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"Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

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"Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Old 04-30-10, 05:11 PM
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"Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Given that there has been a lot of discussion lately on how all of us deal with our addiction, both in threads on that topic, and spilling over into multiple other threads, a couple of us have mentioned that perhaps one catch-all thread would be useful.

Maybe it's not needed, maybe it will quickly fade away, but what-the-hay, here it is for now.

Consider this a place to ask and discuss topics such as storage of our collections, why we buy too much, and whatever else.

Post pics of your collection and storage solutions to inspire others. For pics of my collection, just imagine a mild episode of the television show Hoarders.

A lot of these topics have been brought up in the exclusive thread lately.

Thread about a great deal on slimcases, http://forum.dvdtalk.com/hot-deals/5...7-shipped.html

Last edited by Trevor; 05-01-10 at 10:22 AM.
Old 04-30-10, 05:25 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

NICE! Time to get some pictures organized!
Old 04-30-10, 10:16 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

I just moved from a house to an apartment and i'm struggling to find the space to house my collection, right now I have closets filled and stacks everywhere, I hope some pictures and ideas are shared here for inspiration and motivation to tackle the task.
Old 04-30-10, 10:26 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Good idea for a thread. My DVD collection is relatively organized--everything for the most part alphabetized, but in 4 different spots. Partly out of necessity (lack of space) and partly out of my organizational method. Movies, Kids/Family Movies, TV sets on DVD and finally a catch-all closet which contains an "overflow". I've clicked into the thread where everyone has pictures of their theater set-ups and I dream of a day when I'll have that. I'm honest with myself in realizing it may be years/decades away.
Old 05-01-10, 01:07 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Binders. 240-disc binders. (currently 20 of them, but they're only about 2/3 full each, on average, I'd guess)
Spindles. 100-disc spindles, holding stuff I'm interested in watching soon, new additions from recent purchases, and stuff I already watched but want to watch some of the extras. (currently 5 of them, not completely full)
And a filing cabinet that holds artwork.
Cases go bye-bye.
A simple spreadsheet in chronological order listing everything I've ordered/bought.
My entire collection of 3000+ titles is within reach of where I am sitting right now in front of this computer without my having to get up or move my chair.
Old 05-01-10, 03:04 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

^ efficient yes, but youll get no love from me

i have used a couple of different organizing systems (different bookcase shelving units, multiple rooms, under the desk, and the lovely "i dunno what to do with it so ill throw it in a box for now"), but i seem to really gravitate to wall shelving.
Old 05-01-10, 10:07 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by cardsfan111
Good idea for a thread. My DVD collection is relatively organized--everything for the most part alphabetized, but in 4 different spots. Partly out of necessity (lack of space) and partly out of my organizational method. Movies, Kids/Family Movies, TV sets on DVD and finally a catch-all closet which contains an "overflow". I've clicked into the thread where everyone has pictures of their theater set-ups and I dream of a day when I'll have that. I'm honest with myself in realizing it may be years/decades away.
Sounds very similar to my system, and my sadness. I'm very limited in how I can store things, as I'm a renter and the place is very small. I see some of those photos and wish for a lottery win, or more personal motivation and commitment. I'd love to have things set-up the way I really want them, but it will probably never happen. So it's pretty much a continual compromise, moving piles around and occasionally thinking that I'm making progress, but in reality probably not.
Old 05-01-10, 10:20 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Cheato
Binders. 240-disc binders. (currently 20 of them, but they're only about 2/3 full each, on average, I'd guess)
Spindles. 100-disc spindles, holding stuff I'm interested in watching soon, new additions from recent purchases, and stuff I already watched but want to watch some of the extras. (currently 5 of them, not completely full)
And a filing cabinet that holds artwork.
Cases go bye-bye.
A simple spreadsheet in chronological order listing everything I've ordered/bought.
My entire collection of 3000+ titles is within reach of where I am sitting right now in front of this computer without my having to get up or move my chair.
I have used binders in the past for everything, but changed my mind. I really like to be able to see what I have, and scan a wall or bookcase of hundreds of titles, being able to read all of the information on the case.

Even using binders that allowed for the DVD artwork/inserts, it just took way too long to open each binder and peruse everything.

plus, I lend out DVDs all of the time, and most 'normal' people hated having to look through binders or lists. They like to see the actual cases.

Silly reasons perhaps, and I could overcome them if I absolutely had to move everything into an efficiency or something. But for now at least, I have to stick to keeping them in actual cases (converting them all to slim though). Here's a good deal on slimcases right now, http://forum.dvdtalk.com/hot-deals/5...7-shipped.html

I do use binders and spindles for things that I've recorded off of cable though.
Originally Posted by hindolio
i have used a couple of different organizing systems (different bookcase shelving units, multiple rooms, under the desk, and the lovely "i dunno what to do with it so ill throw it in a box for now"), but i seem to really gravitate to wall shelving.
My thoughts as well. I'd love to fit everything on wall shelving.

