Hey, dolling... Welcome to my first blog post of the year 2021!
I recently edited some videos I took of myself purging my doll wardrobe last May 2020. This purging activity is actually something I do regularly, about 1-2 times a year. Why I purge this often? Some of my creations get old (to my eyes) easily. Also, I just somehow feel the need to not own that many doll clothes. Do you feel the same way, too? Or it's just me?
Lucky hand-me-down recipients are my friends' and/or cousins' daughters, who, I believe, wouldn't really mind the old-ness of such pieces. I also give away my prototypes, but not as often, as they usually don't have snaps sewn in yet. Very few of these I-don't-want-anymore-pieces are sold for huge discounts to local collectors.
Since I know it will take me some time to go over my doll wardrobe, I thought of recording the activity and share it with our doll community. It took me this long to edit it, though, because, life happens.
As I go through each of my little creations, these thoughts were running through my mind.
Will my dolls wear this in the near future?
This was my first question every time I pick a piece. I need to ask this because I always, by default, assume I'll have many more photoshoots in the future. While that is possible, my truer, more specific question should be, "Do I have a specific plan for a photoshoot that will use this piece?" I don't, unsurprisingly. I have already toned down my planning tendencies because I found out too much planning can lead to too little actual work. I guess that was why my label for this group was "Keeping (for now)". I mean, purging really is a work in progress, right? You purge for now, not for the unknown future. So, that means I have to make sure I will make use of these items until my next purging. Crossing fingers...
The ones that remain in my wardrobe
I felt so smart to have decided to do this actually - the video recording, that is.
While I was perusing through each piece, I was actually thinking out loud and trying to focus and be honest with myself.
It's fun to listen to yourself sometimes.
I noticed that when I decide to keep an item, the common themes that run through my mind are the following:
Classics cuts. They're easy to style with.
Neutral colors. Easy to mix and match.
High-quality pieces. They will last even longer.
Old but well-made. Ditto.
A Momoko dress that I hand-sewn back in 2011-ish, I think...Keeping!
Jeans and denim pieces. My personal favorite wardrobe pieces - and they pair with anything easily.
Hand-sewn pieces that remind me of how tedious it was to make it. Self-explanatory.
Fun prints. Pieces that give oomph to the classic cuts.
Pieces I ran out of fabrics for. Hoarder mode alert.
Pieces of sentimental value. Pieces I made during my first few years learning how to sew.
Prototypes that don't have snaps sewn in yet. I don't want to give away unfinished pieces.
Pieces that are let go
Old with prominent signs of use. Oh, the kids surely won't be skeptical, right? ;P
Defective pieces. I know - they should go to the trash instead.
Trendy designs. Because they went out of style already?...
Finished prototypes. Yay!
Ken stuff. I felt like an even better time will come for my Kens yet. Soon.
Thick denim pieces. So tedious to put on my dolls.
Doubles/triples. Having one of a thing should be enough....right?
Key Takeaways
After the whole decluttering activity, I felt much happier. I enjoyed reminiscing the pieces and the states of mind I had while I was making them. I felt lighter, too, thinking that half of these accumulated items will go somewhere else, perhaps, where they are given more attention.
I also felt grateful that I don't really have to go on thinking that I don't have enough doll clothes. I do have some really nice pieces in there - only that they were hidden. I just gotta give some more time and creativity for them, too.
So my action plan is to craft a working wardrobe.
I call it a working wardrobe because not only will it be used for storing my doll clothes in a corner - it has to make it easier for me to choose doll outfits while I'm styling, too.
Perhaps, the working wardrobe shouldn't be too grand, as well, so that I don't have to end up spending too much time planning it, getting tired, and eventually losing the excitement to craft.
I opted to get a couple bins as my frame work, instead of my grandiose plan to build from wood.
Here's my girl checking for scale ;)
To be honest, I am excited to start the year with this activity.
I don't really do doll purging, I'm such a hoarder, LOL. When it comes to doll clothes, I fee like I don't have many, in fact my dolls wear the same few outfits most of the time. However, recently I did a purging of my own clothes that I hadn't worn in years or did not fit. I try to hand them down to other people if they're in good condition or give them to charity. If not I try to reuse some as cloths to clean the dust.
I keep some of my doll clothes and accessories in similar bins. I have some of those hardware drawers that are meant to store bolts and nails and I have them organized by type. I want to do a doll closet too, not only to store clothes, but also to use as a photo background.
The comment about children not being skeptical reminded me of, when I was a child, a local seamstress gave me some fabric leftovers and I would wrap them around my dolls and secure it with a safety pin. I thought that my dolls were really wearing high fashion dresses. If someone had given me actual doll clothes, I guess I would have been beyond happy.
