I was asked a question and I don’t have an answer for them…one of my readers, Robin, told me she was accumulating quite a few doll clothes and asked me how I store my doll clothing. Well, the reason I have no answer is because I don’t have any doll clothing to store… I make all my dolly dresses but then I sell them. So I’m going to rely on all of you to give some of your best ideas to Robin and help her out.
I did find a few things on Pinterest and thought I’d share them, but feel free to add to what I have shown…The links to their posts are above the pictures.
Here’s another idea from…Thrifty NW Mom…
How about this from…Martha Stewart on Storing Toys The girls chest is at the bottom of her blog post.
This looks interesting…Doll Diaries
I like this closet from Poppets and Posies…
Well, that’s a few ideas I found…now let’s hear a few more of your ideas for Robin….
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh dear, I have SO many doll clothes, it isn’t even funny! For clothes, I do like to hang them, since they get smashed up when laying them on top of each other. What I do for most of the doll clothes, is I use those belt hangers, that have about 10 hooks on them so that I can hang 10 doll dresses on each hanger. Well, that worked for awhile, but now I have maybe two and three dresses on each hook! I have used an entire closet for that, and have 2 poles to hang my dresses on. For slacks, and other kinds of things I can’t hang, or don’t have room to hang, I use those Sterilite containers with drawers, and lay those flat. Lots of tops and blouses are in there too, along with accessories. I have shoes in those, shall I say, fishing tackle boxes, with little compartments. I usually keep hats in the original boxes they came in so they don’t get smashed.
I have Josefina and Kaya in our family room, so have Josefina’s trunk, a beautiful piece, also in there. I have all her camisa’s, skirts and accessories, plus Kaya’s accessories in the trunk. I do hang up her dresses, plus all of Kaya’s dresses with the other clothes. I try, TRY, to keep each dolls outfits together so I can find them! It’s an ongoing things, trying to keep things organized, and you have to keep it up constantly. Since I try to change their clothes at least several times a month, it helps. sometimes I forget what I have!
HI Linda,
I worked at the Food Pantry today and I’m just now getting to everyone’s comments…
It seems like you have a pretty good system working for all your things, Linda. I think we’d all like to see a picture of your closet too…if you don’t mind. As I was looking at Pinterest and now reading everyone’s comments, I’m wondering what I would do if I did collect outfits for my dolls. It’s nice having them hung so you don’t have to iron them… or DO you iron your doll things…or “allow” a few wrinkles…”just because?”
Just wondering….
Blessings, Jeanne
Here goes my 3rd try to your question! My computer is acting up and deletes things before I can send them. OK, yes, I do iron my dolls clothes, several times! Sometimes they get a bit smooshed on the hangers, so I go over them before putting them on. I cannot stand wrinkled clothes on anybody!!!
Jeanne:
Like you, I sell most of the outfits I make. My sewing room is so small that there is no room to display. I use the pretty decorated photo boxes , labeled with the doll’s name ( Effner LD, Kish, Wiggs MSD, etc). They are stackable since they are the same dimensions . Footwear is stored in either photo or divided clear plastic boxes. My guy dolls have their own boxes:) I keep the boy wigs with their clothing . My wigs are stored in 3-drawers by size/color. Hope this gives others a few ideas:)
HI Shara,
I do have a fair amount of shoes and wigs and eyes and I keep them in a chest of drawers right now… it works out pretty well when you open the drawer…you can see everything in one glance.
Thanks for telling us how you store your things, Shara…
Blessings, Jeanne
The only thing I have semi organized are dolly shoes. Clear plastic cases with dividers. From Joann’s. They stack and you can see inside without opening.
HI Joy,
If I ever get my dream sewing cutting table/cabinet, I might move my doll shoes to those plastic cases and leave the drawers for something better. I can really see how the shoes would work well in those cases… Thanks!
