.

[ Knows most of the 'palm' jokes... It does what I need and that's all I care about. ]

[Emehr]

I use plain text files. This way I can read my lists on anything without needing special software. I tried the spreadsheet approach but maintaining two lists became a pain. Tab delimited monospace text for the win!

[chrisbid]

www.rfgeneration.com

 

their database is quite good, it even includes known variations. if you have a game that is not on their datatbase, the 'add game' utility is thorough and their editors are quick to approve submissions

[Taskmaster99]

I have everything written down in my handy dandy notebook. Still end up with duplicates. I guess it doesnt help that i dont check the notebook all the time before buying. Oh well. Trade bait.

[82-T/A]

I used to make several lists in notepad. I'd even break them up by rarity and whatnot. I'd write down serial numbers and everything too.

 

That was like 10 years ago.

 

 

Now I'm selling all of it... I haven't played a single game in GOD knows how long... all it was doing was taking up tons of space in my closet. I'm keeping a few things... like my Atari Jaguar, a couple of 2600s with all my 2600 games. MAYBE my 7800, an NES, my Super Nintendo... a Sega Saturn, and maybe my Dreamcast (still seems like a LOT of stuff), but everything else is going.

 

I've already sold a CIB NES 8-Bit Power Set with the pad and all that stuff. A NIB Game Boy, an Odyssey 2. Honestly... I've sold at least 15-20 systems in the past 6 months. The funny thing is, I can't even remember all that I sold, so it must not have meant as much to me as I thought I did.

 

I've got an immaculate CIB Atari XEGM system up on eBay right now... I never played it... I've had it for at least a decade in my closet.

 

I hope I'm not bringing anyone down in this thread! hahaha... I'm just soo happy to have all this "stuff" off my shoulders (yeah, I just had a kid...)

 

I'm keeping all the stuff that I actually used to play, and then getting rid of all the unnecessary stuff that I never played anyway.

 

 

I've got two complete in box Atari 5200s also... a 4-Port and a 2-Port... but I never play those either. They're SOOO massive that I just don't know where I would set it up. Maybe I'll keep one, but I doubt it...