Anyone bitten the bullet and cleared it all out??

[ced1106]

I've been doing that with some books, that can't be bothered, for the 50p I'd make not worth my trouble to sell but don't want to bin a perfectly good item just because I don't want it and will still bring joy to someone else.

For books, we have "Little Free Library" birdhouses around the neighborhood, as well as a community "Friends of the Library" organization. Someone just used an old bookshelf instead of making a birdhouse thingie to hold the books.
https://littlefreelibrary.org/
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/little-free-library-plans-1357149

Our FLGS used to have a "free things" table that people dropped off hobby stuff. Maybe have a local game club or Meetup group could have a "free game" day? Leftovers go to the local thrift shop?

[Ethelred the Almost Ready]

Living in New Zealand it is difficult to off-load unwanted books and miniatures without a lot of effort and expensive postage, so I now tend to keep everything.
Like may other respondants I am finding painting a chore and the resulting unpainted plastic/lead mountain starts to detract from the fun of wargaming. 
As kids I am sure most of us played with Airfix or Matchbox miniatures - unpainted - and had lots of fun.  It got me thinking about whether a fancy paint job is really needed to enjoy the game.  I have taken to trying a more monochromatic approach - spray with a base colour and add a limited number of other colours (I try to keep this to just 2 or 3) without trying to get all the detail.  Use of washes of various hues help here.  So, my Elves are armoured making the base spray a metalic silver, my Orcs show more skin, are dressed in ragged clothing and mainly use spears - base spray is brown.  Horses are batch sprayed grey, black or brown.
The only well-painted figures will be commanders and other important characters.  Even this plan is plodding along slowly, but at least some progress is being made.

The other thing detracting from the game is the rules.  I keep trying to adapt rules to fit what I want.  In doing so I get too involved with the changes and trialling them instead of getting on with a game that has rules that are good enough for what I want and are fun.  It seems that perhaps expectations are too high and this affects the experience of gaming for me.

I can understand why for some people the frustration leads to throwing games out.  This probably makes a clean break and is cathartic to some degree.  But overall I think this is a shame and I would prefer to think that people would donate games and miniatures  to someone rather than them going into the rubbish.

I have found this thread rather shocking that so many of us are no longer deriving enjoyment from the hobby and for some of us it is a real burden 

[Ethelred the Almost Ready]

"Charge!" Pew, pew, pew.  Boom!
Perhaps we would be happier playing like this.....
 

[Dubbya]

I have taken to trying a more monochromatic approach - spray with a base colour and add a limited number of other colours (I try to keep this to just 2 or 3) without trying to get all the detail.

The other thing detracting from the game is the rules.  I keep trying to adapt rules to fit what I want.  In doing so I get too involved with the changes and trialling them instead of getting on with a game that has rules that are good enough for what I want and are fun.  It seems that perhaps expectations are too high and this affects the experience of gaming for me.

Two really good points. I look at my collection of half finished armies painted in different styles, different basing, and wish that with each new purchase I just undercoated a solid colour and drybrushed a lighter shade, picked out a few colours and based.

Rules I do the same playing solo, always trying something new so every game is a boring "test game" with little thought put into the scenario or armies played!

[Mr. White]

I have dumped it all in the past. It’s liberating.

Unfortunately, the break was only 4-5 years and I got back into minis painting and gaming around 2016. I’ve done quite a bit in this time, and have sold some more recent work, I wish I hadn’t.

Anyway, anything not painted by Dec 31st 2024 is getting binned. I turn 50 on that day. I’m not hanging up the brushes, but refuse to have a queue after that point. Just the infrequent, small addition to my current collection.

I’ve got a ways to go so am in a two year sprint.

[zemjw]

Rules I do the same playing solo, always trying something new so every game is a boring "test game" with little thought put into the scenario or armies played!

yup, I know that problem all too well

[tikitang]

As kids I am sure most of us played with Airfix or Matchbox miniatures - unpainted - and had lots of fun.  It got me thinking about whether a fancy paint job is really needed to enjoy the game.

Absolutely! I had a total blast playing with Airfix modern soldiers (and tanks) in my grandma's backyard flower-bed, pretending the rose-bushes were trees! Didn't use any rules, just took turns moving a single soldier at at time, choosing a target and making my best automatic rifle sound effects. Best wargaming experience of my life, really.

