I started out buying lego with the intention of an investment, now many many months / years on I have collected a sizeable portfolio mainly consisting of larger UCS, modular, starwars, superheros etc from SSD, PS, GE, TH, TB, HH, imperial shuttles, VW, sopwith camel and so on....

My problem is now letting go, that is if I want to - I haven't sold a single set yet, not that I've tried, I just keep saying to the wife (and myself) that it's a waiting game for retirement, maximising returns etc

Lego is taking over my house, my life... The wife isn't too happy - it's everywhere, I've spent thousands and she gets frustrated as thinks the money would be better spent elsewhere ie paying off our mortgage!!

My dilemma is what to do... This started out with investment in mind, now I'm finding it hard to let go... Even with sets I have more than one of....

I don't understand why though, I have a good job I don't need to sell or even try make such returns which is maybe why I don't. On the other hand I can't keep buying, mainly as I'm running out of room!

I'm not really interested in building either, I haven't built a set for years.

So what should I do? Sell, buy, keep...my wife is running out of patience, I don't how things have got to the point where I'm finding it so hard to even try sell one of my many sets!!

Has anybody else been in this position, advice appreciated!

The wife won't be happy till she sees some cash flow, everyone on the site will tell you that.- well the ones that are still married anyway.

You can't let emotions dictate your business , u need to have targets at which you are comfortable selling. hoarding sets indefinitely will hurt you in more ways than one ( money, space, relationship, stress,...)

I will give you one thing, it is def hard to let go of the last set of a specific model that's for sure, but then move on to the next one.

Good luck

No Lego set is worth a marriage. Sell a few of your retired sets just to show that you can then take your wife out to dinner.

While hoarding LEGO is one of the better things to hoard its best to let go. If you don't want to sell the last one then don't. Think of it as if you sell old retired sets you can get more newer sets. Plus selling will make you happy. I haven't met a person doesn't love eBay's Cha-Ching alert.

Just remember, hoarding Lego is not as good as hoarding money

She is right.  Put it towards your mortgage.  If you are investing in your marriage long term you should focus on maintaining that as your priority.

Just sell your duplicates.  That way you make money and can continue to collect. 

I have some of the same feelings sometime...basically it used to hurt me to sell a set when I knew it will appreciate more..I sold a few Emerald Night at 300 and Imperial Flagships at $450 last winter...I should be very happy with this, but looking back and seeing that if I held them to now, I'd make even more kind of stings.  On the other hand, the space I opened up allowed me to buy more without Lego invading my home even more.

 

My suggestion is for every set you buy, sell a set.  This way the space doesn't become an issue and it can be like a real business, with inventory turnover instead of constant inventory growth.

 

Or else, find another storage solution that is not your house so that it is out of sight of your family...but make sure you are still selling!  Hoarding behaviors are not healthy, even if they are profitable...you must have some discipline and set sales targets, and sell your sets when they reach those targets.

my paypal is linked to her account

 

she sees/gets every sale

 

the payments come out of there too, it would be heading positive but she makes sure to spend the excess, keeps her happy

Dude, no one is going to be happy without seeing any results.  If you "can't let go" of things you invest in, don't do it.   Man up and sell a few sets...

Your wife's happiness is more important than money or lego sets.  If you can't do both, stop investing in Lego sets. 

Dude, no one is going to be happy without seeing any results.  If you "can't let go" of things you invest in, don't do it.   Man up and sell a few sets...

Your wife's happiness is more important than money or lego sets.  If you can't do both, stop investing in Lego sets. 

But I can't.........

But I can't.........

 

I was just about to post:

 

The fact that you seem to have such a strong reluctance to sell any sets (even ones where you think perhaps you should), might be a problem.

 

They have a name for people like that (some might call it Ed )

Boldarrow and Migration hit the spot. I think most here with the partner-issue do the same thing with a positive effect. Sell something and with the profit, buy a nice gift for you wife. Diamonds or anything else that does bling-bling works best If you look for cheaper alternatives, shoes and handbags.

Welcome to the forum!

Do you have kids?  Pretty sure your wife will be much more happy when she sees you spending time with your kids playing/building/having fun ))  At least that's what my plan is (my kiddo is a bit young, so we only play Duplo for now), but I'm purely a collector, not investor.  I buy only the sets I like, or some big awesome sets everybody likes as gifts for friends' kids (and yes, I give them away as intended )

While hoarding LEGO is one of the better things to hoard its best to let go. If you don't want to sell the last one then don't. Think of it as if you sell old retired sets you can get more newer sets. Plus selling will make you happy. I haven't met a person doesn't love eBay's Cha-Ching alert.

Until it goes off at 2am and scares the crap out of you.  This has happened on several occasions. 

Well I don't want repeat what everybody else has said but I'm

guessing the sets you bought multiples of were for reselling purposes. I was in a similar situation with my better half until I made my first couple of sales then she realized that making money at this is totally possible and calmed her down. She now actually tolerates my ramblings about what I've read on the forums that day. I believe you know what you need to do but just need a push.

Good luck.