Too many dolls?

I dunno. I have a friend with over 15. She doesn't play with them at all, and it confuses the poo out of me as to WHY she has them.

But, the thing is, if you have the money, are not putting yourself into debt, and enjoy each one you have in the way YOU enjoy them (whether it be playing, or just looking at), then there is never "too many" until you get tired of the hobby (if?).

It can be frustrating for us though, who do not have the financial ability to get more than a couple, to see people with lots and lots. But, I figure that all comes from jealousy, as opposed to any real feeling of "they shouldn't have them because they can't take care of them".

 

I second this.

For me "too many" is when the number of dolls makes me unhappy. I can't really judge what's too many for someone else, because it's hard to see how happy or unhappy that person is with his or her dolls. ^_^

 

"Too many" is really circumstantial.

For me, "too many" would mean too many dolls than I have space for or have time to enjoy. Even more-so, how much I could spend on each. I like having a few dolls that I can spend more money on rather than have more dolls with one outfit each.

Too many would also indicate more dolls than I have time for.

As far as others go, how many is "too many" is up to them. Usually when I see someone with a lot of dolls, I just assume that they've been collecting for a while and if it's too many for them, that's they're business.

 

I agree with this completely. That's how I feel about any collective hobby, not just dolls.

For example, I have a great-uncle who collects cars, he has 14. Half of those he will never get around to fixing up like he hopes to, some of which are even buried under 7-foot tall grass in his yard, but he still enjoys having them there, looking at them. But compare it to when he had 24 and broke down crying saying he felt so trapped and overwhelmed by his car collection, he had too many for him to handle, and he understood that, while someone else might say the 14 he has now is too many, he's happy as a clam right now so I'd say not true.

Just because someone has "a lot", doesn't mean they have "too many". From an outside view think of it as someone having a lot, because from an outside view you have no way of knowing if someone has too many. If it's your own, you'll know when you have too many. I know right off the bat more than 8 is too many for me, maybe even more than 6.

 

i don't mind how many dolls people have and if they actually play with them or not. i believe everybody has their reasons for spending their money on this hobby (or another) and it's really nothing others should care about too much.
for myself, i know that i don't plan to get 'a family' bigger than 5 or 6 but at the same time i love how one of my friends has a collection of about 25 - 30 and it's like entering a completely different world whenever i step into their room. (which unfortunately i cannot do anymore because we live in different countries now )

excuse my english btw.

 

I just got to the point recently where I have "too many" dolls.

I've loved bjds for about 7 or 8 years, but always told myself, "NO, TOO EXPENSIVE, STAY AWAY." Then just this year in January I decided to finally take the plunge and do a photography class. I love art, but have always felt like I lack the talent so hid away from it. Suddenly, I decided to stop hiding and joined the class.
Of course, the first project came around and I knew I HAD to do something dolls. I bought half a Unoa Lusis on auction (my friend bought the other half) and the plan was that I would use her for my project then my friend would buy my half off me afterwards. Great.
OR PERHAPS NOT! I fell in love with her, and that was the start of it all.

Since January, my collection went from 0 to 10 with another 5 on the way.
I have this closet where I have 1 shelf dedicated to the dolls and 1 shelf dedicated to the boxes.
Well on this shelf I had 1 large doll, 7 mini dolls and 2 tiny dolls. (the incoming dolls were 1 large, 4 tiny)
I don't really know when it happened, but suddenly I started to have panic attacks. I couldn't look at them because there just seemed to be SO many of them, and I'd lie in bed worrying at how much I'd spend and whether I'd made a mistake or not.
To be honest, I was worried that after 8 months of complete obsession, I was just done with the whole thing and had moved on.

Then suddenly this last week I decided that was it, I was going to sell the 2 dolls I wasn't bonding with. The first, oddly enough, was my Unoa Lusis. She'd been sitting faceless for so long and we just weren't bonding at all. She sold in about an hour and was just sent off yesterday morning.
The second was my SD girl, who might have already sold, not sure yet. I've packed her up in her box though so she's now not in sight.
Then my Soom Glot arrived yesterday, so the shelf is now down to 6 x Mini, 3 x Tiny.
AND I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.

Clearly for me that's my "too much" point.
I think I'm fine with lots of tinies, but too many Minis is BAD. I almost think around 6 might be safe point, any more is "too much"
I'm also not sure I can deal with more than 1 bigger doll. I have a Soom Cuprit on the way and she's probably going to remain my only big doll.

