During the pandemic, you may be interested in taking up a new hobby. With extra time on your hands, you can learn about anything during that hour you’d usually spend commuting to and from work. Some people chose the crafty route. Having something physical to interact with can be very rewarding. While other people chose a more intellectual journey by taking classes from one of the many online offerings, like Masterclass.
If you still haven’t found your new hobby, why not find one that marries the hands-on nature of crafting and the intellectual side of classes? You can do both by being a rock and mineral collector. In order to get you started, here are a few points to take into consideration.
Will you need extra space?
Initially, you’ll be able to display your collection easily within the confines of your home. Your partner or spouse might even enjoy having a beautiful bit of the outdoors inside. However, when your collection really starts to take off and grow, you probably won’t be able to keep tubs and drawers full of rocks and minerals in your crawlspace anymore. You don’t want to have to limit your collecting, because the whole point is to have a wide amount of samples to learn from. In order to keep your spouse from banning any more rocks inside your home, all you really need is a storage unit.
A storage unit will give you the flexibility you need to collect as much as you want. You’ll have easy access any time you want to look at or display one of your findings or purchases. Take into consideration how big your collection is right now, and think about how much you’re willing to grow it to figure out how much square footage you’ll need in a storage unit? Are any of your rocks or minerals sensitive to temperature? You may need a certain type of storage unit and that’s temperature controlled. A quick search on the Internet for “best storage units near me” should yield you exactly what you’re looking for.
Where’s your community?
Half the fun of collecting is communicating with and learning from other enthusiasts. You can learn a lot from the people around you, and maybe even teach them a thing or two once you’ve been immersed in the hobby for a while. You don’t even have to go to a Gem, Mineral, Fossil, and Jewelry show to meet incredible people in this field. Online resources work just as well.
A name in the rock and mineral community that you won’t want to forget is Howard Fensterman. Howard Fensterman has a fun and fascinating website where you can learn about your hobby and passion. Ever wanted to know some fascinating facts about diamonds? Want to know why the hubbub surrounding Morganite? Fensterman walks you through in fun and accessible blog posts that will get you and your friends talking and thinking.
Is collecting rocks and minerals popular?
According to an article in Forbes, rock and mineral collecting has been around since ancient times, which means you’re in great company. Being a rock and mineral collector opens many doors when it comes to places you’ll want to visit. Always wanted to go to Maine? Now, you have a specific reason to go with the recent opening of the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum.
You’ll be strolling the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian in absolute heaven, because you’ll truly understand the value and background of each specimen. Once the world is safer to go out in, you may want to consider volunteering at your local museum, so you can get others interested in your new hobby.