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks for sharing those cool ideas for clothing and accessories! I am a stickler for organization and I love the ideas in the last picture. I have two large closets that are similar to that last closet. My problem is I still can’t get away from the AMG boxes. They are neatly stacked on a shelf according to the doll they belong to. I do like the matching boxes stacked up in that last closet and the hangers!!! Wonder where she got those hangers? I don’t have rods but do hang my outfits on the edge of the wire shelves but I’m not thrilled with that arrangement. It is a constant thing to want to improve and organize my two wonderful closets. Some outfits I do keep in plastic ziplock bags, especially if that outfit has lots of accessories. It’s a good way to keep the whole outfit intact. I will sometimes keep the name of the outfit in the bag or other pertinent info that might come with the outfit. I also write notes and place it in the outfit’s box if I take a pair of shoes or other item out of box, so that at some point, the accessories aren’t homeless or I don’t forget where an item came from.
I am STILL organizing my doll room and it is mainly because I want the right type of furniture or storage and I want it to make sense to my room and what I’m trying to accomplish.
This is the third try in writing this email. It continually disappears. It’s my computer though and not yours, Jeanne. As I sit here looking out the front window, I have visions of throwing this computer on the large rock in our front landscaping. Whoo Whoo!!
Thanks for all your ideas, Paula,
It sounds like you are another one who is pretty well organized and knows where you are going with how you want your things to look. I’m ALWAYS tweaking things in my sewing room and I bet if I had clothes in the mix, I’d be doing it all the time too!
Maybe you can find the hangers on Ebay… or google American Girl hangers or 18″ doll hangers…something might come up…
I did find out the disappearing comments has something to do with the main set up of my blog. I was told I could “deactivate” it and then “activate” it again… but I’m just a little too chicken to try that right now. My webmaster, Sarah, is coming home from Kenya in less than 2 weeks and I’ll have her help me with it. I’m so sorry this is happening…it’s just one of those silly computer glitches I guess.
I’m going to try and see if Sarah can’t help me add a store to my website too… I’ve checked into it, but again, feel too overwhelmed to make that decision on my own…
Thanks for all your ideas, Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
First about losing an email when you’ve written a lot: Before hitting any other key, click Control and then Z and see if the whole thing reappears. It’s a Restore function.
I have a couple of trunks and a Chinese brush holder that works with the hangers. It is like a small separate standing closet pole but very decorative. I’ll send a picture to Jeanne and maybe she can describe it better. I also use the frosted boxes from Joanne Fabrics that I got at a 50% off sale after Christmas for shoes. Love the huge closets! After I clean out my own clothes, I may try that in one of my own closets. That’s incentive to get it done.
HI Susette,
Thanks for the tip about losing an email and then hitting the Control and the Z key… Do you hold the Control down and the Z down at the same time? I’m definitely going to give this a try.
I’ll try and see if I can’t add your picture here… let me try…
Susette’s idea…
I hope this works….
Blessings, Jeanne
Well these are all great comments, and I will try and get organized!!!! I keep my dolls at my office, since that is where I seem to be most of the time. Thanks so much!!!
Robin
HI Robin,
Well, I hope you got a few ideas from everyone and can make something happen in your closets or chests, or under your bed, or where ever you store your things.
Thanks for asking,
Blessings, Jeanne
I store mine in trunks. I don’t have room to have nice racks to hang stuff on…in my dreams I have a huge master room turned into a dollroom/sewing room…but it must remain in my dreams unless hubby hits the lottery. LOL! but the doll clothes fair pretty well in the trunks so I have no complaints.
HI Ellen,
It seems we are all looking for the perfect set up …so whether it’s in trunks or closets or tubs, or under the beds, or in zip lock bags in boxes… we all find ways to make things work…
Thanks for your comments,
Blessings, Jeanne
A little late to comment today, but here goes. I stared out a little differently from some I think in that I inherited a mixture of items from my daughter when she downsized before college and I wouldn’t let those lovely outfits go. I would have loved a doll collection like that as a child and here was my opportunity. I received her PC German Samantha and a collection of Samantha’s, Kirsten’s, Felicity’s, Addy’s, Josefina’s and Kit’s items. I would get my own PC West German Felicity and would chose Nellie, Caroline and Marie-Grace as my five dolls.
