TheZambini
Greenhorn
Hello, being a new player to Stardew Valley I was curious about how many of each item I should keep. I have heard 3 different numbers, 2, 5, and 10. What would be recommended by the community? Thank you all for your time!
Item Hoard
- Thread starter TheZambini
- Start date
One More Day
Farmer
I don't think you'll ever find anything remotely resembling a universally agreed recommended quantity to hoard. It all depends on your play style and what you're looking to achieve on the farm. It also depends on what sort of items you're talking about. I mean, pretty much everyone will keep all resource items until they're needed, such as wood, stone, sap etc, rather than selling them. On the other hand, items such as crops can be used in multiple ways. They can be kept, they can be sold, they can be gifted, they can be processed into artisan goods. Similar with fish, forage and other things.
Some people don't believe in hoarding anything, and straight up sell it in pursuit of money. Others couldn't care less about the money, and keep stuff to be able to do things like complete quests and give gifts to NPCs. Some people sell crops as soon as they're harvested, others keep crops until they can process them all into artisan goods and sell that at a much higher delayed profit.
There really isn't a right or wrong way to play this game, so just find something that works for you and gets you what you want out of it. Hoard as much or as little as you want, and then, if you reach a point where you think you have too much then you can sell some, or if you think you have too little, you can hoard some more. Doing it your way will be a lot more fun than playing it someone else's way.
Some people don't believe in hoarding anything, and straight up sell it in pursuit of money. Others couldn't care less about the money, and keep stuff to be able to do things like complete quests and give gifts to NPCs. Some people sell crops as soon as they're harvested, others keep crops until they can process them all into artisan goods and sell that at a much higher delayed profit.
There really isn't a right or wrong way to play this game, so just find something that works for you and gets you what you want out of it. Hoard as much or as little as you want, and then, if you reach a point where you think you have too much then you can sell some, or if you think you have too little, you can hoard some more. Doing it your way will be a lot more fun than playing it someone else's way.
Lew Zealand
Helper
As One More Day said, it's totally up to what makes you most comfortable. Being not unlike a capybara, I must store and store more and even moarrrrr. 
Mostly because many things can be processed/crafted to something more valuable:
Eggs (50g) into Mayo (190g)
Fiber (5g), Wood (10g), and Wild Seeds (70g) into Tea Saplings (500g)
Tailor everything + Cloth into superdooper outfits!
But when the time comes where I need a lot of g to buy Pizza for Leah or a spare Golden Clock, that's when things get sold en masse if I haven't bothered to process them yet (read: almost everything). I do try to leave 2 of everything so I can duplicate the Gems in a Crystalarium if I need them, or Tailor something and have another left for the Community Center (I forget this often).
And if there's sign out front of your Farm that reads:
Gone Romancin'
then you'd better be hoarding at least the items that the target(s) of your affection Like if not Love.
Mostly because many things can be processed/crafted to something more valuable:Eggs (50g) into Mayo (190g)
Fiber (5g), Wood (10g), and Wild Seeds (70g) into Tea Saplings (500g)
Tailor everything + Cloth into superdooper outfits!
But when the time comes where I need a lot of g to buy Pizza for Leah or a spare Golden Clock, that's when things get sold en masse if I haven't bothered to process them yet (read: almost everything). I do try to leave 2 of everything so I can duplicate the Gems in a Crystalarium if I need them, or Tailor something and have another left for the Community Center (I forget this often).
And if there's sign out front of your Farm that reads:
Gone Romancin'
then you'd better be hoarding at least the items that the target(s) of your affection Like if not Love.
Miss Berry
Farmhand
I agree with Lew and One More Day! But if you’re more of a minimalist, even just one of each will do if they item in question is hard to come by! And if it’s easy to come by, I’d say 5 or 10. But always keep at least one of an item, even if you think it isn’t useful. I’ve lost count of how many items I sold or trashed because I found no use for it after seasons and seasons, only to find a use for it AFTER it was gone 
Especially for Fish Ponds. Those fish will ask for the most random of items
Especially for Fish Ponds. Those fish will ask for the most random of items
Lew Zealand
Helper
OMG so this!...I found no use for it after seasons and seasons, only to find a use for it AFTER it was gone
Especially for Fish Ponds. Those fish will ask for the most random of items
Meh, I'll never need that Nautilus Shell or Mudstone....