A couple of years ago I went to the container store and bought a crapload of shelving stuff, converting the largest wall in my condo to virtual floor to ceiling and wall to wall shelving. I think it is ten rows, about 8 feet long each. At the time, I thought that it would probably contain every DVD I would ever own. Now, it barely contains just all the TV sets, and I would probably need at least two more similar set-ups to hold all of the DVDs.

And that doesn't even begin to consider all of my exclusives, which now fill perhaps 50 of those standard storage boxes. Or the hundreds of films that I've burned off of cable.

Last edited by Trevor; 05-01-10 at 10:23 AM.
Old 05-01-10, 11:12 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Yeah, I find myself leaning towards a binder system. Currently I have the massive piles getting shifted about and every available shelf crammed with discs, but it's an untennable solution given the rate of growth. Take into account that I'm married with a family and the space is not exclusively mine to do with what I'd like, and it's just a matter of time before something has to give. I'm already starting to get rumbles from the wife wondering just how many movies a person could possibly need. Stuff them all in binders compressing the storage space and she won't utter a peep.
Old 05-01-10, 09:22 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

mdnitoil, I feel for ya. Thankfully for me, my wife is entirely on board with my taste in movies and she's actually even worse at times about wanting to buy something than I am. I'd say there are only a handful of things that either of us brought into the library that is just "hers" or "mine," in the sense that we're pretty much mutually interested in nearly everything we own.

We bought a media tower at Organized Living several years ago, and then bought a second one when they went out of business for much less. They're supplemented by a third, smaller, tower. They've been close to full for about a year now, and would be if we had everything on them.

There are a few titles that are put away inside the entertainment stand, but only because they're superfluous. For instance, the 2-disc Casino Royale that we bought at Walmart that came with two decks of cards; we have the 2-disc Blu-ray version out, so I put away the DVD. I'd have traded it in, except I want to keep the cards and poker chip and I just can't bring myself to break up the set. Likewise, I decided I didn't need the individual releases of the Star Wars trilogy out since I'm never going to actually watch the non-anamorphic original versions. I left the box set out, and stored the individual titles.

We don't have many Blu-rays (35 or so, I think), but there are just enough of them that they won't all fit with the DVDs. Currently, they've got a little stand to themselves. Each time we upgrade a title to Blu-ray, we trade in the DVD version at Half Price Books. Since we typically use the money to buy more DVDs, this has kept the towers pruned. I struggled with trading in the 2-disc Sin City set with the graphic novel, but I decided it's just an incentive for me to eventually break down and buy the real thing anyway. (I'm not letting go of my 3-disc Wizard of Oz set, though!)
Old 05-02-10, 08:31 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

^ That brings up this possible conversation:

Do you all really trade in most of your DVDs once you "upgrade" to the BD? I would never even begin to consider such a thing. Two main reasons.

One, they very rarely carry over all of the special features from the multiple DVDs editions, and I'm a special features junkie.

Two, I can play my DVDs anywhere on the planet. Even without portable players and laptops, we have DVD players in most offices, many cars, and probably at every friend and family member's home you know. My BDs are playable in exactly one room of one house. I'm a homebody, but I still end up watching my DVDs all over the place. Plus I like lending my films out, and no one in my family has a BD player.
Old 05-02-10, 09:00 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Trevor
^ That brings up this possible conversation:

Do you all really trade in most of your DVDs once you "upgrade" to the BD? I would never even begin to consider such a thing.
I trade them in ,recently I bought The Gauntlet on BD and the upgrade was unbelievable ....I knew the regular DVD release was whacked when i watched it a few months ago (i bought it at BL for $3) the picture was horrible , the colors were way off.
The best part was my wife kept nagging me as to why I was re-buying a movie and then I showed her the Blu Ray and then popped in the DVD ...... she saw the light !!!
So I see no reason to keep the regular DVD release, there is no way in hell I will ever watch it again especially that particular release it was just total garbage.

Last edited by Drake; 05-02-10 at 09:02 AM.
Old 05-02-10, 09:11 AM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Trevor
^ That brings up this possible conversation:

Do you all really trade in most of your DVDs once you "upgrade" to the BD?
I do. Of the 90 or so DVDs I've upgraded to Blu-ray, the only one I've kept is Brokeback Mountain, and that's only because I like the postcards that came with the 2-disc collector's edition. I'm sure I'm missing a couple of special features here and there, but probably no more than that, and I never seem to watch 'em anyway. And I've still got tons of DVDs, if I find myself wanting to watch something where there's not a Blu-ray player, or if I lend something out, both of which rarely happen.

Rob
Old 05-02-10, 01:42 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Great thread, Trevor. I've been scaling back thanks to Netflix. My basic way to sort is by genre, then alphabetical. I also sort certain directors and actors prior to their corresponding genre (see pics). For directors I sort according to year release, then involvement (producing, writing). So for Tarantino, it’s his movies (R. Dogs, Pulp Fic) then writing (True Romance). My BD and HD DVDs are just alphabetical.

