Because of the vast quantity of collectible philatelic material out there, some people may decide to collect stamps featuring only one topic, such as art, flowers, trains, etc. What you decide to collect is greatly dependent on how much time and money you can afford to invest in your hobby.

Over the years, I've picked up a few tips that I'd like to briefly share with you. Since I'm still a beginner, these tips might be most useful for those who are just starting out.
 

Soaking

Most stamps can safely be soaked in water. Soak them until the backing paper can safely be removed without disturbing the gum. I place them gum side up on a piece of cloth to dry. Don't place them gum side down, and don't place them on a flat, smooth surface, because they will stick to the surface when dry. I've ruined a couple of stamps that way.

Equipment

I use tongs for picking up my stamps, as bare fingers, no matter how clean you think they are, always have some dirt or oil on them. This grease can damage your stamps, which are already fragile pieces of paper.

Storage/Display

Many stamp collectors use stamps albums, but personally, I use stockbooks with black paper. I like the contrast the stamps have against the black paper, and I can arrange my collection as I like. Maybe when my collection grows, I'll have to resort to using an album :-)

These were just a few brief guidelines on beginning a stamp collection. For more information, check out my Links page, or click here.