The desire to seek out, purchase and collect items is inherently human. In fact, most people have a collection of some sort. Whether it's classic cars, buttons, figurines, coins or books, most people are passionate about something and dedicate their time, money and space to housing the objects of their desire. While there's nothing wrong with collecting, some people have taken the art of collecting to a whole new level. If you fear that you're one of the latter, take a look at these three signs that it might be time to downsize your collection. 

Your Spouse Is Threatening Divorce

One person's treasure is another's clutter. This is especially true if you're married to someone who doesn't necessarily share your passion for collecting. If your spouse doesn't embrace your clutter, they may get frustrated with the situation and start threatening divorce. In fact, it is not uncommon for couples to divorce over housekeeping and clutter issues. So, if your spouse is irritated by the size of your collection, it might be time to scale it back a bit. 

You Can't Afford Your Storage Unit Bill

A storage unit can cost anywhere from $40 to $225 per month or more, depending on the size of the unit. If you have chosen to house part or all of your collection in a storage unit or a number of storage units, you are not alone. Many people decide to store their collectibles in order to keep peace and order around the home. While storage units are ideal for housing collectibles, they do cost money each month. If you can no longer afford to pay for all your storage units, you might have to downsize your collection and let one or more of your units go. Contact a company like Magnum Self Storage for information about rates and discounts to keep your stuff safe.

Your House Looks Like It Belongs on an Episode Of Hoarders

If you have to navigate through narrow passages and walkways in your home because your stuff is sitting everywhere, it's time to clean up and organize your collection. If you can't find a way to organize your stuff and make your home accessible, you may even have to get rid of some of your possessions to do so. 

Collections are supposed to bring joy to the collector. But when large collections start threatening your relationship, financial security and safety, it's time to think about your priorities. While you shouldn't have to get rid of everything you love, you might have to scale back just a little to keep the peace.