As far as buying too much, again, Netflix is helping with that. I'm trying to limit myself to just items I want to OWN, as part of me, in a weird way. I had a CD collecting problem way before a DVD collecting problem, and I can't go crazy on both (I'm relegating my collector OCD over to the CD side of my life).

The pics show the basics of how I display, organize.






Old 05-02-10, 01:57 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Sweet pics DL!
Old 05-02-10, 02:08 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Dick Laurent
Great thread, Trevor. I've been scaling back thanks to Netflix. My basic way to sort is by genre, then alphabetical. I also sort certain directors and actors prior to their corresponding genre (see pics). For directors I sort according to year release, then involvement (producing, writing). So for Tarantino, it’s his movies (R. Dogs, Pulp Fic) then writing (True Romance). My BD and HD DVDs are just alphabetical.

As far as buying too much, again, Netflix is helping with that. I'm trying to limit myself to just items I want to OWN, as part of me, in a weird way. I had a CD collecting problem way before a DVD collecting problem, and I can't go crazy on both (I'm relegating my collector OCD over to the CD side of my life).

The pics show the basics of how I display, organize.






Can I ask where you got those dividers?

James
Old 05-02-10, 02:14 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

the dividers look homemade. They look like blackboard paper stuff with white label stickers. i might actually try the whole divider thing in my collection someday
Old 05-02-10, 02:40 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by JJE-187
the dividers look homemade. They look like blackboard paper stuff with white label stickers. i might actually try the whole divider thing in my collection someday
You got it! I just cut them out of poster board and then sticker letter what I want on there. You can buy packs of sticker letters for signs at various office stores (Officemax, etc.). The first pic shows they are not obtrusive in any way. You don't even notice the signs when looking at the front of the shelves.

Thanks for the + comments. Glad my collecting OCD can be appreciated...
Old 05-02-10, 02:41 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

I like Dick Laurent's pictures as well.

I think the dividers look sharp, though I don't see myself ever using them. I'll stick with the good old fashioned alphabetical system. I used to wish Blockbuster would just put everything alphabetically--there were times I didn't know if they'd have a particular movie under drama, action or another genre and it took me an extra minute or two to find it.

Yes, it's only a minute or two but my time is valuable!

Last edited by Cardsfan111; 09-03-12 at 09:15 PM.
Old 05-02-10, 02:49 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Love the shelf and divider thing as well. My problem is that I've used up all available wall space with shelves and now I'm creating piles on top of them. Pretty soon, once I've built all the piles I can, I'll be stuffing them under the bed. Sooner or later, I'm bound to run out of space. Then when I think that over 90% of that space is wasted air trapped in a keepcase, I go back to the idea of binders. I suppose I could try slim packs as an intermediate step, but once I get into the repackaging game, why not just go all the way with it?
Old 05-02-10, 02:51 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

I continually go back and forth on how I organize my things, I think it's part of whatever form of OCD or whatever disorder I have.

I think I generally prefer everything alphabetically, but certain 'easy' things are separated, like TV shows and BDs and Criterions. Today at least.

But I once spent an entire day organizing all of my empty software boxes, so I'm certifiable and should probably not be listened to.
Old 05-02-10, 03:12 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Trevor
I continually go back and forth on how I organize my things, I think it's part of whatever form of OCD or whatever disorder I have.
My 2k + CD collection is mostly organized by what feels right. Mazzy Star feels like it should be sorted after Julianna Hatfield. NOFX after Bad Religion. My wife gave up on that system, and took her CDs out of "my" collection. It's very organic, constantly changing.
Old 05-02-10, 03:14 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by Dick Laurent
You got it! I just cut them out of poster board and then sticker letter what I want on there. You can buy packs of sticker letters for signs at various office stores (Officemax, etc.). The first pic shows they are not obtrusive in any way. You don't even notice the signs when looking at the front of the shelves.

Thanks for the + comments. Glad my collecting OCD can be appreciated...
Thanks!

Time to check out Grand & Toy.

James
Old 05-02-10, 03:24 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by JamesDFarrow
Thanks!

Time to check out Grand & Toy.

James
It takes some trial and error to get a good divider system. As you can see all of mine aren't perfect in size or lettering, but they get the job done. Good luck to you!
Old 05-02-10, 03:40 PM
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Re: "Official" OCD DVD Collecting and Organization Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by mdnitoil
I suppose I could try slim packs as an intermediate step, but once I get into the repackaging game, why not just go all the way with it?
Dick's picture does a good job of illustrating why I think I'll never go to binders again.

The binders that display disk art/inserts hold what, 40 or so titles each at the most? It would take a bunch of binders to store all of those, and lots of time to peruse them all.

To scan that whole collection to find something to watch would take less than a minute; opening 30 binders and flipping thru all the pages a lot longer. A system like discsox or something like a file system of artwork/sleeves would be faster than binders, but I've never seen one that I like as much as shelves.

Plus, I grab one or a handful of titles to take with me somewhere almost every day. With cases it's easy to do that, but kind of a pain with binders.

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