A thing that you can get lots of other things for.

[Nobheadex]

Yes, this.

So when my eldest was a baby we got a ver ver posh pram and it had loads of extras available. Accessories. I loved buying the little bits for it, I had a cup holder and special mittens.

Then when the kids were a bit older I got a tent and loads of extra bits - internal bedrooms, lights etc. Thing was we all hated camping so really the only joy was my setting it all up in the garden and playing with it.

Then I had a campervan, same thing, loved buying extras and laying them all out and reorganising. Apparently I’ve always done this with my toys and dollies since I was a child.

Now I’m in my 50s I need a new thing. I tried kitchen wear, it didn’t do it for me as I don’t like cooking very much, although I do feel more smug when I put my frozen dinners in a Le Creuset casserole dish.

Im fully aware I sound like a sad fucker but please indulge me. What else is a thing that you can get other things for. Also please don’t say a horse. I don’t want a horse.

A train set. Put it on a table and get going with the miniature tree, people, signal boxes etc. you could turn into a train expert, have train themed days out. Train museums, steam railways etc.
or start gardening, , pick a theme like a Japanese garden, or a rockery. A sea side themed garden Get a shed and pretend it’s beach hut

I know it's already been suggested AND kitchen stuff has been meh so far but Kitchen Aids really have a lot of accessories. You only need to make pasta/ sausages etc once.

Also, please may I have your tent.

@CafeCremeMerci there used to be a MN neighbourhood on HayDay. I got ridiculously addicted to it and had to go into rehab give it up.

Sewing.
There are loads of different feet for my machine and I’ve collected quite a —lot— few.
Then the fabric and the thread and the interfacing and the notions…. it never ends.

Model trains
Cats
Traveling
Woodworking
Gardening
Gaming

Can you please come to my house and sort out my son's lego collection?! He was very into it when younger, we must have spent about 5 million pounds on it and now he's gone off it, we have boxes and boxes to sort out. He has all the original boxes and instructions, we just need 15 years to put it all back together!

You could set out to exceed @Somuchtobits playmobil collection 😁

@squashyhat you would have a challenge there. I currently have half a large shed full of Playmobil. Btw, hope you saw my Playmo Platinum Jubilee!

Also, I think my 21 year old ds may be the master of this idea. When he was younger he was into cricket. So he had cricket whites, helmet, cricket shoes, box, gloves, pads, thigh pads, arm guard, cricket case etc.

He also plays percussion. Started with a snare drum, pair of sticks, music stand and a book. Now has 2 complete drum kits, full size concert xylophone, tambourines, triangle, bongos, maracas, mark tree, whip, flexatone, ratchet, various wood blocks and cowbells and a whole assortment of sticks/mallets/beaters.

And sailing. Not just the boat, but a plethora of ropes, cleats, etc plus also many items of specialised clothing.

You could learn from him...

Oh I love a bit of Special Interest.

I already embroider, badly, and haven’t finished a single piece yet. I do it when I listen to ghost stories on Audible. (Boundaries)

If you have young relatives, persuade one to take up Irish dancing. Endless opportunities to spend huge sums on unlikely articles there...

One of my friends has taken up Irish dancing, in her 50s and she fecking loves it!

I wonder if there is some kind of charity or organisation that you could get involved with to help set environments up for people, a community centre or playgroup or new mums group or womens refuge or homelessness charity or something, use your passion for getting everything in place to help change someone’s life and make sure they have all the things they need?

Stamps.
You want something limited, with a definite end-point, so not just any old stamps but a clearly defined collection. Such as all British definitives (the 'normal' ones with just the monarch's head) issued before 1939. Or all Christmas/Easter sets issued from 1960 onwards. Or all French stamps issued before 1900, or whatever. (It could get pricy to finish the entire collection if you go for very old dates).
Stamps are miniature works of art.
Then there is albums, tweezers, lamps, magnifying glasses, storage books, catalogues ...

I’m very disorganised but I hyperfocus on things which interest me and then that’s it, I’m expert in weeks and I have to have all the bits!

I agree re charity work and thankfully I already have a voluntary position which enables me to obsess about details.

My chap has a FULL set of observer books. They’re in a display cabinet in the toilet. I go in there for ages and fiddle with them.

@TheRoadToRuin - oh our Mn quiche is still going on HayDay! Far fewer members, but we still love to chat.

@JuneJubilee

• damn, so did my eyesight... "did I have a twin I didn't know about?"

Happy to have you housesit, you might have a bit of a journey though as I'm now down under! Maybe just visit instead and we'll craft and Lego build together!

Art- all the different mediums (watercolour, acrylic, oil, ink etc), brushes for each medium, blenders, papers to go with each medium, fixers, preservatives, tools, storage for brushes, paper, cleaning products for the brushes, brush holder, collapsible water pot. Ahhhh the lust and list is endless. I really enjoy it, it's relaxing, fun and can get you out in the fresh air or something to do while watching tv. There's lots of help/ advice on YouTube to help you get started. Anyone can turn their hand to it.

Take up diving (scuba) combined with underwater photography. The possibilities and expenditure are endless and include trips to exotic locations! I love it! 🐙🦀

I would love a studio/ lady shed in my garden for all of my art stuff n things. I would set up an area for art and another for my shillouette cameo machine and crafting bits n bobs for card making/ craft projects. It would mean there's more room in the house for more books to add to the thousands I have already.

I'm starting to wonder if I have issues 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

Lego or drumming

Does it have to be for you?

Put your kids into sailing- the amount of stuff is epic. Between outings you can spend all your time emptying the trailer, lining up and sorting all the bits, then putting them back in the trailer in a 'better' configuration.

When you have finished re-organising the trailer you can peruse the kit websites looking for the latest thing your child cannot sail without.

Like a horse- but no poop.

Ah- maybe your kids are too big for forced participation.

Boat for you??

Christmas village? Loads of super-invested Christmas village makers on YouTube for inspiration.

Do you like pizza? What about one of those outdoor ooni pizza ovens. You could set up a little outdoor cooking area, get pizza peels, various prep bowls, pizza cutters, shaker jars etc. research and experiment with different techniques and recipes.