Organizing a Rock & Mineral Collection

With so many specimens in the collection, it's important to keep track of it all, and this is my current system.
Thanks for watching!
Be sure to check out my website at currentlyrockhounding.com for tons of additional rockhounding resources and much more!
Did you enjoy this video and find it to be informative? You can help ensure that more videos just like this get made by supporting the project on Patreon. / currentlyrockhounding
#CurrentlyRockhounding #Minerals

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Did you enjoy this video and find it to be informative? You can help ensure that more videos just like this get made by supporting the project on Patreon. www.patreon.com/currentlyrockhounding

[@GeraldBlack1]

Collecting is just a nice way of hoarding lol. The gathering arts sounds pretty good too.

[@TheAngieStoned]

You're such a nerd, and I'm here for all of it

[@ceceliacochran2156]

Super good tips, mine are in a 4x6 glass door cabinet but when you live in dry farm country dust is a constant problem 😶‍🌫️. Some day we will probably all be visiting a currently rockhounding rocks and mineral museum, you're definitely getting there! Now I am going to have to run off and purchase a few acrylic risers!!

[@markattardo]

Wow! Great display, reference and organization!👍👍

[@scottowens1535]

Yes enjoyed! I'm at the display point and counting! 👍

[@chrissgraniteparadise2656]

Awesomely done!!! I am impressed with your collection, but especially how you explain the pros and cons of the different ways of display. Thanks!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@jimhutchison3435]

I throw all of mine in Home Depot buckets : )) Great video!

[@tanyastava9698]

Wow! You have amazing displays! Kudos to you! 😊❤😊

[@1erinjames]

Your organization of it all is really well done!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@msandigail]

4:07 point --- my first thought was That's a LOT of fancy gelato!! Lol, glad to know that they can be procured without gelato inside , too:)

[@MrLincolnLibrary]

Great to get some organization ideas! One thing that has been working well for me is to use Airtable as it has spreadsheet qualities but much better at handling images. Happy to share my template if interested.

[@jscottchrist5178]

Some day, you can open up your home as a rock and mineral museum.

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks for the tour! Always interesting to see how collections are organized. Here's another reason to get a 3d printer: Mike has started printing label display stands and sample/slab props.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm glad you liked it. I would love to see some of what he has been working on.

[@makalapuamegs1056]

Love these ideas I hope to incorporate in my rocks! ❤

[@michaelsanfilippo7433]

Wow! That is amazing organization and an incredible collection. You must be the greatest rock collector in the world!! I'm just a geology hobbyist with a few samples in each of the three categories of rocks, with samples going from Felsic to Mafic, and fine to course-grained sedimentary. You make me feel embarrassed. Love your channel. Keep up the great work.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Oh I'm far from the greatest at anything. We are all at different places with it.

[@DeeDeeDIY]

Ah yes. Make a spreadsheet! I'm in the process of recreating mine. I also have a paper card catalog on 3x5 cards. I started with the painting numbers but very, very quickly changed that. I now print numbers out from the computer, cut them paper trimmer is easily used- and glue onto the specimens using white glue. I coat the paper with more white glue. You could also use clear fingernail polish to coat it with to preserve it from moisture. I check each specimen annually to make sure numbers are secure. I usually do this in concert with a shelf cleaning session. I know of a fellow collector that dropped a tray of mms. His numbers were on the lids, the minerals in the bottoms. The lids came off, and now you have to figure out what is what. Word to the wise, put your number on both the top and bottom of the box.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you for the advice. Doing the white glue and printed number, have you had any come loose?

[@DeeDeeDIY]

@CurrentlyRockhounding I have had a couple come loose. I do check them at least once a year, and so far I've only had to put on a couple. The rest are securely fastened. I do the shelf and specimen dusting once or twice a year, and that's when I check the number labels. Crumbly matrix is the culprit when a number comes off. The main reason I quit with the white paint and India ink is my print quality and size wasn't good enough for my tastes. It didn't look neat enough.

[@chrishince8947]

Gotta see if there's a QR code engraver for stone! Then you're set! I suggest building a fire pit and windbreaker wall with the dud rocks! That's what I've done. Looks great and fun talking points when guests are over and toasting marshmallows!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I don't know if I would want to modify my stones like that, but maybe attaching one with glue could work.

[@cliffmiller1021]

You made me feel so much better about my boxed rocks tucked away for a "rainy day" and those acrylic displays are a wonderful idea. I have a similar glass case that half the shelf space is just dead space. Getting adequate lighting has been a struggle but it looks like you have something for that too. I'm always impressed with your walk throughs.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Those boxes are my rainy day supply for when I want something to work with, I can go crack them open and start digging around.

[@MrTurtleMontana]

I'm thoroughly impressed, Jared! The discipline it takes to sustain such a system is commendable!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@stanbogosian-mm8bs]

Nicely organized collection!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@patrickkillilea5225]

Jared. Your collecting and organizational skills are exceptional and put many universities and museums to shame. Bravo!

[@kirsiselei8703]

Nice collection of rocks. Looking that with a bit lf envy😁💕. I dont know anything about rocks or minerals but sure love to c them. Best wishes to u from🇫🇮

[@GeologyDude]

Amazing collection and organization. Thanks for sharing!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@steveegbert7429]

Great tour Jared! I think every rockhound can learn something from this, whether new to the hobby or a seasoned veteran.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@sboydrocks9412]

Thanks Jared- can’t believe you’ve only been rocking for a couple years. To paraphrase the quote from the movie jaws - we’re gonna need a bigger house😀

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It's been about 8 years!