That was a ridiculously long story, but I think the point I'm trying to make is, "too much" is such a personal concept.
Some people tell me, "I really couldn't have more than 2 or 3 dolls", other people have LOADS.
I often find though that the people who can only have 2 or 3 dolls generally have 2 or 3 BIG dolls. Those who have LOADS of dolls often have a great size variation.
Like for me, I think 1 or perhaps 2 big dolls is my max.
I wonder if it's a money thing perhaps? You look at a big doll (especially since, with one exception, I only have limited dolls) and go, "WOW I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON THAT!". More than one gives me a panic attack! ::laughs::

 

I am at the point right now where I know I am reaching the end of my limit

I have 4 SD guys, 4 MSD's and 2 tinies. I have Beyla coming in (probably next year).

As much as I love them, I don't think I will get any more SD guys, they can be very overwhelming all sat on my shelf staring at me I wouldn't mind an SD girl though, not sure how that would be any different though :

Tinies I could have an infinate number though, they are so small and don't seem to overpower the room as much

xx

 

I've only the one doll right now, and my 'too much' will be a very low number, I'm guessing. But one never knows what too much is until they reach that point.
But, I suppose bigger dolls would give off the impression of 'more'.

 

I guess I fall into the category of having "loads" but i love them all so dearly and they are all so different with their oown unique personalities. However they are starting to take over the house and I am now considering selling a few - the ones I haven't fully bonded with over time.

As others have said, everryone has their own idea of the correct number and no-one has the right to criticise.

 

I believe that "too many" is a subjective number for each person, based even more on their individual personality than on financial concerns (it might take a lot longer for a person with little funds to collect, but over time...given the desire and drive...they could certainly pull it off.) For me personally, too many is a very low number because I tend to play with my dolls much as a child does (even though I'm a grandma!) By that, I mean coming up with stories and adventures for them, constructing them their own elaborate display rooms...plus I do all their faceups and make all their clothing myself, etc. At one time I had 10 BJDs (4 SDs, 3 MSDs and 3 tinies) but I wasn't happy at all...it was just too overwhelming for me and I wasn't able to bond as deeply with them as I'd like. I've tried having a more moderate number as well, but whenever that happens, I always find myself immediately trying to "refine" my collection to bring it back down. So I've worked very hard to find dolls I'm truly connected to that aren't just pretty faces to me. I'm so much happier with a small handful I can really delve deeply into character-wise, love to distraction and spoil absolutely rotten. That's what makes me happy. I currently have 2 extremely spoiled dolls (1 slim mini and one YoSD size) with an anthro I've always wanted on the way to be a little sidekick for my slim mini. For me, downsizing to a happy ending has been the perfect choice!

 

I have two MSDs and one Slim Mini, but I am trying to buy another MSD and my first SD. I have a lot of dolls planned...three more SDs and one more MSD have names and what not, and there are even more on my wishlist. I think that if I ended up with too many dolls would be if I couldn't bond with them all. If I can't bond with a doll after two or three months, then I will sell it so that I can get a new one that I will love more. That sounds pretty awful when I reread it. Well, I only want to get dolls that I can love. So I think if it got up in the twenties, then that would be too many. I like to be able to take them all with me to meetups and conventions, and I'm getting to the point where I'm going to need a stroller or something to carry them all.

 

i have about 15 full dolls and three floating heads. sometimes i do think im over my head with the dolls only because i dont give them all the same amount of attention....but on the flip side, i am very happy with all of them and am not willing to give any of them up and dont see it happening in the future. i do want to concentrate on getting the ones i have (heads included) totally finished before moving on to new ones...hopefully i can stick to that.

 

I remember just a year ago when I only had 3 dolls a head and one more in mind, I was blown away by people with 10+ dolls. I just couldn't see how they could possibly keep track of them all and love them all equally, let alone afford them.
Now I have 10 dolls myself and should luck smile upon me, I'd end up with 4 more. I have no problem loving them all, spending time on them all and as for being able to afford them.. Well, logic. Time goes by, money is made and thus money can be spend.
I still am amazed with people with lots of dolls (now the number has just rised to 20+), but then again, I collect a lot of toys (more than 200+ pieces) and I now every single thing like the back of my hand, so why wouldn't people be able to keep track of 27 dolls?

