That time of year again. 2026 Pin Resolutions!

Are you hoping to get more organized?
To trade more?
To buy less?
To buy more?
To finish specific sets?
To get stuff displayed?
Keep your inventories more up to date?
To be more active on DPF.com 🤣

Go!

I want to trade more! Which means I'll be spending more, getting traders. 😜

I want to spend less, but get more. Any tips?

My pin resolution is to hit at least 50 trades - and to create some kind of pin display. I have one currently, but it's kind of been ravaged by weight and time so putting together another is something I've been putting off, mostly because taking all the pins down is my least favorite activity lol

I need to get all my pins organized and up for display in my office. I have great visions in my head but so far very poor work ethic to make it happen 😂

Nursteve said:

I want to spend less, but get more. Any tips?

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Depends on what my interpretation is but I suggest looking at sellers who have specialty grab bags. There are several people who participate in high end trader bags that will give you more in trade value for your buck. Ex: Some really known pin sellers will do grab bags of various pricing that will be a set value but perhaps a specific theme (ex. $500 Animals or $100 random); the trading value of what's inside of the bag could be anywhere from +25$ plus in value on the pins inside but it's a mystery so you don't know what you have. You would essentially save on pins if you bought them individually on second market prices. Second option is to keep a close eye on sales like at BoxLunch and Hot Topic when they do their huge clearance sales.

dznycrzyfmly said:

Depends on what my interpretation is but I suggest looking at sellers who have specialty grab bags. There are several people who participate in high end trader bags that will give you more in trade value for your buck. Ex: Some really known pin sellers will do grab bags of various pricing that will be a set value but perhaps a specific theme (ex. $500 Animals or $100 random); the trading value of what's inside of the bag could be anywhere from +25$ plus in value on the pins inside but it's a mystery so you don't know what you have. You would essentially save on pins if you bought them individually on second market prices. Second option is to keep a close eye on sales like at BoxLunch and Hot Topic when they do their huge clearance sales.

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Good ideas! So far I've been lurking on whatnot, waiting for deals, but usually just buying regular price... It's not going well

Nursteve said:

Good ideas! So far I've been lurking on whatnot, waiting for deals, but usually just buying regular price... It's not going well

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Oh I think that's a good idea too; definitely look towards Valentine's Day sales... so maybe end of January?

Looks like I never did share my resolutions.

1: Organize the collection. (A) Put up what we have on the space we have available. (B) Make sure pinventory matches our collection in databases.
2: Continue to focus on completing collections. There are many wonderful isos I would like to cross of in the new year.
3: Consider bulk trading more for higher value pins
4: Declutter what I truly do not enjoy anymore within all the collectibles
5: Gain more higher-end traders/mystery items so I can work on those higher end ISOs
6: Would love to acquire more Adorbs for sets I'm working on.
7: Attend more trading events 🙂
8: Go to an official Disney sanctioned pin event.

I have a big one for this year. After the increased costs and the increased insanity, I am planning on not buying new releases in 2026. My Dad is getting older, and he was really great to head to the Magic Kingdom for 2/3rds of the 2025 Dining Series pins (I got them all!) but I know neither of us want the stress of that to continue in 2026. No matter how much I want the Windows of Attraction pins. I have a few exceptions due to the longevity of my collections: The 4 Epcot Festivals, and the Resort Holiday pins. Otherwise, no POTM pins, no chasing flier releases, no PALM releases, not even new open edition pins. If I'm visiting him, and we go to a store and I can "no stress" pick them up, then maybe. But even OE prices are becoming too rich for my blood. I've been fortunate to have pin friends do a bunch of pickups for me in 2025. I will try to limit those as well. I would probably still appreciate WDI or WDCS pins from shopping events, but fewer DLR releases (unless they are still available days later when they can be low stress pickups).

I'm not giving up pins though. I have always said, "If people are obsessing and throwing money at one type of pin, there are other pins that are being ignored." 2026 is the year to put this to the test. For the last couple of months I've been low key testing this. This is an example of what I found.

I got an offer for 65% off for this Jumbo pin the price was $28+ taxes, shipping, etc.