[@MadelineRose-ep7fj]

Visited Museum of Natural History. The collection of minerals that were displayed used acrylic trays/trees. Could have spent an entire day looking at the minerals. There also was an extensive display of trilobites and more. You get your money's worth at this free, national museum.😊

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

That you for the tip on that.

[@OneRockAtATime]

Great Video dude.😎🥳🫡💯

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@adventuresofshadowdog]

Thanks for sharing your spectacular collection and rock displays. You’ve motivated me to organize mine, although nowhere near as spectacular as yours. I’m gonna “borrow” a few ideas from your video. Really helpful and informative. Thanks!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

You know it gets hard otherwise cause you start forgetting where things came from, and before you know it, you find yourself looking at them and questioning it.

[@josephcase3105]

Bravo ! I'm glad to see such dedication to our hobby . Cheers to you good sir ! Great looking minerals from what I've saw to date .

[@Ontario_Rockhound]

Very cool, I have some insperation for how I am going try and organize my collection, funny thing I was already thinking of using a folder book to store the tags I have for purchased/gifted specimens glad to see I am not the only one who thinks this way! :)

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

The little book for other people's labels is actually designed for business cards, and you can get them really cheap.

[@Ontario_Rockhound]

@CurrentlyRockhounding sweet, my thought was getting a folder for like trading cards, but I like your idea better since the slots are horizontal and not vertical.

[@sdbanks6690]

Holy smokes, you have a modest museum in your house! Bravo! I aspire to reach your level of organization one day. Thanks for sharing!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'm pretty happy with it up to this point, but there's still room to improve.

[@houndofrock]

It is definitely a commitment to document one's collection. Adding pictures is another level... I would like to get there myself, but the time involved 😮. Great video as always my friend. 🙏 That dravite piece is a gem.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It is, but all with good time it will happen.

[@ResortDog]

The "collection" is also referred to as a cutters bank around here.

[@Kittypaws90]

impressive collection. thank you for sharing. my collection is growing though still tiny in comparison to yours, and i need some ideas how i can organize them all.

[@garnettoll9317]

That was fun and informative. Great ideas for rock displays and storage. I am impressed with your collection!

[@blackThrushtut]

I thought, you're nerd... But after this video, I'm definitely shure 146%... BUT!!! Now I understand, that I'm even more nerd😂, cause I'm planning smth like this now: just started with stones 😂. Thank you for your videos. Like them, and learned a lot. Thank you much! 👍

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

NERDS UNITE!

[@Cpt.BilboBagginz]

13 degrees here. Too cold to play with Rocks in the garage. lol

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Yeah, it has been a bit much lately.

[@Mike-br8vb]

The Pizza boxes 😂

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I should have added that they are clean unused pizza boxes.

[@Mike-br8vb]

@CurrentlyRockhounding lol! Don't want no cheezy pepperoni covered rocks now do you!!! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@jscottchrist5178]

Nice displays! My frame of mind in rockhounding is to only display or collect rocks I have found myself. I mostly do tumbling. Do you ever buy rocks online?

[@CodyGarneau-qu6ro]

Great displays! Giving me some great ideas for my collection! I really like your use of perky and micro mounts. I’d love to know where you source yours through and where you found those awesome storage trays for them if you could point me in the right direction? It makes a great easy to access display!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

The little boxes can be purchased from perkyboxes.com

[@CodyGarneau-qu6ro]

@@CurrentlyRockhoundingawesome. Thanks for the link. Are the storage trays you got for them specifically made for those or are they repurposed from something else? Really like your setup.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@CodyGarneau-qu6roOh sorry I forgot that. The trays are called DURABLE Desktop Drawer Organizer, you can find them on Amazon. The 5 tray holds thumbnail perky boxes and that 10 tray for p1 micro boxes.

[@lorenebroncheau6386]

It sucks when we dont have that kind of money 😢

[@Snagz777]

What are your some favorite places to gather/hound in Washington state. looking for something to do this summer.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have them all listed out on the website!

[@citrusbutter7718]

THE STRUGGLE! Anyone know where i can buy sturdy storage shelves with drawers or cubbies? I don't collect rocks but i'm looking for a small cabinet either with cubbies space or drawers that is about 3 1/2'' tall inside and about 14 by 14'' width and length space inside drawer holders/cubbies. I'm storing polymer clays and the amount ill have per drawer will weigh up to about 30lbs. The standard drawers available everywhere for craft and general storing all tend to have a weight limit of around 15 to 18 lbs per drawer/shelf for the sizes i'm looking for... So i turn to rock collecting people because i'm sure the drawers you're all using, if they can hold the weight of rocks then they can hold polymer clays. I'm looking for something small, about the same size as those Iris shelf drawers they use for scrapbook paper storage. I also like them in pastel/light colors or white although i'm not opposed to regular wood but as long as it's not overly red in color like redwood color, and i also want them having 6 drawers/shelves, the only rock collecting shelves i see are in deep brown colors though and overly large that's why I'm asking here instead of seemingly searching the internet because i already have.

[@Bigfoot903Outdoors]

Ok i have to know where did you find the tray system for the perkys

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Its called a DURABLE Desktop Drawer Organizer

[@lapidarycraft]

What's the GPS for those glass marbles?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

The marbles actually have a really cool story behind them. There is a location in Portland, Oregon where you can dig down 3"-6" and hit a layer of marbles. The story goes that in the 1970s there was a train derailment and a box car fell on its side, in the process of righting it the partly spilled out which were boxes of marbles. Now there is an area that is about 30' x 60' that contains marbles underground next to the tracks.

[@JulesUS8386]

Have you thought about starting an Etsy account to sell?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Most of what I have is self collected and at that point you can not legally sell it.