Doll Owner’s Corner: Pros and Cons of Collecting

It’s the first of the month, time for another Doll Owner’s Corner.  When I, the doll owner, talk about anything at all.

This month’s topic:

The Pros and Cons of Collecting Ball Jointed Dolls

Pro - Dolls are so small and easy to collect, they take up so little space.

Con - One doll takes up very little space, but if you have several (plus accessories) they will take up all shelf/closet space in you room/home.

Pro - It’s fun to make and sew things for your dolls.

Con - If you aren’t good at sewing, trying to make doll clothes can be torture.

Pro - If you can’t sew doll clothes very well, there are tons of cute options for bjds from sites like Alice’s Collections and Dollmore.

Con - All those cute doll clothes sold online come with not so cute prices.  Imagine spending as much on your doll’s clothes as your own, and that’s assuming you can find clothes that fit your doll.

Pro - It can be easy and fun to shop for doll props and furniture in toy stores and such.

Con - It’s hard to tell your friends/family that your dolls “are not toys” if you shop for doll props at toy stores.

Pro - By carefully saving up for your doll purchases, you can learn so much about handling money responsibly.

Con - You could try to be responsible with your money, or you could just as easily spend your rent money on that must-have limited edition bjd.

Pro - You can actually earn money on the side selling your own handmade doll clothes or commissioning face ups and customization.

Con - To earn money making doll stuff, you first have to learn how to sew/paint/etc. and actually get good enough to earn something from it.

Pro - Doll collecting is an interesting hobby in general, and collecting bjds is particularly unique.

Con - Interesting hobby or not, it’s hard not to feel like you’re “that weirdo who collects creepy dolls” at times.

Pro - It’s fun to go places with your dolls and there are plenty of places to take them like conventions, meet ups, museums, etc.

Con - To take your dolls anywhere you first have to decide which ones to take, plus you have to pack them carefully to prevent any sort of damage on the way.  And that’s all assuming you are comfortable taking dolls out in public at all.

Pro - By buying from doll companies from other countries, you can learn fun and fascinating things about their culture.

Con - Dealing with language barriers.

Pro - All that time spent waiting for orders to be processed and your dolls to be shipped teaches the importance of patience.

Con - Waiting.  So much waiting.  Waiting for everything! 

Pro - The joy and excitement of receiving a package in the mail.  It’s your new doll and you can’t wait to unbox it.

Con - Getting your new doll in the mail and after wrestling through all the packaging to get the darn box open, suddenly getting hit with the strong smell of new resin (gag).

And that’s just a handful of the many fun and not so fun things about collecting bjds.  Have any more you would like to add?  Leave a comment below.