Another exciting to me win... I picked up all 26 of these pins, still in their packaging for $155 + shipping, taxes, etc.


So my secondary goal for 2026 is to complete several of my oldest sets by scouring eBay and Mercari more than I have in recent years. I'm sure some stuff is being sold elsewhere but I prefer to stick with the more professional platforms instead of social media sites. During last Trade Arcade I noticed how many pins I traded for that had been released in the last 3 years. I have gotten some good old pins but buying is going to be more successful than trading for these type of pins.

I also hope that 2026 is the year that *all* of my pins are finally on Pin & Pop. I think I've crossed the 75% threshold, but we will see.

My main goal is to set and stay within a budget each month.

I'm going to get rid of some pins, spend much less, and trade more if I actually need the pin.

In 2026 I hope to will go through my permanent collection and weed out pins that no longer bring me joy. With 12 years in this hobby, a lot has changed in how I chase/trade/enjoy pins. For example my first pin collection was Mickey Mouse and now I severly limit the Mickey Mouse pins I chase. I added characters in costume ~5 years ago and it is now my favority collection. So less red short/blue robed Mickey and more characters in costume is where I am at.

Putting up more pin displays on the wall.

Buying fewer traders. (I have a lot of traders and will gain more as I weed out pins from the collection.)

My goal for 2026 is to make it through without quitting pins or giving up being a completist after over 25 years.

I'm dreading what will be released for the 75th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. DREADING. Especially since it's a D23 Expo year. And not just pins, but merchandise I'm going to want, too. 🙁

A few years ago, I was probably 5 or 6 pins away from being a completist. Now I'm closer to 150 thanks to licensees like Loungefly and PALM and Artland. If the amount of my ISO's by the end of this year are more than they are today, I just don't know what I'm going to do.

Jabberwocky said:

My goal for 2026 is to make it through without quitting pins or giving up being a completist after over 25 years.

I'm dreading what will be released for the 75th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. DREADING. Especially since it's a D23 Expo year. And not just pins, but merchandise I'm going to want, too. 🙁

A few years ago, I was probably 5 or 6 pins away from being a completist. Now I'm closer to 150 thanks to licensees like Loungefly and PALM and Artland. If the amount of my ISO's by the end of this year are more than they are today, I just don't know what I'm going to do.

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Wishing you all the luck for D23’s releases. For your sake I hope NOTHING MASSIVE drops… I am very excited to see that catalogue though!! 🫣

I want to complete at least 1 collection that I have been working on:

- Support cast (Just need the little mermaid pin)
- Arcade games (I think I need 2 or 3 more)
- Stitch Adventure (Might be an expensive one if I can’t trade for them)

In general, I want to trade instead of buy pins. I also want to sell some of my higher value pins that I just don’t see working good for trading.

Jabberwocky said:

My goal for 2026 is to make it through without quitting pins or giving up being a completist after over 25 years.

I'm dreading what will be released for the 75th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. DREADING. Especially since it's a D23 Expo year. And not just pins, but merchandise I'm going to want, too. 🙁

A few years ago, I was probably 5 or 6 pins away from being a completist. Now I'm closer to 150 thanks to licensees like Loungefly and PALM and Artland. If the amount of my ISO's by the end of this year are more than they are today, I just don't know what I'm going to do.

Click to expand...

I have been trying to be Moana (entire movie) complete. At one time I was 20ish pins away from having them all. My 'missing' Moana pins list is also unfortunately getting longer rather than shorter for similar reasons (licensee pin explosion). For multiple reasons, I have decided to revise how I define being complete. For example, when WDI, WDCS or PALM puts Moana on a pin that includes Ariel I will be declining to collect that pin as being a pin I need to be Moana (the movie) complete. Since Ariel is not in Moana the movie. Hopefully, keeping true to Moana the movie and not just chasing every pin release which is faintly Moana adjacent will assist me in staying complete.

1: Find a way to organize my pins
2: Trade instead of buying pins (especially blind box and hidden Disney pins)
3: Go to a trading event, hopefully the one in WDW
4: Get closer to becoming Clarabelle Cow complete