Oooo 120 + 25g, I can almost afford the Hashbrowns and Omelet Recipes from Gus now! Woo-hoo!
- later -
They want whaaaat??? Where do I even get those?
SurprisedPikachuBob3
Farmer
I have a major hoarding problem lol, in my main save I have two big sheds of chests + other chests around the map. I have 3 chest full of raw materials (The 5 ores +stone, wood and hard wood)
Antsy
Tiller
I agree with One More Day, you find out over time what style suits you best. But as Miss Berry said, I've been burned by fish ponds asking for weird items I never imagined I'd need to keep, or somebody putting out a request for an item I just got rid of -- and also if you're going for perfection, some of the crafting items will need an off-the-wall mineral or something that you probably gave to the museum and never saw again, or a recipe will need a particular fish. A lot of crafting materials aren't worth selling unless you have a ridiculous amount, and even then you will probably need them eventually. Items that seem worthless to hang onto sometimes will suddenly become very useful in large quantities because of some quest. So it is wise to hang onto at least one of everything that isn't easy to get, and unless you desperately need money, it's good to hang onto more than one. Over time you likely will learn what you will end up needing throughout the game.
FilthyGorilla
Local Legend
This is my friend, he goes through our chests and sells everything.OMG so this!
Meh, I'll never need that Nautilus Shell or Mudstone....
Oooo 120 + 25g, I can almost afford the Hashbrowns and Omelet Recipes from Gus now! Woo-hoo!
- later -
They want whaaaat??? Where do I even get those?
I told him to sell a bit of the iridium I spent the last week mining to buy some wood, he sold all 2600 raw ore.
it pains me
VampireCake
Farmer
Oh, ouch.
MogBeoulve
Farmer
No wonder you hoard everything. I would start backup hoards to make sure he couldn't find it all to sell. Of course, then I would not find anything either.
I'm trying to talk my coworkers who have Switches to join my farm ("I'll buy you the game and then I just need to borrow you for a few minutes to upgrade your cabin three times to get the cellar") but it's been a hard sell. Weirdly, no one else is interested in amassing a horde of cute bunbuns.
Lew Zealand
Helper
Oh damn, that would make me very slightly cheezed off. To where I might stop being so careful where I leave my playthings on the floor.
Like Bombs. So careless of me...
oopsie!
Lew Zealand
Helper
Not everyone can hear the siren call of cute fuzzbutts with headphones jammed in their ears. Only the special ones are attuned to the faint attractions of <fluff fluff> <fuzzle> emanating from faraway, misty musty barns.
FilthyGorilla
Local Legend
He places bombs accidentally everywhere too, lost something like 20 quality sprinklers to a rogue mega bomb last we played 
FilthyGorilla
Local Legend
Yeah I made chests in my cabin which were my chests specifically and when I logged off he just emptied them into the main chest with the reasoning of “I didn’t know they were specifically yours”
This is starting to feel very plannned…
This is starting to feel very plannned…
Lew Zealand
Helper
He places bombs accidentally everywhere too, lost something like 20 quality sprinklers to a rogue mega bomb last we played
Run.
Ruuuuunnnn!
Head for the hiiiiiilllss!!!
I would be in a notably bad and very moody mood if that happened more than say, twice. You have a lot of patience.
Miss Berry
Farmhand
HAHAHAHAHAHA RIGHT!?? Why do these fish even WANT these things?? What are they planning to do with them!?OMG so this!
Meh, I'll never need that Nautilus Shell or Mudstone....
Oooo 120 + 25g, I can almost afford the Hashbrowns and Omelet Recipes from Gus now! Woo-hoo!
- later -
They want whaaaat??? Where do I even get those?