But now, as an adult, that just wouldn't do. I have tried playing unpainted and it's so uninspiring. I can't do it!

The other thing detracting from the game is the rules.  I keep trying to adapt rules to fit what I want.  In doing so I get too involved with the changes and trialling them instead of getting on with a game that has rules that are good enough for what I want and are fun.  It seems that perhaps expectations are too high and this affects the experience of gaming for me.

Exactly this!

[Aerendar Valandil]

As I said before I am a very slow painter and i am very attached to my models. I have binned boradgames and books the last few months as they were lying around unread and unplayed for too long. Perhaps some of my side projects may suffer that fate.

My pile does shrink though. I've built up one in the past, but the last few years I paint more than I buy. I have finished some projects and I have a few games that I play regularly, so there is motivation to continue. And the few things I want to get rid of - if you play and build up experience in painting, it';s easier to adjudicate if you really WANT to paint or play something. So it's easier to get rid of it.

On a side note: I follow a solo wargame group on Facebook and I have observed that many there play with unpainted models. There is no reason why you shouldn't (especially when nobody sees it!). Play your game how you want it.

[ced1106]

> I have taken to trying a more monochromatic approach

This actually works well with zombies! I doubt anyone has centered their games around the miniatures that are easiest to paint, but I'm fine with the easier to paint fantasy armies like undead, over the harder ones like humans and elves. I went with generic fantasy, since so many fantasy miniatures can be played in different rule systems, including RPG's, boardgames, miniatures games, etc.

> The other thing detracting from the game is the rules.

It may not be fun (I don't find painting fun, either), but writing rules can certainly be a hobby itself. Interestingly, I'm only interested (: in having *one* generic fantasy miniatures rules set and *one* sf set, since I don't like un-learning common combat concepts, such as line-of-sight, which seem to be different for every miniatures game, while most miniature games boil down to dice-throwing. I find it interesting because I have MANY more boardgame rulesets. Lasting Tales satisfies my munchkin itch, although, once I finish the LT scenarios, I'll probably end up going back to Gloomhaven.

>  I turn 50 on that day.

I started *after* 50, or was that I started painting after I retired? (: Unfortunately, I now have to reduce the blood sugar, so painting is even slower.

[supervike]

I guess I've ended up doing it a bit like roller coaster dieting.   Lose 10 pounds, then gain back 14, lose 14 then gain back 17...etc. etc.

I've had quite a few purges in my years of collecting/gaming, but it always seems I get back deeper into the next time....and on and on it goes.

But at the end of the day, these shiny little toys and the intimidating rule books give me a lot of joy and peace.  It's a safe refuge from the more trying times in real life.  Maybe that makes it all worth it.

[NotifyGrout]

In the US at least, if you are out of options, take it to a Goodwill.

Goodwill isn't the best of nonprofits, but the odds of your old gaming stuff finding a new home is pretty high. It's also a good place to look for used stuff if you're willing to accept that an entire lot might not be in ideal condition.

[syrinx0]

In the US at least, if you are out of options, take it to a Goodwill.

Goodwill isn't the best of nonprofits, but the odds of your old gaming stuff finding a new home is pretty high. It's also a good place to look for used stuff if you're willing to accept that an entire lot might not be in ideal condition.

Goodwill and other similar nonprofit thrift stores make it really easy to drop off items. Box it up & drop it off. If they can't sell it, they will bin it but at least there is a chance for reuse. In my area there are church groups and high schools that can even assist (kids get service hours for graduation). 

[supervike]

In the US at least, if you are out of options, take it to a Goodwill.

Exactly what I did with all mine.  I love the idea of someone shopping at Goodwill and stumbling across some gaming goodness.

[LeadAsbestos]

Exactly what I did with all mine.  I love the idea of someone shopping at Goodwill and stumbling across some gaming goodness.

Some day I'll luck out and find someone's abandoned treasure! 🙂

[dwbullock]

Friend of mine tried selling, no takers.  Then decided to throw a ton of GW stuff away, because he was moving and didn't want to mess with the idea of haggling.  This price, or I throw it away.

He posted when he threw it away.  Guys were picking through his trash.