I'd love to see how you build your doll closet, so maybe I can get ideas. And I'll make sure to check out your video tomorrow, it's almost midnight here and I should be going to sleep.
Hey MC! Yeah, my dolls wear some of their clothes again. In fact, I like that they do LOL. That is why I tend to make a lot more ensembles, than one-piece items. As for my own clothes, I didn't purge for the last 3-5 years. My last huge purging was a year after I quit my office job, and realized my wardrobe consisted of mostly work clothes hahaha. Now I'm left with just the basics, so not much purging. And yes, just making the old ones into dust cloths.
That is a great idea, to have a doll closet as well as a photoshoot prop. If I would aim for that, my working wardrobe should look like a miniature one. Hmmm, maybe I can make a little effort that, too. We'll see. Are you planning to make one soon? Oh my gosh - I also receive so many leftover fabrics as a child! Back in my day, a doll clothing was super expensive so yes, it's like a child's dream to receive one :) Thanks so much for dropping by again as always, dear. The youtube video was made for fun, and for documenting the items I was letting go. I hope I didn't make it too fast (again). Have a wonderful weekend as well, dear. I'm excited about the wardrobe I'm making soon!
Good for you starting the year with a de-cluttering project! I used to purge often and then sell a lot of clothes on ebay, but I've sort of stopped because I always ended up getting rid of stuff that I regretted later, and then spent more money re-buying pieces I had sold off. I was looking at one of my bags of doll clothes the other day and thinking it might be a good idea to start up again... I think my main problem now is that I'm afraid to get rid of anything because I keep thinking I'll have some use for it later.
Hey Champagne darling... thanks as always for dropping by and sharing your thoughts. I totally get what you mean. I also have that fear. But my trick was just to make sure I have some of the things I make my dolls wear often, like denim shorts, jeans, neutral tees and tanks, as well as those really fun one-piece items that never go out of style, I think I'll be fine. I'm excited to see what your decluttering would look like, dear!
I don't really do doll purging, I'm such a hoarder, LOL. When it comes to doll clothes, I fee like I don't have many, in fact my dolls wear the same few outfits most of the time. However, recently I did a purging of my own clothes that I hadn't worn in years or did not fit. I try to hand them down to other people if they're in good condition or give them to charity. If not I try to reuse some as cloths to clean the dust.
ReplyDeleteI keep some of my doll clothes and accessories in similar bins. I have some of those hardware drawers that are meant to store bolts and nails and I have them organized by type. I want to do a doll closet too, not only to store clothes, but also to use as a photo background.
The comment about children not being skeptical reminded me of, when I was a child, a local seamstress gave me some fabric leftovers and I would wrap them around my dolls and secure it with a safety pin. I thought that my dolls were really wearing high fashion dresses. If someone had given me actual doll clothes, I guess I would have been beyond happy.
I'd love to see how you build your doll closet, so maybe I can get ideas. And I'll make sure to check out your video tomorrow, it's almost midnight here and I should be going to sleep.
Have a lovely weekend!
Hey MC! Yeah, my dolls wear some of their clothes again. In fact, I like that they do LOL. That is why I tend to make a lot more ensembles, than one-piece items.
DeleteAs for my own clothes, I didn't purge for the last 3-5 years. My last huge purging was a year after I quit my office job, and realized my wardrobe consisted of mostly work clothes hahaha. Now I'm left with just the basics, so not much purging. And yes, just making the old ones into dust cloths.
That is a great idea, to have a doll closet as well as a photoshoot prop. If I would aim for that, my working wardrobe should look like a miniature one. Hmmm, maybe I can make a little effort that, too. We'll see. Are you planning to make one soon?
Oh my gosh - I also receive so many leftover fabrics as a child! Back in my day, a doll clothing was super expensive so yes, it's like a child's dream to receive one :)
Thanks so much for dropping by again as always, dear. The youtube video was made for fun, and for documenting the items I was letting go. I hope I didn't make it too fast (again).
Have a wonderful weekend as well, dear. I'm excited about the wardrobe I'm making soon!
Good for you starting the year with a de-cluttering project! I used to purge often and then sell a lot of clothes on ebay, but I've sort of stopped because I always ended up getting rid of stuff that I regretted later, and then spent more money re-buying pieces I had sold off. I was looking at one of my bags of doll clothes the other day and thinking it might be a good idea to start up again... I think my main problem now is that I'm afraid to get rid of anything because I keep thinking I'll have some use for it later.
ReplyDeleteHey Champagne darling... thanks as always for dropping by and sharing your thoughts. I totally get what you mean. I also have that fear. But my trick was just to make sure I have some of the things I make my dolls wear often, like denim shorts, jeans, neutral tees and tanks, as well as those really fun one-piece items that never go out of style, I think I'll be fine. I'm excited to see what your decluttering would look like, dear!
Delete