How do you keep track of what decks you have?
If you use a computer inventory database, did you make it yourself, or use a pre-built program?
This is probably more for those of us with larger collections, but still, if you have a few more valuble decks you may still want to keep track of them, how much they are worth, etc..
I was thinking about how other people did it, because I just re-did my inventory. My original was in the back of an old tarot journal, and I was running out of room. Now it's in a nice, fresh journal with room for several more years. ( I discovered a few missing titles along the way, too...)
I have thought about a computer database, but my skills for data-base building are pretty 1990.
I keep track of how much I paid, when I bought it, was it new or used, and if it's now collectible or not. etc.
There is a note in the front for my heirs, that this will change in the 60 or so years until I die since I plan to live to about 110, LOL, so they should check current prices. Since sometimes today's loser deck is tomorrow's treasure...
Even if I do go to a computer inventory (with multiple back-ups) I'd probably still keep up a hard copy journal, for the sake of redundancy.
But I was curious, what do others do?
I have 110 decks (and I use them ALL regularly), so if I didn't know how to find them I'd be in trouble. So I do have a system that works well for me.
I have the lists stored online.
Not on my personal computer, because they are too preicious to risk losing. But mine are on EverNote. It's an online site to store your stuff and notes so you never lose them if your computer ever crashes. Plus you can access your EverNote files anywhere on any computer or even on yoru cell phone. There is an I-Phone Ap for it. As a matter of fact, I also store important readings there (photos of the cards and all), so that I can read them over at will even on my cell phone when at work. And some important reading methods I want to keep nearby...
Back to your question. I have a couple of things I do to make things easier to find for myself. A couple of lists.
When I get readiy to do a reading, first I decide in my head which kind of deck I want to use: Tarot, Oracle, or Angel deck.
Then I go to my list online of my decks. They are listed there by category. So let's say I need a Tarot deck. I then read over my list of Tarot decks (or whatever kind of deck I decided to use) and just FEEL which one feels right for that reading.
Then I have to find the deck. Each deck is in a different pouch, but as you can imagine with 110 decks and all the years it took me to accumulate them, I don't realy remember which deck is in which pouch anymore So once I decide exactly which deck I need, I have to be able to find it.
What I have done is taken a photo of a few cards from each deck, next to the pouch it is in, and saved each of these photos (one per deck) in Photobucket. Both EverNote and Photobucket are free of charge.
SO what I have done is to a have another Evernote file with each of my decks listed in alphabetical order, with the hyperlink to its Photobucket photo imbedded in the deck's name. If you know what I mean and I am not being too confusing.
So, oince I've decided which deck I want. I go to my alphabetical listing of all my decks and find the one I want listed there, and just click on it. That opens a photo of the deck and its pouch.
Then I know what its pouch it is in looks like...and then it is easy enough to find the proper deck for the reading,
If that's too confusing or I did not explain it well,just ask.
I also have another list there where I have each deck listed in the order I received them in with the dates I got them. So I do know exactly when I got each of my decks, going years back since the first one.
BTW, mine are NOT in database format. They are just lists...Writing in them is the same as writing here.
Babs
