Errata: Making Room on the Shelf
It’s no secret that I like to flirt with the “cult of the new.” One of the challenges, though, (first world gamer problems?) is making room on the shelf. This week’s question deals with disposing of old games.
Shelf Packer asked, “I have several games that my wife and I don’t play much any more. I want to make room for newer games. What should I do with the old ones?”
Lucky for you, there are tons of options for getting rid of those games. If the games you have are still in good shape, just no longer to your liking, then a trade may be in order.
There are a lot of good trade sites, with BoardGameGeek being the largest and most used. Users there are often willing to make trades and I have successfully traded away several games. The game you’ve played dozens of times might be a new experience for someone else eager to play.
And, even if you can’t find a direct trade, there are always math trade. Maybe Arnie has Game X and wants Game Y. Bert has Game Y and wants Game Z. And Charlie has Game Z and wants Game X. There is no direct trade, but Arnie could trade to Bert who could trade to Charlie who could trade to Arnie. This is a simple math trade. On BGG, a math trade can span over a thousand games and tons of users. It’s a great way to look for interest in your games.
But, maybe your game has literally no interest or no longer is in tradeable condition. In that case, you basically have one option: donate it. You can donate your game to Goodwill or a thrift store. Or, if it is still playable, you could donate it to your FLGS as a demo copy.
Don’t throw it away, though. Someone, somewhere will want it.
Got questions about strategy, specific games, or the hobby in general? Post them in the comments here, email them to geekinsight at gfbrobot dot com, or send them to @GeekInsight on Twitter and check back next week for answers!
