Keep OR Sell?

Most of the time, I sell a doll because I don't play with much or because I want to reshell it in a new model (which does not happen often in my case. But making the choice of which doll to sell can be difficult, I sometimes find myself making comparison lists to see which dolls has most advantages and it helps me to make the comparison more clear. I take several things into consideration like which doll am I the most attached to (quite difficult to answer sometimes) or which one would be the hardest to find in the future.

 

I decide to sell a doll if there's something about them that bothers me and/or I constantly think about selling them. Like, if I see a doll in my collection and I keep thinking about the money rather than the doll, then I know it's probably time to move them on. For instance, I had a Luts Delf Anna Marie and there was always something about her that irked me. She was a beautiful doll, but when I looked over at her, there really was no inspiration. I would always think "Hmm, it would be great to sell her and get some money for other things". With dolls I still have (and would probably never sell), those thoughts just don't cross my mind.

 

I sell a doll if I all I can see are dollar signs when I look at them.

 

Depends...I try reshelling the doll completely before I decide if I wanna sell one. If changing the hair, eyes, clothes, etc doesn't do anything for me and I still don't like it, I'll rehome it. I've had it happen once so far. It was kinda bittersweet cuz I loved the promo pics of course and while she was pretty, I couldn't get over how chunky her body was and how she posed.

 

At this point I have a question set to run down for myself:

• Do I play with the doll? (Dressing, pictures, display, etc.)
• Do I want to play with the doll?
• Have I done what I could to try different looks? (Eyes, wig, clothes)
• How do I feel when looking at it? (fond, irritated, inspired, etc)
• How do I feel when I think about listing it for sale? (Hesitant, apathetic, etc)

If it isn't ticking any boxes in a positive way then it's time for it to move on to someone who will enjoy it.

 

May sound a bit cheesy, but when it's time to sell, I just feel it.
I'm the kind of person that develops an attachment to certain things and have a very hard time selling or changing my dolls aesthetics because of that. So it's clear for me that, if I don't feel that attachment, it's because selling is the right thing to do.
It has happened to me that I couldn't find the right character for a doll and though about selling it and start anew, but that little voice inside me kept telling me that I should try more before giving up and the voice was right!

 

If I feel bad looking at the doll because I haven't given her any attention recently, and then I don't immediately give her attention, then I am ready to sell her.

 

I take the doll in question off my shelf. If I miss it it isn't time to sell, if I don't it's good to go. Normally for me if I'm thinking about selling it at all it's a sign. My collection is also in the midst of an overhaul anyway though.

 

If I find myself thinking about selling a doll or if I feel bad or indifferent when looking at it, it's time for them to go.

To make sure that I want to sell them, I box them up and if I don't miss them at all it's definitely time to sell.

 

Reviving this thread, because I am agonizing over just this.
I know I don't need all of these dolls.
I've already sold a few - but here's the kicker - I bought several of them back.

Am I destined to be a doll hoarder?

 

I only buy dolls that inspire original characters in my imagination. A pretty face is not enough: the doll has to compel me to the point that I can't imagine not owning them or having their character around. So when that doll arrives home, I'm absolutely ready to invest heavily in the doll shell and develop their character.

It's time for me to sell a doll when I stop wanting to invest into them and their character. I usually know when the time comes: I look at the doll, and see an empty shell: its character is dead, gone, ceased to exist, no longer interesting to me, no longer significant to my imagination. I have no reason to own a lifeless toy, no matter how pretty the face -- after all, they inspired that character in the first place, and now their character is no more. The time we spent together was good and worthwhile, and now it's time for us to part ways.

I've never regretted buying those dolls, and never regretted selling any of them. I don't miss the dolls, and none of their characters have returned to me. As for the dolls I've kept... their characters are still alive and present, I'm still heavily invested in doll and character. Right now, the thought of selling my current crew is unthinkable. But when (God forbid) the day comes that their characters die and cease to exist in my imagination... I'll sell the dolls too.

 

I know I am, but I'm a happy hoarder.
As long as it doesn't interfere with my financial obligations or actually get in the way of keeping my room clean, I am OK with having a great many dolls. They are in shelves or in cabinets, arranged in groups by size. I sometimes spend a lot of time and money finishing (or re-doing) one size, neglecting the others, but I will always get around to them again.
I have trouble selling anything, but I think if I really stopped loving a doll I would end up selling it, but I would try a lot of other things first (new face-up, new wig, new outfit) just to make sure I wouldn't regret it.

