A Guide To (Barbie) Doll Collecting! 📖✨

Barbie, Rainbow High, LOL Surprise, Licca, BJD, Sindy, Integrity Toys or Pullip... It doesn't matter what kind of doll you collect, if you love dolls, then THIS video is for YOU! 💖

Hello fellow Doll / Toy Lovers and Collectors!

Today I wanna take you through a doll collecting guide with tips and tricks on how to collect. Don't hesitate to comment down below if you missed any good tips! And from one doll collector to another: GIRL, sit down because we have some collecting to discuss! ☕🧸🤍

Hope you enjoy this video and please consider supporting my channel and subscribe to my channel!

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📚✨ -- CHAPTERS -- ✨📚
00:00 Intro
02:40 Today's Topics
05:07 Why Do We Collect?
14:32 How To Start / Terminology
18:58 Where to Find Vintage Dolls & Pricing
23:42 Storage
27:05 Have Fun & Share te Love!

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#barbie #dolls #toys

[crappycraftingwithdaniel]

This video came out at just the right time for me. At 55 I have decided I want to collect Barbie as I couldn't as a kid. I remember when I was 9 my Dad let me buy a toy and I picked out the 1977 Super Star Barbie( I just l found out this what she was called). He tried to talk me out of it, but I got it. I remember the shame he felt in buying that for me and it caused me to give it to a little girl I was friends with. So I have decided to find me a Super Star Barbie to start my collection. Thank you for the info and this video!

[sharonkaysnowton]

Hi, Arjen- I love to collect Barbie dolls, but I always limit myself to only 100 (for many reasons). Storing the dolls, cleaning the dust from the dolls hair, and keeping the dolls looking clean and new is very important to me. I have been collecting 40+ years. I also like to build my own Barbie houses, but I limit myself to only 15 houses due to storage in my "Barbie room". I enjoy watching your show and My Froggy Stuff. "Playing" with my Barbies and Kens by dressing them and building them a new house is very comforting to me. I have friends who collect Barbies. We are all in the 70 year old age group. We are happy women who enjoy our Barbies. I enjoy all your videos, my friend. Be blessed.

[carolmorris]

I chose to resume a small, limited collection of dolls because I am alone and disabled and wanted to have some beauty to add to my environment. I decided to be discriminating. It’s difficult to do but makes me feel more in control of the collection. Yes, my world is not safe and is often chaotic because of my health issues. When I sit down with a doll to restyle her/his hair or change the clothing, I feel useful and at peace. I can see how your dolls enhance your life in a positive way. You choose what makes you feel pleased and don’t just add a doll without consideration. This was a wonderful and informative video. Thank you for being so open and honest with us. So pleased to be a part of the doll collecting community with you! 👍🏻💖🌹💖👍🏻

[toykeyper]

You make some really good observations and identify some great pointers! I was a raging alcoholic for over a decade. I started collecting after I quit drinking, It really helped feel the void left without booze. It brought me a lot of comfort, my first time opening a doll from my childhood that I bought of Ebay I got the most joyous nostagic feeling. I do try not to let my collecting get out of control (addictive personality) but it is hard when there is so many beautiful dolls out there.

[janetsplanet]

Hello from Connecticut, USA I am 53 years old and recently have begun recollecting The Barbies I played with and cherished as a lil kid. The time period that I played and hung out with Barbie and all her pals was from the late 70s through the early 80s. I have a particular fondness for the superstar era 💖. The only rule I have for recollecting as an adult is that they MUST be out of the box I want to get my hands on them and really experience the joy of them to the fullest. In the 90s I started collecting only the NRFB Barbies and not only did I run out of room but I got bored. Now, enjoying the dolls on the stands in my room is my jam! I totally agree with you on the “safe familiar space” that these dolls bring. When life gets hard it’s a place where I can go and “forget” for awhile. Before I go, have you ever heard of the naturalista line? It’s a black owned brand that makes the most gorgeous dolls with the most beautiful realistic hair. They are so lovely! 🌹

[Rachael]

Your videos bring such joy to this often scary and unsure world around us. Whatever you are talking about you are always so happy and friendly and a ray of sunshine. Thank you for another lovely video and yes I totally relate to all you said about the reasons behind toy collecting. 🥰

[trishthedish]

I enjoyed this video very much! I used to feel weird telling people about my collection of dolls. I guess it was fear of being judged. I often wish I had a good friend who shares my passion for dolls. Sadly, I do not. I love to watch doll hunting videos and videos about dolls. I collect Barbies, Monster High, Mermaid dolls, reborn baby dolls and Rainbow High. Basically, I collect dolls that I fall in love with! I often wonder about the “why” and what in my brain has made me love dolls so much. Especially when so many people say that dolls are “creepy”. I do not think that! I love to dress them up, play with their hair and take photos of them. Thank you so much for helping me to see that it’s OK to love my dolls! Who cares what other people think! If it helps me to be happy and “cope” with everything in life! I still wish I had a “dolly loving bestie” though!

