You can have as many Tamagotchis as you want and, more importantly, as many as you can acquire in strong consideration of what's financially feasible to you. Building a Tamagotchi collection is not cheap by any means.
To start, I would go with what Mothra said and just see what's out there. That's pretty much what I did when I started out as well. What is considered a "must-have" for some won't be the case for others. Check out
THIS page to see the list of Tamagotchi releases to date. Read up on some of the descriptions that are there and if you see something that you like, take it a step further by looking for more information on here and asking specific questions in your thread. That's how you can focus your research. A big part of building a collection involves research so that you kind of know what you're getting into. I too would also check out some of the non-Tamagotchi pets, especially Nanos, Giga Pets, Baby Bytes, and Dinkie Dinos. I have had the pleasure of playing with them even before Tamagotchis came out in the '90s and they are great fun. Mothra actually has great sections on "odd pets" on her
SITE. You should check it out!
The same thing applies with accessories. Just see what's out there and if there's something interesting, why not go for it? Personally, I'm not much of an accessory kind of gal (save a plush here or a lanyard there), but that's just me!
I don't have a specific recommendation for good storage bins or places but whatever you choose (small box, jewelry chest, mini backpack, whatever it may be), make sure you keep the area dry. I would get silica packets (they usually come in jewelry boxes and are great desiccants--keeps the moisture out) and store them in the container with your Tamagotchis. If you store Tamagotchis in a bin, make sure to take the batteries out of the Tamagotchi if not in use and store them separately.
If you feel that your Tamagotchi information is better accessible if you had hard copies of everything in a handy notebook, why not? I remember I did that with my first-ever Tamagotchi, a P2. I wasn't online much back then as I am now, so I printed things out like growth charts, character tips, instruction manuals, etc. and kept them in a 3-ring binder (sheet protectors and all) along with my handwritten log. I treasured it and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I know some people who still do that even now.
Should you have two of every version (I'm assuming you're only referring to Connections and not vintages, right?)? See my answer to your first question. XD Really though, besides the financial aspect of it all, I recommend getting two of each Connection version only if you absolutely love the version itself (like the games, characters, level of difficulty, features...whatever it may be, you love it all) and if you feel you'd rather have the whole connection experience (it can get quite lonely sometimes when your Tamagotchi doesn't have another to connect to, I get it). Try getting one first to try it out. Also, when you are figuring out whether or not to get two, I'd take the
Ultimate Connecting Guide in to consideration. For example, let's say you've decided you want to get a V4.5. Then you're wondering if you should get another V4.5 but let's say you already have a V4 or even a V3, both of which can connect with, marry, and mate with, a V4.5. So you technically don't need to get another V4.5 if you don't mind maybe slight connection differences, Nazotchi, and things like this. Make sense?
You should absolutely get Japanese Tamagotchis if you ever get the chance. Sometimes I feel that the Japanese always get the good stuff when it comes to Tamagotchis.
They've got the Colors, the new Nano, not to mention all the great Japanese vintage Tamagotchis out there that never made it to the States (Morino, Devilgotchi, Santagotchi, Osu/Mesu, etc.). Again, do some research and see what sounds good to you. Keep in mind also that the Japanese Tamagotchis (especially when you get into the vintages) are a bit more pricey than usual. If you're concerned about a language barrier, don't be. One does not need to be able to read/write/speak/understand Japanese in order to successfully care for a Japanese Tamagotchi (except maybe if you're thinking about getting a Hexagontchi).
These are all pretty good questions to ask when building a collection so no worries! However, a lot of it has to do with personal preference. We could give you all the advice in the world and it'd still be up to you to make the final selections and shell out the money. One more word of advice: be patient, especially if you're a bargain hunter. Deals will come and go. Sometimes you'll get it, sometimes you won't and then you'll have to wait until it comes along again. Just hang in there, especially if you find yourself waiting for one of those rare ones, and it will come along if it's meant to be! With that being said, good luck and I hope you come to build a great collection!
