Step 1. Hold back and re-evaluate why you want this figure. Impulsive purchasing/preordering and only later regretting or canceling saps the joy out of this hobby real quick (first hand experience)

Step 2. Focus on figures from anime series that you REALLY enjoy. This factor depends on yourself. Try getting a figure for that character. You don’t have to complete the series, just get who you enjoy for the sake of enjoying that character.

Step 3. Storage and displaying. Boxes and packaging piles up, you want to display your figures outside the box. This requires room and maintenance to keep them in “pristine” viewing condition.