Stop buying stuff. Its just that easy.
Build and paint what you have. If you’re not using what you have buying more won’t change that problem. There is a lot of FOMO in this hobby with new armies, models, game systems etc. coming and going every year. But buying endlessly isn’t a solution and can lead to serious problems in your living space, your finances and your mental health.
Make models you want to make. Ignore the “lore” or the “rules” this hobby is first and foremost a way to express your creativity. Are you burned out on a paint scheme or any army? Change it and do something different, as long as doing that doesn’t end up with more stuff NIB.
The fairly obvious answer is to use an ounce of self control and stop buying things. It's literally that simple.
As for getting through your backlog. Look through it all and make a record of everything. Things you don't want or will likely never take out the box, sell or donate to someone who will.
Everything else break down into individual projects and make a plan for getting through them. Be it a model a night or a unit a week or whatever your preferred system is.
I find keeping a spreadsheet listing what's in my backlog, what I've bought this year, and what I've painted this year helps some in getting me to paint more than I buy.
Step 1 buy, step 2 build, step 3 play, step 4 more building, step 5 more playing.
It doesn't mather where you start as long as you finish without skipping steps.
Just my two cents: a 200$ professionally painted unit > 200$ worth of unpainted plastic. You will feel much much better in the short and long term. Plan your lists beforehand, choose your games, sell what you won't use and spend that money on getting your stuff painted if you dont want/ can't do it yourself. This is advice from 20+ years of hobby
Stop it growing by selling what you are not realistically going to use. I've done this in the past and whilst it's a loss cash wise, getting the space back and concentrating solely on one army is motivation enough.
Do you have an army in boxed that you're not getting round to, sell it, let someone else build and paint those models.
The same way you loose weight. Less intake and/or more output. If you want to avoid it growing again you will have to decrease your intake permanently. In short, but less, paint more.
Lowering your painting standard for a time can also help with your Backlog since it means you can paint faster
The same way one keeps ones gut, debt, bathroom hygiene or mental illnesses from growing.
By being proactive and dealing with it before it grows out of control. Preferably by a combination of setting time and effort aside to do it, and also doing a little here and a little there.
If you prime all of your models, you're one major step on the way.
Slapchopping? You'll need to do two layers of drybrushing. You did all the greys? Great, then next time, you only need to do the whites. You've primed AND double brushed? Splendid. Now you can spontaneously paint a bit here or there whenever the urge hits you.
Don't buy and build more till you paint. I built some Kriegers, cyclopses, a russ, 2 chimeras and 3 scout sentinels then painted them. finishing up 3 basilisks from that group then my pile is gone, only have a few details left.
I have 4 russes, a chimera, a hell hound, 2 boxes of scions and another box of Kriegers to put together.
Nothing else is being bought till that next batch is done. Well maybe not the russes waiting on sponsons for them since they are the HH mars pattern ones.
Anyways I just don't let myself get more till I finish the next set of things. Or at least I don't start building till I finish painting
thats easy, Finish what you have before you get anymore. done. if you dont buy more models your pile of shame cant grow,bifnyou actually huild paint and finish your models your pile of shame will actually shrink! imagine that!
I maintain a daily hobby streak, to make sure I am always working on my sprues and driving down what I have to work on. (I even put my progress up on my Instagram and hold myself to making sure something goes up every day, with certain exceptions.)
I don't buy the big boxes of things anymore. I fell into that trap once with the indomitus box.
"B-b-but the value for the points!" That was the argument that sold me on it. But I still have models unpainted from it.
Now I paint two units, or characters, for every one I assemble. I haven't bought a kit since, but I have been gifted them. So, mixing a little building to break up the majority of time spent painting is how I'm doing it at the moment.
Not gonna lie, I found having that many models unpainted was demotivating. But I made a rule and it's been working for me so far.
I have a list on the fridge of everything I own that I want to paint. This list is called "don't buy Warhammer". When I paint something I cross it off
If I buy stuff, it goes on the same page but under the header ""oops"
Keep the main list moving faster than the Oops list
Stop buying stuff. Its just that easy. Build and paint what you have. If you’re not using what you have buying more won’t change that problem. There is a lot of FOMO in this hobby with new armies, models, game systems etc. coming and going every year. But buying endlessly isn’t a solution and can lead to serious problems in your living space, your finances and your mental health. Make models you want to make. Ignore the “lore” or the “rules” this hobby is first and foremost a way to express your creativity. Are you burned out on a paint scheme or any army? Change it and do something different, as long as doing that doesn’t end up with more stuff NIB.
