Okay, I’m doing it! I’m downsizing.
Reasons:
– Be more creative with a smaller collection
– Feel more bonded to each doll I have
– Recoup some money
– Let dolls I’m less enthusiastic about go to homes where they’ll be loved
– Less clutter/overwhelm
I gathered all* my dolls and laid them out. Total is 120, including project dolls and bodies. It’s kinda cool to see them all laid out like this. They’re on a full-size futon mattress.
My stretch goal is to reduce by 50% (60 dolls), though that’s probably unrealistic. Downsizing is hard, because even if a doll isn’t my favorite aesthetically, they hold memories: either that someone gave them to me, or that I had them at a specific time in my life, or that I went on a cool adventure to get them, or I got a really good deal. Additionally, it’s hard because of the what-ifs: what if my tastes change? what if I come up with a great, creative idea for a certain doll? what if I need parts for repair or customizing? A more likely goal is 25% reduction (30 dolls).
Dolls that are never going anywhere:
– 3 AG: Felicity and Abby are from my childhood, and Addy I got for a wonderful deal after wanting her for years. She feels like love and I could never let her go.
– Girl of Many Lands Isabella: She’s also from my childhood.
– 3 Reel Drama MH: I love these dolls and went through so much nonsense to get them at a reasonable price. They will live in their coffins until I die lol.
– 5 Freak du Chic MH: I love the circus, and these were some of the first dolls I bought when I started collecting as an adult.
– Peri & Pearl: The first MH I bought! I love how weird she is and I have a lot of fun posing and photographing her.
– 3 G3 MH: I’ve customized these and love their aesthetics and poseability.
– Barbie Looks #10 Whiskey: Beautiful, stunning, striking doll. Great for photos.
– Creeproduction Frankie and Lagoona
– Sweet Screams Frankie: I found her for $6 after a terrible doctor’s appointment.
– Signature Honey Swamp: Gorgeous, unique doll. Love her body mold.
– Goo in the barbie shirt: She’s my carry around, character Goo.
– Rollermaze Lagoona & Ghoulia: I adore roller skating dolls.
– Gamma Babe & Miss Royale: They’re so OTT and wonderfully designed.
– SH Heather and Shanelle: Love the b&w, love to photo them.
– RH Sunny: My first RH doll.
– RH Victoria: Beautiful and unique, with all those freckles.
This is my initial cull, ones I know can go – 20 dolls total. (Many of the clothes will stay with me, I just haven’t undressed them.) Still hard to let go of, but here are my reasons:
– Barbies: The model muse barbies are very lovely, but not articulated and I never gravitate towards them. The redhead mtm has a sweet face but terrible hair, and I can’t do reroots anymore due to my nerve pain. Vitiligo Barbie is sweet, but I just don’t play with her much. Creatable world is cool, but I tend to like more adult dolls.
– Hairdorables/Hairmazing: Noah is a duplicate. Niella (or whatever her name is) doesn’t get any playtime. The little ones are cute but again, I just don’t gravitate towards them.
– 2 Gooliopes: I bought 3 in a lot, and had dreams of customizing them. But realistically I don’t think that will happen, so they should go on to other homes. (I still have two.) Same for G3 Lagoona: She’s a duplicate I had hoped to customize, but I don’t think I’ll ever get there.
– Marshamallow: Love her look, but she’s too big for me.
– EAH: Kitty Cheshire is fine, but again, I don’t play with her much. I was holding on to her to accompany Lizzie Hearts (who I love) but I think she’d be better off in someone else’s collection. Apple White was a gift, but she doesn’t really speak to me. The pink one is for a friend, I just need to actually mail her. Holly I started customizing into the Other Mother, but I don’t have the motivation to finish.
– OMG: Bodies I was saving for customs. Big Wig I really liked at one point but I don’t think I need to keep her.
They will eventually go up on my eBay, which is amagl-35, if anyone’s interested. There’s a bunch of clothing and accessory lots up currently.
*minus 3: boxed Mulan, bacta tank Lagoona, boxed travel Barbie
xo,
Rose
Good luck to you. I’ve sold off a lot over the years, and when it comes to the few things I do regret, I just remember that they would have been piled in storage boxes and completely unappreciated 95% of the time. I think that if something spends months or years in a storage box, it might as well have spent those months or years in somebody else’s house.
Yep, I want them to go somewhere they’ll be appreciated!
A noble goal ❤️ I have a lot of dolls too. I know what you mean about not having time to bond with them all
Yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about when I was a kid, and how special and wonderful having just my two AG was. While I don’t intend to get down just two (I use my dolls as a creative outlet in addition to as a play thing), I want to get back to that point where I felt that each is special and meaningful.
This was so fun to read. I wish you lots of luck! Also I’ve followed you on ebay to snag Miss Kitty Cheshire when she goes up 🙂
Thank you! It’ll probably take a while for me to get the dolls posted to ebay, but they’ll be there eventually!
I completely forgot about the girls of many lands!! Isabel was one of my favorite. Maybe we can add them to the database
My rules for collecting are to only buy what I have room to display (and not stick in storage or boxes) and to only use money from selling other crap (or dolls) I have accumulated. If it starts to feel too overwhelming and/or like hoarding, it is time to destash!
That’s a good policy!
It’s time for me to let go too. I have just too many dolls. I used to buy the “ well loved” ones, restore them, and then re-sell them. Somehow, I became too attached and now I have more inventory than needed. And I have hundreds of pieces of restoration items: clothes, shoes, wigs, socks, underwear, hair accessories, props, etc. I’m gonna have to make the big Detachment real soon.
Yeah, I also have a bunch of “project” dolls that I’m trying to let go of. It’s so hard to let go of the potential!