I store my entire collection minus the two furniture pieces in three under the bed rolling boxes. One is for Felicity, one is for Samantha and Nellie and the remaining box holds the Kirsten, Addy, Josefina and Kit items. I have the boxes completely lined in acid free tissue paper and stack the doll clothes ( yes, I have ironed a few things, but they stay nice even when used) on one side ( I only have 8-10 outfits for Samantha and Felicity) with tissue between each one. Next come the shoes, socks and hats and than the little accessories in small boxes or groups in story order across the rest of the box.
I cover the whole top with another layer of acid free tissue before putting on the lids. I have a copy of the parts of each dolls collection I have with pictures and description that I got off of AGPT on top of the tissue so I know what goes to each set were I to forget. i would love to have trunks, but find this system works best to have things out of the way, but still easily accessible for changing clothes and setting up displays.
HI Laura,
I like the idea of things being easily pulled out but stored under your bed… You sound as if you know exactly what is where and they must be perfectly safe in all that acid free tissue paper. I like your ideas…
Blessings, Jeanne
I love the wooden coat hangers in the last picture. I also think having a picture and description of each outfit, as Laura does, is a genius idea. Winning the lottery and having a master bedroom that includes doll storage is a great idea. I think we should all do this right away. If you think I’m being sarcastic, think again. Wouldn’t it be lovely?
Susette’s control Z is a fantastic idea. I’d rather not lose something, but if I do, I won’t feel bad because it will give me the chance to try control Z.
HI Marilyn,
I was thinking the same thing about the Control Z thing. I usually comment on a blog that I love first thing when I wake up and it seems like every time I go to post my comment I lose it. I’m definitely going to try it the next time it happens.
I think we’d all agree if we had a nice big room full of closets and trunks and hangers we would be thrilled. There would be lots of happy ladies if we could snap our fingers and make it happen… Oh well, we’ll just have to keep working with what we’ve got! :o)
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m enjoying reading about everyone’s ideas, and thanks to Susette for the control + Z idea–I knew it could restore small bits of text that disappear at times, but hadn’t thought about it for an entire message that vanished! When I was using “classic netzero”, I used to lose complete messages, as it didn’t have automatic save-to-draft like yahoo does.
Okay, storage….I found a nifty box at Hobby Lobby a while back–the hinged lid opens to reveal a lift-out tray, plus there are two small compartments built into the lid! These small compartments hold some of the shoes, and the lift-out tray holds the rest plus accessories for my two LeeAnn dolls, and the clothes fit into the bottom section. I have a few other outfits in a zippered cloth bag I made–I should probably see if they will fit in the box, too.
Little Darlings things are in several places–the boxes with the girls, the little plastic boxes with drawers (lots of shoes in one drawer….), and a photo-box/wardrobe that one of the gals made so beautifully for me during the first swap I participated in (yahoo group).
American Girl things I try to keep separated for each girl. I have to admit to bags of clothes for Molly and AbbyRose–they have So. Many. Clothes.!! and plastic boxes for shoes/accessories. I also have Molly’s trunk, and have a few things in there. I have Kirstens bed/trunk and use that for her and the few clothes I have for her. Felicity doesn’t have much, and I need to have her joints tightened, so right now she’s in her box. April Eleanore, my most recent AG, doesn’t have a Lot of things yet, so I don’t really have any particular storage for her.
I have lots of real baby clothes, many of them vintage, that I have collected for my babies (Lee Middleton, Lloyd Middleton, one Annette Himstedt, and one Zook), and those are mostly in a large suitcase that I don’t use for travel any more. I need to weed out some, I think, as I don’t get the babies out very often any more.
For my first Barbie, which I got in 1960, when I was 14, I made her a wardrobe out of a shoebox–taped the lid down, then cut “doors”, which are hinged, and have pipe-cleaner handles. I rigged a shelf (cardboard, with cardboard brackets) above the closet rod (made from twisted pipe cleaners–didn’t know about dowels in 1961!), and also taped two cardboard pill boxes (yes, prescription meds used to come in little boxes that slid out like matchboxes!) together to form drawers to store shoes! I still have all of this, And the doll!!
Wow, I did ramble on….but I do have a lot of different kinds of dolls (and these aren’t the only ones), and it seems I store clothes differently for each kind!