[End_Orca_Captivity]

Dear Arjen, you are a joy and most definitely pulled at my heart strings with this one! The whole 'hunt' thing, really was a 'Eureka' moment - many times, I would get a much loved doll home and within minutes, be looking for that next one! Well, as they say, humans are a 'collector' species, so we are just aligning with our natural inclination! 😉
My journey into doll collecting as an adult started in 2008 (I'm now 49), and had not had a doll since my mum, without meaning to, embarrassed me at 13 into not collecting dolls anymore. I had saved my pocket money to buy Jem from Jem and the Holograms, and she basically just said rhetorically one day, 'Aren't you too old to be playing with dolls'. I still remember that sense of humiliation - the dolls went away soon after that. Skip to 2008, I was looking for puppets like in the film 'Being John Malkovich', and came across a Dollshe Saint doll instead - that was my very first introduction to bjd's and the rest is history! BJD's, Pullip, Blythe, Ever After High, Monster High, Barbie, Sindy, so many have come and gone, but never forgotten!

I never used to like seeing dolls in boxes, (the poor dolls were suffocating!), but now I can see them as no different to 3D pieces of wall art, if you will and that's great - perspectives are not absolutes and can morph and shift all the time!^^ I'm hoping to collect some vintage Barbies too, which reminds me, somewhat painfully, that me, my sister and cousins were gifted some actual Barbie's from the 60's by my aunts when we were kids, but of course we didn't appreciate them, we just thought they were 'old dolls', (like duh) 😋 So basically, they were destroyed. I was watching Trixie Mattel today, and it made me think of how much dolls are like social-diarists for the times in plastic. lol If I see a 'Pink & Pretty Barbie (1981), my heart skips a beat as I had her as a child - I just remember how special and luxurious I thought her outfit was. Peaches & Cream Barbie was/is much coveted by me also for that nostalgia hit.
.
Even though we are lone in our doll collecting, Arjen, I hope you know you are not alone in doll collecting (if that makes sense). We see you, we are here for you. I've said it before, but thank you for doing what you do here on YouTube - dolls are so incredibly therapeutic and even just watching content like yours, makes the day seem a little brighter.
Best wishes and big hugs! xx P.S. Sorry for the thesis! 😅🥰💛

[cammiedoherty]

Arjen, you covered all of the bases in this video. Being a Barbie Collector for over 50 plus years, I am truly running out of space. I used to have a Barbie Room, but since I have downsized where I live, I now only have my large 1 bedroom which has turned into a Barbie Museum. I have wall to wall shelving, NRFB Barbies everywhere, my loose Barbies from when I was a child, and my daughters from when she was a child. I had a Birthday and received another 6 Barbies, 2 Barbie coloring books, a box of pastels, 3 surprise open packs of Tattoos of Barbie Stamps, and so much more. I am truly blessed. Thank you for doing this video and mentioning scalpers. I feel they take away the Barbies from us instead of doing good for us. Thank you so very much for this wonderful insight into collecting!

[tinadrew]

Loved this video! Having to deal with an aging parent who is in hospital and a teenage daughter who is on the autism spectrum, I can totally relate to wanting a safe space with my dolls. They bring me so much comfort when I am going through difficult times.

[Toywithme]

As a doll collector myself I find most collectors fall into certain categories. For example I find that people who collect mostly THRIFTED dolls are usually attracted to the artistic and creative side of doll collecting. Restoring the dolls has a calming effect and releaves anxiety. People that collect mostly VINTAGE, especially dolls from their childhood, are usually seeking the security and comfort of a simpler happier time in their life. Those who collect to COMPLETION, who need to have every doll of every series ....are usually resellers, in it for financial and monetary reasons, than actual love of the dolls. And then you have those people who collect in EXCESS. Who just buy and buy, and buy, until their whole house is filled. These people are usually doing it out of loneliness. The huge excess acts almost like a filler of the empty emotional space around them. And of course, these categories can overlap. I myself, collect new dolls, vintage dolls, and do some thrifting. Whatever you collect, as long as it comforts you or fills you with happiness, that's all that matters.🧡 Great topic Arjan!

[MandVersusNature]

I’m so sorry you were bullied. Me too. I mostly used books and imaginative play outside at the time, but I find I’m very comforted by dolls and toys now as an adult.

I feel so happy to have grabbed Pet Pal Courtney again, which is the one I really remembered from childhood. My cousin and I are obsessed with the Descendants movies so we’ve been collecting those Hasbro dolls and outfits together too. She just bought me my first Ken, the gorgeous BMR1959 with the makeup and green hair and I’m obsessed with him.

Haven’t been able to move much between some health things and dressing dolls is a very nice self-soothing thing to do that doesn’t require me to lift anything heavy or to walk much.

