So I started a "little" project.
Out of the big pink bin came ALL. THE. CLOTHES.
I had the clothes sorted by pants/capris, short dresses, long dresses, tops, jackets, Disney Princess, etc. But I needed a much better organization method. I knew I had lots of pieces from Fashion Packs/Closets over the years but how would I know now (or in the future) what pieces go with what pack?
I tend to have a pretty photographic memory when it comes to doll clothing. I can see a picture on the net and could tell you if I have it or not.
So I devised this method
For example, in this fashion pack, I only have the striped pants on the right. But if I happen to get other pieces from this set, I can see at a glance what is included in this collection. Just slide the new piece in the bag and we're all good to go!
I had seen other organization methods like putting the clothes in binders (in the pages with pockets) but that didn't really appeal to me. If it works for you, awesome! But I think with dolly organization, we have to do what works best for each individual. Because we ALL have a TON OF DOLLY STUFF. Am I right? :)
For now, these bags are in this tub. They are all mixed together but I will soon separate them by Barbie, Ken, Disney Princess, etc. And then by year.
It has been a couple of days researching clothing and their corresponding year to find out which pieces go where. I still have a lot to go but I've done so much already.
But can I just say one thing? I did not realize that I had so many Fashion Fever pieces. I now have a great appreciation for that line. Can Mattel bring back the Fashion Fever? So many cool outfits that are just beautiful and modern and so so awesome. I'm loving all of the dolls and fashions from that line!
I also had a falling out with dolls (age 16-mid twenties) so there were some doll lines that I had never heard of in my life. Pom Pom Divas? Candy Glam? Yep. Now I know they are there.
Going though all of the clothes has also given me a chance to clean some of the more dirty ones with a thorough soak in Oxy Clean! Man, it is the miracle cleaner for doll clothes. Except this one.
OH, I hate red! The sweater was so dingy and I didn't even think twice. And then part of the 'E' fell off. ugh. This is the shirt from Disney High School Musical School Spirit Gabriella doll. If you have her outfit, don't wash it! Find a different way to clean it. The red is attached to the sweater so there is no way to separate them. Luckily I saw the bleeding before I transferred to other items in the soak but this outfit is a lost cause unfortunately.
And I know I have a lot of the shoes that go with the fashion packs but I'm not adding those to the bags. They will all stay nice and tucked away in the tackle boxes that I have. I HIGHLY recommend this method for shoes!
I have two of these for Barbie Shoes, two for accessories and one for Ken shoes.
If I have the exact doll itself for a fashion, it will be dressed in that specifically. But if a generic doll is wearing a random fashion, then I'll undress it and put the clothes in a bag. Then I'll work on cataloguing the original dolls wearing original fashions.
So friends, what organization methods do you have for your clothing? Let me know in the comments!
Another super special doll coming up soon! Until then!
6 comments:
Currently I am trying the plastic binders. The things I don't like about them are:
1. Even tank top shirts don't want to stay in the trading card size pockets. However, I don't want to put everything in bigger pockets because
2. I already have two binders stuffed full, and they are pretty fat with all the clothes in them, so they take up a lot of space.
Personally, I don't want to put my clothes in plastic bags or boxes where they can't "breathe." Maybe that doesn't matter? If I was going to do boxes, I also wanted to have relatively small ones, so I could have all the skirts in one box, all the shirts in another. It seems I haven't found the perfect solution for me.
I do store my shoes and purses in the same type of container that you use. That seems to be a doll collector staple, so I guess it must work. :)
Hi Barb!
I also thought about the breathability issue. I also don't want the plastic to deteriorate the clothes but I think I would be long gone by the time that starts to happen, lol.
I think the binder idea is super cute for someone who has just a few pieces to switch out or for a kid who plays with them. I also was worried about the space issue and how fat they would be.
I think everyone has the same method for the shoe/purse storage! It's such a great idea!
Before you ditch that 'lost cause' you could try dyeing it a darker color, or tie-dyeing it. It already has sort of a tie-dye look now, and if it doesn't work out it was already wrecked anyway. It's something to consider. Just be sure to use plenty of fixative.
Signed, Treesa
I have them in bags which are in totes. Your one tote is well organized and nice. I am finding of lot of mine are home made from original Barbie designs. I wish I knew who Janet L. Lein was. She did fabulous work and I have 2 of her sets. Maybe more but 2 are marked with her tag.
I am still thinking on best organization. As to matching things up, not even close!
Hugs honey.
M
Hi Treesa! Yeah, I might try that. Maybe I'll just let it sit in the soak and it will turn out ALL red. LOL But that's a good idea. Not going to put it on a doll just yet but when I do I'll be sure to make it look presentable.
Hi Mel! Matching things up and identifying are the bane of my existence! I've found a lot of clothes but when you have to factor in that they might be Barbie, or Liv, or MyScene, or S.I.S., or ????? That's a LOT of doll lines to look at! I've got a ways to go and I just have to be good with the fact that there will be some pieces that I will not be able to identify. Just have to be good with that Genuine Barbie B tag. :) I have a TON of OOAK fashions. I'm going to go through them and sort good from bad. Because there are some really nice doll seamstresses out there!
Hugs!
Great poost
Post a Comment