Categorizing and Cataloging Memorabilia

I am so thankful for our readers/watchers/listeners. While this blog can be used just as a personal journal of sorts, it is so much better knowing that others are checking in and seeing what we have to say. Even better, sometimes, those people like what they read/watch/hear so much that they actually come back, time and again. Ten years in and, sometimes, that idea still freaks me out. Why would anyone like or care what I have to say?? Of course, as a fan, as a person, I get it. There is something so nice, so comforting to know that you are not alone, that what you are into is cool enough for others to be into it, too. Beyond knowing that I’m not alone, I also appreciate the good ideas that readers share with us.

The other day, a blog post led to a comment about cataloging a Duran Duran collection. The natural organizer in me perked up at that idea. I immediately started to wonder how I could do that! Do I put my collection in categories? If so, what? Here is a possible list:

• Magazines
• Books
• CDs
• Vinyl
• Bootlegs
• Pins
• T-shirts
• Special miscellaneous items
• Posters
• DVDs
• Calendars
• Mugs/Glassware
• Tote bags
• VIP laminates
• Keychains
• Not official Duran merchandise but feels Duran like
• Tour memories products

What am I missing? Is there a category that I should have but don’t?

Okay. Here’s another idea. What if I catalog my collection not by type of merchandise but based on era? In that case, I could do:

• Early Days/First album era
• Rio era
• Seven and the Ragged Tiger/Sing Blue Silver/Arena era
• Power Station/Arcadia era
• Notorious era
• Big Thing/Liberty era
• Wedding album/Thank You era
• Medazzaland/Pop Trash era
• Reunion/Astronaut era
• Red Carpet Massacre era
• All You Need Is Now era
• Paper Gods era

Of course, I could also catalog by year of when said product was made or became available. That might be fun, too. I might have to guess about some years but I bet I could get close enough.

What do you all think? Which system is best? I figure that once I start cataloging I could then figure out what to write about on my days for this topic. But, that would come next. I need to take it one step at a time. So, let me know either through the comments here or on social media, which way I should organize! If you have organized yourself, let me know how it went for you and if you have any advice to give!

-A