How do you manage/track and keep a handle on your collection

[Bocabirdman]

I, too, use spreadsheets. My problem is not tracking my collection. My problem is that my collection has expanded to the point that it has outgrown any and all space I allot for it. Thankfully, I keep dupes to a minimum but since I was re-bitten by this hobby two years ago, my collection is getting crazy big. My ID here is my eBay ID. I am sure some of you vendors know me. I am tackling Topps from 51-69. Bowman from 48-55, Red Hearts and Red Man Tobacco, 60 Leaf and 63 Fleer. I took a T-206 detour and have 104 in T-206 top loaders. Lately, I have been hitting Pre War stuff. DoublePlays, Play Balls and Exhibit cards were first. Now I have the Strip Card bug. I also have a few Goudey and a couple Matchbooks, Oh did I mention my blankets?
I had a collection of some note thirty years ago when I had a whole bunch more space. I sold it to finance the 1980's (Anybody that was there knows of what I speak). A couple years ago I stumbled on to a few card blogs and came into some money that I could play with. The wife is cool with it except for the ever-expanding overflow. Also the scraps of bubble wrap, used toploaders and everything else we accumulate is a regal pain in the butt...Wow that's the most I have typed in years.

[tachyonbb]

A couple of years ago, I moved my spreadsheets to google docs. Now my modest collection is available on my iPhone and iPad without any fuss.

I don't recommend google spreadsheets for any real scientific work but it does a great job with simple tasks like a collection.

[t206blogcom]

I put my spreadsheets on Dropbox so I too can access them from my phone or any computer with an Internet connection.

[autograf]

Like 99.9% of the rest........excel spreadsheets for the checklists/etc..........I go into ebay ended auctions and just copy and paste the stuff I've won into a spreadsheet and it works great for all the ebay stuff I win. Other stuff like from B/S/T and auction houses, I try to save invoices when I have 'em but don't do a 100% job on that.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by t206blogcom

I put my spreadsheets on Dropbox so I too can access them from my phone or any computer with an Internet connection.

Any cloud service also serves as backup, if you're a bad driver of have one.

[Matthew H]

Smtjoy, that's awesome! I'll have to try that out

[WhiteWhaleCards]

I too have been using spreadsheets to track my collection for years. I’ve always thought there has to be a better way to track and manage a collection than spreadsheets, so about a year ago I decided to build one.

In mid-July I will release a Web site called White Whale Cards, which will be a vintage baseball card social network. I have built a number of features into the site including being able to easily make a checklist of which cards you own, upload photos of these cards, make a list of the cards on your want list, and share all of this with the community. My hope is to replace the need for excel spreadsheets, Photobucket/Picassa, and other cumbersome tools and instead connect card collectors in the way Facebook has connected people.

I am currently looking for a few beta testers to test an early version of the site over the next two weeks. This would entail using the site to checklist which cards you own, uploading pictures of your collection and then giving us feedback on how well it works and how we can make it easier. If you are interested in beta testing for the site, please PM me.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[jcmtiger]

This was the easiest way for me. Most cards have been sold.

Collecting Old Judge Detroit though.


Joe

[danmckee]

Once again it looks like I am in the minority on this board. I don't know what I have after I complete sets. Ugh!

I do know what I need to complete sets by my tiny want list that is hand written on a piece of white cardboard.

What a worthless dinosaur I am!