Paring Down. Less is more?

I'm definitely moving towards that less is more state. I have so many that some never seem to see the light of day and I forget what I have! What's the point in that? I need to move some of these folks along to other more appreciative homes and just keep and love my favorites!

 

I've been in the hobby since '05. At the time I have three dolls. One of which I'll be honest was a complete impulse buy. Over the course of my time in the hobby I've only had three dolls at one time. But, I'd say I've had a total of six. I wasn't ever one to say I'll only have just one. But, I'll definitively say I prefer a small family to a big one. All my dolls are characters I'd like to shell. I'd really like to keep it in single digits. Anything beyond that just seems kinda scary. (everything seems scary to me. So that's nothing new lol)

 

That`s what I am also trying to do ! I to have dolls that get complitely ignored , but selling them is not easy.But they do need to move on , and I do whant a doll that I would love alot better.

 

i like having fun with my dolls so a small numbe of 2-4 seems better. not yet decided who else will fill those spots for me but seeing a friend of mine with alot of dolls and not able to care all of them convince me i dont need an army haha

 

I have what people may call a large collection, but it doesn't ever seem that way to me because they're all very precious individuals that make up the larger whole for me. Much like JennyNemesis, I have a doll room and the (admittedly rare) people that come up to see them often compare it to being immersed in a tiny world that isn't quite that of the every day. I love that about it, it's something I strive to get into the photo's and frankly, I couldn't do it without any one of them.

I have had massive clearouts before, but I've learnt over the years that it's not the NUMBER of dolls that makes me feel uncomfortable, but the fact that weren't a cohesive unit. Now they are, two fully cohesive units in fact, and that made the larger number entirely irrelevant to me.

You wanna tell that to my highly spoilt, individually cared for, clothed and loved collection with their own room in the house and in scale sets to sit within? This kind of sweeping generalisation is precisely the reason there are whole SWATHES of the doll owning community that shy from ever talking about their collections and is at best UNHELPFUL to those of us who'd really like to SEE and talk about the larger groups out there.

It's a big world, we all work differently!

 

I can honestly say that, even with a collection that has been in the three-digit range for a few years now, I have never felt the need to pare, and doubt I ever will. It's not how I "work", I'm way more a "the more, the merrier" type of person. As for attention, while it's true the smaller set gets far more playtime (especially as they're working models and ambassadors of BJDdom at various events), my dolls are all well dressed, displayed, and while not handled every day, they are definitely loved and cared for.

 

I agree entirely! If you are enjoying your dolls no matter how many or how few, that is the important thing! To each his own! I guess the dolls that I forget about or who stay in boxes just really aren't the right little people for me! I have lots on display, lots that I photograph and dress and change and make things for and those are the little folk to keep Keep talking dollies!

 

I feel guilty if I don't give them enough attention, so a small number of dolls works best for me. the numbers do tend to creep up though and then I'll have a few weeks where I sell some to get it back down to manageable numbers again. ThenI feel virtuous and 'entitled' to buy another doll, and then the numbers creep up to back where they were, but with different dolls. I have a feeling that this cycle will go on for a very long time!

 

Dollyrocka: I think we may have been separated at birth!

 

I'm thinking of pairing down my collection. Trying to make it easier to manage. Also having fewer means I
don't have to try to clothe so many and can focus on getting really nice items for fewer folks which will make my budget more happy.

 

That is what I am trying to do now. Get at least my dolls paired up so to speak and then find new homes for the ones that are not bonding. I would like to keep it to around 8. Just find it hard not to fall for a new face or look for a grail one.

 

Yes, this has happened to me. I had a bout six dolls at one point, I got down to about four a few months ago and then decided I would absolutely love to just own one and that is my doll, thats it.
I have managed to get down to two and Im really happy with them both, I dont think I could choose between them. I have two super dollfie girls with similar styles but I love their faces and bodies equally. I feel a lot better about having less. Oddly the less dolls I have the more clothes I buy!

 

I have a large and growing collection but than I am one of those collector types. I always have a limited when I say, that's enough now. I'm pretty much there for my dolls now. Few more on the wish list aaand I can't see myself with more.

Well, maybe the tinies will take over.

But I can also see how people would want this over whelming collection of dolls and just, fangasm over one or two.

After my wishlist I might pick up collection dolls here and there but they wont be part of the bjd horde. >.>

Wish I was more the 'just one or two is fine' group.

 

I could feel and be comfortable with a small BJD fam of 2-4 dolls or so; however, for me, that is not the case right now. I am new to the hobby and I have this tendency to fulfill the "wish" list. So, with that said, one day I hope to have the ability to be the "less is more" type.

 

Smaller crowd for SURE! I have 10 dolls TOTAL: BJds Himstedts and reborns

 

I posted on this thread a few years ago, I see. It's interesting looking back. I definitely went through a minimalist-type phase where I got rid of most of my stuff, but it was just a phase after all. I still don't have too much stuff, but I'm up to seven dolls. Fewer dolls would be better in theory, but I really love all of the ones I have so they aren't going anywhere. ♥

 

I usually have around 7 dolls, I swap and change a lot. But at the moment I have 3...and I really really like this small number, but I'm due to have 2 more in the next few days. Now if only they were the same size...

 

This seems pretty logical to me. I have three dolls that I currently want to find new homes for. While this is hardly 'paring down' (going from 25 to 22), it does seem to make sense that I'd let go of some dolls that aren't really getting a lot of attention and would be better appreciated in somebody else's collection.

 

I find that I am less interested in dolls as a hobby if I own many dolls. When I was at my peak of doll count I did absolutely nothing with them--now that I have sold a few, I'm interacting with all of the remaining dolls more frequently.