There are a few initial steps you're going to need to take, such as notifying your spouse, partner or roommate because at some point this will affect them. There might even be a conversation (cough argument cough) about space. Be prepared; collecting is all about planning and pacing yourself and this is merely the first battle.

The next step is to decide what kind of collector you want to be, which requires understanding your motivations as a collector. Is your intention to assemble a financially valuable collection you might one day sell? Or do you simply want to proclaim your love for Firefly to the world? Are you exclusively collecting a line like Dorbz? Or are you buying up all the cats you can get your hands on?

The beauty of being a collector is that there are no right or wrong answers. There are only collectibles that bring you joy and those that don't. And while it's beneficial to start thinking about what direction you'd like to take your collection, there's no rule that you've got to have everything figured out as you get started. Odds are, as you dive further into the Funko-verse you'll discover new product lines and fandoms that you absolutely must add to your collection.

With the understanding that there are no right or wrong ways to collect—unless you're Buffalo Bill—here are some questions you should start by trying to answer.

1. What do you want to collect?
2. How much do you plan to spend?
3. How will you display your collectibles?
4. Do you plan to keep them in the original packaging?
5. How do you plan to keep track of your collection?
6. Do you plan to sell or trade with other collectors?
7. Are you willing to travel to events like Comic-Con where you can find rare and exclusive items to add to your collection?
8. Are you willing to spend time standing in line at stores and events? If so, how much time?
9. How much time do you intend to devote to researching, adding to and organizing your collection?

It's important to note that you're allowed to change your answers to these questions after you start collecting. It's your collection so you get to make the rules or not make any rules if that's how you prefer to collect.

There are a lot of resources available for collectors, including online communities of fellow collectors who will be happy to answer questions, offer advice and generally share their enthusiasm for their fandoms and collections.

If you choose to collect Funko products or lines, the Funko Funatic forum and community is an excellent place to get started and the Funko Collection Tracker app is a good way to get started organizing your collection. On Thursdays at 2 p.m. PST, the Funko team hosts a live Q&A on Twitter, which you can participate in by following @Funko and using #AskFunko.

Also, keep an eye out for future Collector 101 articles on the Funko blog.