I think each individual knows when it's time to stop. Some only need one-two. Others need many more. I personally believe that dolls (among many things) plays a part in completing who we are, without calling people sad.

 

Something not so fun about having a lot of dolls (in this case, "a lot" doesn't even really equal that many.. perhaps 4 or 5) is the way people treat you.
I don't find this here on DoA at all, but my real life friends here DEFINITELY judge me. I see the way they look at me, I get these comments that SOUND like a joke, but you can tell they're designed to put you down.

Simply put, they're jealous (these are all people who like dolls but only have a couple) and I think also a little mad that I never go out and do anything anymore because I'm always saving up!
But they really have no right to be jealous when I've given up SO much to have what I have! While they're eating 3 meals a day, I'm scraping by on one. While they're off drinking loads in bars at the weekend, I'm sat at home. While they're buying stacks of clothes, makeup jewelry, magazines, I'm not.
I live on $10 a day (that includes food for 2 cats and 3 ferrets who are the priority) in order to afford these dolls.

It's all about priorities. They COULD have more dolls if they made the effort, but they choose alcohol and partying and so on. It's not like they don't have the money, or that I'm rolling in money, it's just how we choose to spend what we have.

I don't even talk to these friends about dolls anymore now. I don't think they even know I have as many as I do.
They started to treat me badly about the whole thing when I ordered my 4th doll, so I'm sure letting them know I have 9 at home and 4 on the way would be NOT such a good idea!!!

 

I think having many dolls are very normal. There's no word 'too many' with anyone who really loves dolls. You have how many dolls, that's not as important as how you will treat them. Everything will be ok if dollie owners try to take a good care of their dolls and consider them as their most beloved children. I have many friends who have at least 30 dolls in their rooms but they always have plans to buy new ones. And I myself will have 23 dolls and I don't care if anyone says I have too many dolls.

 

Oh midnitestar7 I don't like the thought of you only having one meal a day dearie you need more than that if you want to be well enough to enjoy your dolls!

But you are right to say that some are jealous of those who have lots of dolls...If one can afford them then fine by me!

I am finding the three have ( two more on the way) somewhat too much. I feel the first one I did not bond with so well and although she is beautiful I want to redo her clothhes.
I make all my doll clothes Thats my arty bit and I can't afford dolls and the clothes which can cost quite a lot.

too many is when you feel you overwhelmed by the dolls....if you have 30 and still don't feel that way then its not too many.

My sister collects crystal stuff and has cabinets full of it some is amazing and still she gets more! Her house looks like a shop now. I wouldn't want my dolls to get to that stage. When you can't see the dolls for the resin!

 

Haha, worry not! I've gotten to the point where I've found my "too much" point, and have decided that next year I won't be buying much. And if I want to buy a new doll, I'll have to part with one I already have, meaning I'm just recycling the same cash!
Sold a doll and an item this last week, and hopefully my LE SD girl will be going on layaway with the interested buyer this coming week, so now I have enough cash to pay for nearly all my doll plans this year without having to starve!
Yay, 3 meals a day!

 

I used to think that no one can have too many dolls but I've just been proven wrong. For some people, there is such a thing as a limit that must be observed. On tv, I saw a man that kept around 30 dogs in his garage, all neglected with matted fur, injuries, and poor health. He wasn't just a hoarder of dogs, he collected dolls too and every single one of the dolls was in perfect condition. Seeing his dolls so well taken care of and all those poor dogs suffering in his garage made me extremely mad.

For people like him, he obviously couldn't balance the amount of care for his doll hobby and the amount of care for his pets. Too many things to hoard really made him loose priorities. Thank goodness those animals were saved.

 

My dolls are in my room around me when I'm working(I work at homeXD) I think it is never too many until you don't have time to take care of them.But most time I'd like to watch them , everytime I see them, I will feel peaceful.

 

i used to have six dollfies at one point,i didnt think that six was too many,but i felt i wasnt really giving then all that much attention,i sold most of them to afford the two dolls that i really wanted,so now i have only two,but i love them the best and they get lots of attention,and i am now more focused on buying them lots of gorgeous clothes and wigs to wear,which i find is alot more fun,
i dont think no one can have too many dolls,as it is a collective hobby,as long as you dont neglet them or mis-treat them,and you love to look and play with them etc,