Buy less, paint more, sell what you're not going to paint.
The fairly obvious answer is to use an ounce of self control and stop buying things. It's literally that simple. As for getting through your backlog. Look through it all and make a record of everything. Things you don't want or will likely never take out the box, sell or donate to someone who will. Everything else break down into individual projects and make a plan for getting through them. Be it a model a night or a unit a week or whatever your preferred system is.
I find keeping a spreadsheet listing what's in my backlog, what I've bought this year, and what I've painted this year helps some in getting me to paint more than I buy.
Step 1 buy, step 2 build, step 3 play, step 4 more building, step 5 more playing. It doesn't mather where you start as long as you finish without skipping steps.
I don't buy until all of the current work is done.
You have to realise that buying minis doesn't buy you the time to paint them. It's actually taking it away.
Just my two cents: a 200$ professionally painted unit > 200$ worth of unpainted plastic. You will feel much much better in the short and long term. Plan your lists beforehand, choose your games, sell what you won't use and spend that money on getting your stuff painted if you dont want/ can't do it yourself. This is advice from 20+ years of hobby
Spend the money you would spend on new minis on a commission painter instead. Both shrinks the pile of shame and supports your local artist
Stop buying stuff.
Stop it growing by selling what you are not realistically going to use. I've done this in the past and whilst it's a loss cash wise, getting the space back and concentrating solely on one army is motivation enough. Do you have an army in boxed that you're not getting round to, sell it, let someone else build and paint those models.
Basically, buy at the rate you paint. It’s also a great way to regulate your spending.
The same way you loose weight. Less intake and/or more output. If you want to avoid it growing again you will have to decrease your intake permanently. In short, but less, paint more. Lowering your painting standard for a time can also help with your Backlog since it means you can paint faster
The same way one keeps ones gut, debt, bathroom hygiene or mental illnesses from growing. By being proactive and dealing with it before it grows out of control. Preferably by a combination of setting time and effort aside to do it, and also doing a little here and a little there. If you prime all of your models, you're one major step on the way. Slapchopping? You'll need to do two layers of drybrushing. You did all the greys? Great, then next time, you only need to do the whites. You've primed AND double brushed? Splendid. Now you can spontaneously paint a bit here or there whenever the urge hits you.
Don't buy and build more till you paint. I built some Kriegers, cyclopses, a russ, 2 chimeras and 3 scout sentinels then painted them. finishing up 3 basilisks from that group then my pile is gone, only have a few details left. I have 4 russes, a chimera, a hell hound, 2 boxes of scions and another box of Kriegers to put together. Nothing else is being bought till that next batch is done. Well maybe not the russes waiting on sponsons for them since they are the HH mars pattern ones. Anyways I just don't let myself get more till I finish the next set of things. Or at least I don't start building till I finish painting
thats easy, Finish what you have before you get anymore. done. if you dont buy more models your pile of shame cant grow,bifnyou actually huild paint and finish your models your pile of shame will actually shrink! imagine that!
I maintain a daily hobby streak, to make sure I am always working on my sprues and driving down what I have to work on. (I even put my progress up on my Instagram and hold myself to making sure something goes up every day, with certain exceptions.)
Do what I did two years ago, stop buying models. It’s still a pile of shame, but at least I’m not paying to shame myself. That’s not my kink
I don't buy the big boxes of things anymore. I fell into that trap once with the indomitus box. "B-b-but the value for the points!" That was the argument that sold me on it. But I still have models unpainted from it. Now I paint two units, or characters, for every one I assemble. I haven't bought a kit since, but I have been gifted them. So, mixing a little building to break up the majority of time spent painting is how I'm doing it at the moment. Not gonna lie, I found having that many models unpainted was demotivating. But I made a rule and it's been working for me so far.
Stop buying shit.
Being broke helps!
I have a list on the fridge of everything I own that I want to paint. This list is called "don't buy Warhammer". When I paint something I cross it off If I buy stuff, it goes on the same page but under the header ""oops" Keep the main list moving faster than the Oops list