 

Thank you both for replying. I think I'm going to give myself a little grace. I've really only been collecting for 3 years. Maybe I need some more time to get good and properly tired of some of them...

 

I ended up rambling and not replying to you...

But I agree with Fairy Milliner - it's worth investing some time and energy to bring your vision to life in the doll -- whatever it is, however major or small it appears. As much as I talk about my own investment into my crew, at the end of the day your (or anyone's) vision really doesn't have to be grand. It can just be getting the doll out of their blank/bald/eyeless state so that they start taking on a bit of character and life and prettiness.

It sounds that you bought (and rebought) those dolls because they continued to attract you, and/or you still wanted to do something with them - 'unfinished business' with them, so to speak. So it's worth taking that next step beyond just acquiring the doll, to address that unfinished business now that they're home. The lovelies you already have, they are worth investing into!

I should also add that my post above comes from several years of trial-and-error, and learning (after selling off practically all my early-hobby dolls) which doll jived with me and which didn't. I think as you work on your vision for those dolls (again it doesn't have to be big and grand), I think it'll become clearer to you whether or not they're keepers, or whether you can sell them without regrets and rebuying.

 

Wisdom. The way you've worded this is incredible. I appreciate how you view this subject. To go along with what was said here, I believe it shows maturity and character to realize this about yourself and your dolls. If they don't make you happy anymore, then why hold onto them?

From your post it looks like you may not be quite as attached to then as you want to be. The truth is you may never reach a point where you do love them like you'd like to. It's possibly that you are trying to force love where there is none.

A little trick I learned once is to flip a coin. Flip it high into the air. Whichever side you have higher hopes of it landing on is your answer. When you catch it don't even look at it because it doesn't matter at that point. You've already made your decision, you just didn't know it before.

 

I agree with this. I'm sorry your sister kicked you out over such petty things and chose her own comfort over your safety and survival.

That's a good method. I think for me if I lose interest in the doll when it arrives or if the company often releases dolls I want then i am fine selling it. Idelian always releases something I like, so I was okay selling two off and waiting for new idealian releases. I didn't feel 100% attached to the two i sold off.

I don't play with my dolls, but if I find myself being happy thinking about a doll while it's stored away I think i know I am attached to the doll and won't sell it off. I like the idea of having that doll in my collection rather than play wiht it at the moment.

 

For me it's usually a matter of whether they inspire me or not. If I don't particularly need money but just don't feel inspired by a doll, I often sell it and get one that has a better chance of inspiring me. Some dolls I used to love but kind of grew out of. Others I have kind of mentally had on the chopping block more as an investment, like I wouldn't mind selling this doll if I needed to. But mostly it's the inspiration for me. If I look at one of my dolls and it's not making me happy anymore, I will try some makeovers and if that doesn't improve my feelings long-term, then I sell it.

 

I sell them if I just can't think of a good idea for them or when I begin to feel that it's taking up too much space for what it is to me.

 

I grabbed a body I know is being replaced with a newer version (Dreaming Doll older Elva body - waiting for Queen Elva 65 cm body) and took it with me to a small meet-up today. Best decision ever. I ended up swapping for some handmade outfits and props.

Now I'm looking at other bodies, wondering who I can take to the next meet. You're on notice, dolls...

 

I like the putting the doll in a box method for more sentimental dolls. I downsized when I took a hiatus from the hobby and kept only two:

1. A doll I absolutely cannot replace. The artist no longer does preorders for them. Someone mentioned being able to order custom if you could fork over 8k and if the artist was inclined. So to part with her would be a final permanent decision. I like her very much so it’s not hard.

2. On the opposite end, this one has been very hard! She is not a popular doll or very remarkable in any way. Her sculpt is discontinued but there are similar sculpts I could probably find. There was a time I wanted to sell her but didn’t want to go through the hassle, so I put her in a box for about a year? I took her out to steal her wig/clothes for another doll I have coming in new, and… as I was brushing out the tangles in her hair… I dunno. I just smiled. I love her after all lol I wouldn’t usually keep a doll I don’t look at for a year, but I guess she is special.