I’m nowhere near the “norm” of you guys, but, if you have to hide your collection, it’s probably too big.

I’ve been sharpening my focus and moving off stuff I’m not playing on the rare occasions I get to play these days. I even considered selling my grail blue kit. But probably won’t.

The red kit will go to my son if he shows interest. Otherwise it’s gone.

Fewer snares and fewer stands. I’ll have plenty at the CT drum show this year!

Time to sell out and specialize. One brand. Combinations of certain finishes. Limit to one year. I haven't gotten to Warehouse level yet. I have gotten to .... we really need to buy a couch again level.

Well Jeff I call dibs on your silver sparkle Camco set ! Just sayin ... And you thought I would say the coffin lug Kent huh ?

I guess I'm still in the early stages of gear accumulation, but it's mostly because of curiosity. Since I started playing when I was about 14 or so, and reading MD magazine, I've always wanted to know firsthand about how various legendary (and non-legendary) drums or other gear that I'd read about sounded or performed. I was never able to indulge that curiosity until I was gainfully employed, and had some "discretionary" income. I've since learned quite a bit about various drums, pedals, cymbals, etc., and the hype that some have generated...some deserved, and some not. One thing that I have learned is that taste is subjective. I like what I like for various reasons, and I've kept the things I like, and gotten rid of the things that I don't. Some of the things I like aren't valuable from a collector standpoint, but they were things that I repaired or refurbished from poor condition to something that is perfectly functional.

Now, convincing my wife of all this is another matter. :D

I felt overwhelmed with my 12 kits, 36 snares, and 300 cymbals. I downsized to 6 kits, 16 snares, and 100 cymbals. It felt so good, I'm looking to downsize more. Simplicity is so freeing. But, variety is divine. I suppose the struggle for each of us is finding the balance that personally serves us the best...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all your gear?

Every day.

John

I narrowed some things down years back, but a lot was beginner things that I never even used, but had just acquired. At this point I'm well over 50 snares, and kit wise close to 20 ( need to re count,lol ) I have a storage unit that is well packed, but still spacious enough for me to set-up and play. Hardware wise I have the kit at the band house. I then have enough hardware to equip 3-4 kits with hats,and three cymbals. Chances are even if I had kits in house, I would never have them all set-up and playable at once. And if I could I'd buy hardware then, but likely not. I won't stop buying, I'd sooner buy more 10'x15' or bigger storage units than sell anything.

ha ha ha , Sorry man. Manny is first in line. And, that will likely be one of the three that I keep.

Have you ever considered donating a kit or two to a school or a kid who can't afford one? It seems there are a lot of folks who accumulate a lot of possessions to fill a void in their life. As for me, if I'm not using something, it's of no use to me, I don't feel the need to have a ton of kits or pairs of shoes. Maybe we should focus more on our playing than what we play.

Thanks for all of your heartfelt opinions. I definitely want to downsize, but I feel so overwhelmed, I don't know where to begin. I get ready to start organizing and making a "Sell" pile, etc. and I end up just sitting there doing nothing, and just staring off into space.

Now I know how my Mom feels. She still lives in the same house I grew up in, which is way too big for her to handle, plus it's old and it needs a lot of repair, inside and out. My Dad passed away in 2010, so she lives there all alone. She turns 80 in April, and all of us kids are constantly telling her to get rid of stuff, simplify her life and get out of the house and live somewhere that is much more manageable to her. She never does any cleaning or downsizing because she says she feels overwhelmed and doesn't know how or where to start. I never understood how she could feel that way until now.

Yes I have done so before. Two of my good friends (and ex-bandmates) are husband and wife, at both teach music at the same high school. I have donated a few kits, several hardware pieces and a few cymbals to them in the past.

I'm not going to crazy and sell everything all at once. I think if I start small, selling off the things I know for sure I don't want, I think it will get easier for me once I get that initial momentum going. I think that once I see that I have more room in my house and storage unit (and more money in my pocket), I think it will be easier to keep the ball rolling until I decide I am in a comfortable place, whatever that means. I have a feeling I'll know it when I know it.

The funny thing is, in my "normal" life, I am a clean freak! My house is always very clean, and when it comes to non-musical items, I don't like any extraneous stuff lying around the house at all. I like everything organized and neat.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement. It means a lot to know that I am not the only one who struggles with this.