Ever tried to catalogue your minis?

[Emporium]

Hi all,
i planned to catalogue my mountain of lead during the holyday season: the result was that i quit after that in two hours i only managed to catalogue my 10mm ww2 minis, wich are a small part of my 10mm collection, which is just a small part of my mountain of minis. Of course the effort was beyond my energy but also my wargamesclub pals don't have a catalogue aswell.

So i wonder if among you there are braver/smarter wargamers than me who don't accept to have just a vague idea of their collection.

[zemjw]

Once or twice a year I think I should label the boxes in my loft. Then I stick my head through the hatch door and common sense prevails I do, however, add labels to new boxes as I store them, not sure if that counts.

The thought of cataloguing minis makes my brain freeze. I generally try and store similar figures in the same general area, but I still quite often find something where it shouldn't be. However, that's a big part of the fun

One thing I have done for the last few years is note down everything I buy in Google calendar. As most of my purchases are online, it's just a simple cut and paste to create the entry. It has come in handy a few times, but not as often as I'd have expected.

[Elbows]

I could probably do that pretty easily.  Unlike most people I think I've painted "most" of what I own (I have a large scrap box of plastic sprues which serve merely as parts/bits...so I won't count that).   

[warlord frod]

I spent all last year cataloging my collection. I labeled each box or bin and gave it a reference number (Star Wars SW01 for example). I then cataloged what was in it on my computer. for the larger parts of my collection (Mage Knight, Hero clixs Hero scape and Star Wars for example) I used specific spread sheets so I can print detailed lists. This is important as I trade things a good bit to fill in holes in my collections. The historical Fantasy and SciFi stuff is listed with a little less detail but I still know what box contains what and on which shelf it is stored. As I purchase new things I put them in boxs and label as I go. I have done the same with my extensive board game collection and hope to do the same with my rule books and terrain in the near future. I know I am an absolute crazy man   but after 40+ years of collecting I was frustrated when I spent more time looking for things then I did setting up and playing  

[Conquistador]

Actually doing that as I winnow stuff since so much has changed since 2015.

[robh]

The idea of it  

Too much like an OCD thing.
Close enough that storage boxes have labels and related boxes are more or less kept in the same area of the same room.

I remember years ago looking on in amazement as a college friend listed all his music collection, by track, album, artist, year and format. Pre PC so this was all on hand written index cards. Thousands of the bloody things.

[grant]

Yes! I actually did. It was terrifying to realize what I had.
Never again.

[Inkpaduta]

Yes, I have done this a couple of times over the years.
Mainly to see just how many figures that I have. I believe the
last catalog placed me at over 5,000 figures. What is nice this
that just about all of this is painted.

[fred]

I've had a couple of goes - mainly to try to work out what armies i can make.

This Christmas I dug out various boxes of unpainted stuff, and sorted through. I didn't go as far as catalgouing but did pull together simialar stuff in to the same boxes, and got rid of a bunch of card board boxes that just contained odd models.

It was a bit of a mixed process, it felt good to find things, but felt bad to have so much stuff unpainted!

[mellis1644]

The problem with this is if 'the Mrs' actually then see's the list. That would be BAD...

So likely best not try stuff like this IMO. It's like the best way to keep a secret is to not tell anyone. Only bad things can come from such endeavors.

[warlord frod]

Yes, I have done this a couple of times over the years.
Mainly to see just how many figures that I have. I believe the
last catalog placed me at over 5,000 figures. What is nice this
that just about all of this is painted.

Yes I am at 12,000+ so it was a daunting task cataloging it all.

I remember years ago looking on in amazement as a college friend listed all his music collection, by track, album, artist, year and format. Pre PC so this was all on hand written index cards. Thousands of the bloody things.

I guess the habit started with me long ago as well. I kept a catalog of my books and a list of those I had read (Still have that notebook on my shelf) I catalog my dvd and video collection ( also on computer spreed sheets) etc etc. Maybe I am OCD 

The problem with this is if 'the Mrs' actually then see's the list. That would be BAD...

Oh man is that ever true  So be sure your lists are password protected. 

What would be worse is to keep a list of money spent! I did that once and decided for my own sanity NOT to do that again 

[Inkpaduta]

12,000! My gaming hat is off for you sir.
Wow, where do you keep them all? My basement
is basically full now at 5,000.

[WillieB]

All my painted ones are in boxes (mostly KR ) but some still in flat grey ones I one bought. Costly in magnetic sheets and not so good for transporting  so eventually they will all end up in KR boxes. All 4000+ of them. Except for the naval vessels and vehicles  which will remain in the grey boxes comfy in the FIC foam.
Half painted ones on magnetic plates in the workshop so I don't lose them out of my sight. Twenty -eight plates at approx. 70 figures per.
The unpainted ones? They are in plastic see- through boxes with a label on them and that's it. Absolutely no idea how many. Estimated guess about 10.000 all in 28mm.

[WillieB]

All my painted ones are in boxes (mostly KR ) but some still in flat grey ones I one bought. Costly in magnetic sheets and not so good for transporting  so eventually they will all end up in KR boxes. All 4000+ of them. Except for the naval vessels and vehicles  which will remain in the grey boxes comfy in the FIC foam.
Half painted ones on magnetic plates in the workshop so I don't lose them out of my sight. Twenty -eight plates at approx. 70 figures per.
The unpainted ones? They are in plastic see- through boxes with a label on them and that's it. Absolutely no idea how many. Estimated guess about 10.000 all in 28mm.

[Major_Gilbear]

Hmm, yes and no.

I am ashamed to say that when I get into a game/project, I tend to go into collector mode and just buy everything for that army/faction/game. That way, I "know" that it's "complete" and don't need to remember exactly what I have... 

However, there are some projects that I do buy dribs and drabs for on a sporadic yet ongoing manner, and I have sometimes found myself with duplicates or unwanted purchases. In those cases, I have taken to making a spreadsheet with all the models listed on it in a detailed manner (including models for intended conversions - with notes about the planned conversion). I keep a copy of the spreadsheet in my webmail too, so that if I have a sudden impulse purchase moment, I can consult the spreadsheet first - and it's saved me a good few times already.

Anyway, that's my embarrassing confession!