[bradsherwood]

Thank you for sharing your way of collecting. Doll collecting is such an individual hobby. Everybody does it in their own way. But I do think one important thing to keep in mind is that collecting should be fun and one should not go into debt for collecting. It is a money losing hobby. Collect only what you love and what "sparks joy. " I get asked many times by friends how much is my collection is "worth" and how much I expect on my "investment" and why I "destroy" my dolls by taking them out of the box . I tell them I collect for joy and that I don't think of it as an investment. It is an expenditure. It is like having a nice meal out at a restaurant. I enjoyed the meal and that is it. When I get a doll and I dressed it or style it to my liking, it makes me happy. I don't want to look at a doll in the box and hope that it will worth something one day. If someone wants to invest for the future, dolls are not it. Life is too short, if one wants to play with a doll out of the box, then do it. By keeping it in the box may not increase its value and they end up missing out on the fun of playing with the dolls.

[TheWitchfAgnesi]

Loved this video and the licca doll shout out! Magic circle to ward off chaos really hit home for me, too. I started collecting during the chaos following the 2016 US election and it really comforted me during the pandemic and when I lost my grandmother to covid.

I love connecting with the lovely people of the doll community by watching videos like yours and posting on social media. It feels like we’re all friends. ❤

[bethschreiber]

Barbie was my first dolly love. I've been collecting her off and on since I was a kid and I so wish I still had some of my early dolls. Someday I will replace some of them. I started collecting her again when my girls grew up and moved out. I love the Asian dolls because they look like my girls. Now I collect Barbie(of course), Rainbow/Shadow High, Monster High, and some OMG. I have to be mindful of how much I collect because of both budget (I'm a teacher 😂) and space (I have to have my collection in my bedroom because I live with other people. Fortunately my room is decent sized). I go for the lines (Barbie Extra and Looks for Barbie) and specific dolls that I really love and don't try to get every single doll from every doll line. I get why some people are completionists but it just isn't practical for me. And Arjen, thank you for being part of my safe space for collecting. My family isn't negative about it but, other than my youngest daughter, they don't really get it either. I do consider you my doll collecting friend and I just think you are so fun! ❤ ya! (Sorry for the rambling 😂)

[susanmcdowell]

Very nice video for people interested in collecting. As someone who is nearing 60 and has had Barbie’s for most of my life, I just collect what I like. Unfortunately for my wallet, I have liked a lot lately: the movie Barbie’s, Monster High 3G, Rainbow High. Goodness, there are so many dolls to collect. I have never really had a space. But since my children are grown and I’m a grandma now, We are turning in one of the spare bedrooms into a doll room. I don’t have anyone in my life that really shares doll collecting either. Finding a community on Instagram and You Tube has been great. My grand daughter and I have even started our own You Tube channel!

[Tute_Sweet]

Oh wow! The Conceptual Circle of Magic to ward of chaos really hit home for me! I've never really thought about it before, but the way I "play" with dolls (mostly redressing, restyling or restoring) is very meditative for me. I don't watch TV or use social media or even listen to the radio when I do it, it's one of the few times I completely allow myself to cocoon in my own little world and outside worries are shut out.
I've genuinely never thought about that before.
Thank you for another very insightful video!
(Also I'm still not over how perfectly you always match your eyes with your outfits. Set phasors to stun.)

[nuttybarbiegirl]

Here we go...this is going to be a long one, lol. I loved this video! All of it, good job! I remember binge watching your vidoes to 3 in the morning almost 2 years ago and then sharing a picture of my childhood barbies with you all layed out on my kitchen counter. A week after that I started on this insane journey of barbie collecting. I have learned from my mistakes along the way. I've paid way to much money for dolls I thought were "rare" and turns out they were not. I've come to realize waiting and being patient is key to getting those hard to find dolls. I normally purchase naked barbies to save money and slowly piece together their outfits as I go.
I have over 600 dolls now and storing them has become a challenge! I buy the large Rubbermaid containers that can be stored under my bed. They work great! Every month I rotate dolls I have on display so every girlie can have their time to shine.
I guess the only advice I'd share is just wait. You see a doll you want so bad but it's super expensive, just wait! It will resurface again I swear! You want to enjoy collecting without putting yourself or your family into debt! Happy hunting folks!

[missboozehound]

Thank you! More love to you dear. I have my own personal story and thank you for sharing your story. ❤ one piece of advice I can provide is to catalog your collection. It helps tremendously to so you know what, where, who and why. Keep your proof of purchase in the event of an unexpected event. Storage rooms that are climate controlled are best especially if you are traveling. Collect what you love 💗 Take care of yourself and your dolls.

[ellijott]

I never ask myself why I collect..there are a lot of reasons. But I never found one answer if I ask "why not". Why not sharing my life with things, that I am in love with. Great video. Thank you, Arjen!🌹