Get Your Hobby Groove Back: How to Rekindle a Love of Card Collecting

I see a lot of comments online, videos, and articles from jaded collectors who seem burned out on the hobby. It happens. I get it. I basically put my collection in stasis from 2013-2019 due to a lack of zeal for the hobby. Hobby burnout is a real problem. How does one avoid burnout? I’m sure there are many solutions, but I’m going to focus on five to help you get your cardboard groove back.

1. Focus on One Product

This is the one that is most effective for recharging my collecting batteries. Choosing a favorite product and going all-in on it always makes me appreciate the hobby more. For November, I declared it “No Number November” and am only buying and trading Topps 206 cards which lack set numbers (I did buy a Jeff Probst Ginter NNO mini as a fun technicality).

Doing this is great fun, but it also limits the noise one hears in the hobby with each new release. Getting out of the new release cycle is freeing even if you don’t purchase most releases. With literally hundreds of releases a year, the hobby can be taxing on one’s mental bandwidth. A month’s vacation collecting only a favorite product is a great way to reboot.

My favorite benefit of doing this is every time I’ve done this, I discover a group of people also focusing on whatever product I’m after and those people inevitably tend to be the best kind of hobby people. If you think there are too many jerks in the hobby, join a group dedicated to collecting just one product. There are some duds, but most product-specific collecting groups are great.

2. Goals/Curation

I pretty much stopped collecting in 2013 because I had met my collecting goals and was just collecting aimlessly. That works for some, but my collecting has always needed a purpose. I’ve got an overarching PC goal, but I also constantly make smaller collections so I always have obtainable goals.

Even figuring out what goals to set can be invigorating. I spent a long time this year just thinking about what items I did, and did not, want in my collection. I spent a lot of time researching and discussing cards without even having to spend a dime. If your collection is a bit haphazard, try setting a few goals.

3. Social Media Positivity

This goes beyond merely not saying negative things and requires one to actively be positive about the hobby online. I’m not saying to offer false positivity, but if you can’t scan the SCN Facebook group and not find a picture of a card or a story to say something authentically positive about, it is time to change hobbies.

Next time you see a card and think “that’s awesome” make sure to type it too. Many people will type any negative comment that comes to mind but will suppress positive thoughts as not contributing to the discussion. I’m not saying don’t complain, but actively posting one’s positive thoughts has an uplifting effect.

I also actively avoid negative voices in the hobby. I’m not saying ignore people with reasonable gripes, but if all one has to offer is gripes, I’m not listening or reading. These collectors can sap the joy right out of any hobby conversation.

Positivity breeds positivity and consciously choosing to have positive interactions about the hobby online and avoiding negative ones is a balm for even the most jaded collector.

4. Criss Cross Applesauce

Swap it up. If you collect vintage, buy modern. If you only collect football, consider focusing on basketball for a bit. For me, one of the best parts about a hobby is learning about it and slowly trying to become an expert. I’m happiest when I’m floundering and having to learn on the fly with a hobby.

I’ve decided that the next time I get bored with collecting I’m going all-in on the original 206 cards which will require a bunch of research. If you are like me, that’s a good thing. Find an area of the hobby you aren’t familiar with, learn about it, and make it your own.

5. Build a Difficult Set

I guess this could be considered a collecting goal, but set building is a great way to get out of a collecting rut. Many sets are easy to build, but the sense of accomplishment from finishing a difficult set is one of the best feelings in the hobby and I’d suggest every collector to at least do one tough set.

Finishing a set is wonderful. The chase is what will bring excitement back to the hobby though. Find a set that has you anxiously searching eBay and shows looking for a random single you thought you’d never find and you won’t ever be bored with the hobby.

Wrap Up

Hopefully, everyone reading this is thoroughly engaged and happy with the hobby. If you aren’t though, give a few of these a shot. If you’ve got other useful ideas to bring back a love for cardboard, let me know in the comments.