Its the start of a new year, which means its time to review everything in your life--including your doll collection. Here are my New Year Resolutions that every doll collector should make.
1. Organize Your Collection
I’m sure that every doll collector tries to keep organized, but it’s easy to let things get out of hand when you get busy or distracted. There is nothing worse than a disorganized jumble of dolls in the doll cabinet, or incomplete doll records. You’ll enjoy your doll collection more if it is well organized. You’ll find great tips for organizing your doll collection in
Organizing Your Doll Collection2. Redo Your Collection Displays
Many doll collectors have haphazard doll displays. Others have more dolls to display than they have room for, and could easily rotate their displays. In any event, the New Year is the perfect time to take a look at you doll displays. Find out how to display your dolls beautifully in
Displaying Your Dolls.
3. Attend Some New Doll Events
Many doll collectors find doll shows and events that they like, and so they attend them…year after year after year. There is nothing wrong with enjoying tried and true doll shows and events, but 2007 can be the year to expand your doll event horizons. You might try to attend one of
Four Doll Events that will take place early in 2007 as a start.
4. Make Sure Your Doll Collection Is Properly Insured
It’s hard to think that disaster may befall you or your dolls, but it does happen. Fire. Earthquake. Flood. Theft. Don’t let the new year catch you unawares—make sure that your doll collection is properly
valued and insured.
5. Branch Out Into Some New Areas of Collecting
No one is telling you that you have to start collecting Antique Baby Dolls if you collect very modern Ball-Jointed Japanese Fashion dolls. Or vice versa. However, it never does hurt to look a bit beyond your horizons in collecting. There is a huge world of dolls out there, and if you’re collecting in a very narrow area (say, two-headed troll dolls from the 1960s only) you might want to broaden your horizons in 2007.
6. Decrease the Clutter in Your Doll Collection
Some of us simply have too many dolls. If you have too many dolls, then its really hard to enjoy the dolls you have. So, in the New Year, its time to de-clutter your collection. Doing a
Collection Review can help you separate out the dolls you still love from those that need to find new homes.
7. Have More Fun With Your Doll Collection
Finally, in 2007 you should resolve to have more fun with your doll collection! Sad but true, many doll collectors get so focused on collecting their dolls that they forget how to have fun with them. Use my
Organizing Your Playing With Tonner Dolls article as an inspiration. And, if you’re still unsure how to start, then also visit my
Photo Gallery on how to play with dolls.
8. Prepare Your Doll Collection For Disaster
Insurance is a must, but why get to a place where you need insurance if you can avoid it? Think about your doll collection vis a vis the types of disasters which occur in your area and take preventative measures now that can help you avoid a real doll disaster. For instance, in my rural area, if the power goes out, it can go out for days. Very low or very high temperatures can be very distructive for antique dolls...causing cracking of composition and papier mache dolls, possible melting of wax dolls, and more. We have a portable generator and portable heating/air condition units ready for such an event. In your area, you might be susceptible to flooding, earthquakres, hurricanes or tornadoes. Be prepared!
