Saturday, May 16, 2009

Pardon The Dust


Well, it looks like almost everything made it during the move. There were a few casualties but I'm okay with it. It's just stuff. We've deemed an extra bedroom as a library. This room is going to be books and dollhouses...and probably other toys which this family has too many. When guests come to stay, they always end up sleeping in "miniatureville". No one ever complains though. Some even like the Kaleidoscope House nightlight. Chuckles.

I finally got to put together one of my Green Dollhouses by Plan Toys. I love that new dollhouse smell. Ha ha! The rooms are small in the structure and so I plan to link two together to make one large home to decorate. I also plan to set them up as two separate structures so that it looks like a planned development or green home community.

I have recently acquired more miniatures and I am really hoping to get some time soon to set up some scenes. However, I need to crack open the boxes of all the packed away dollhouse inventory and put them in their proper places so that I can work...or do I mean 'play'?

I get a lot of emails asking about how I organize my miniatures and the short answer is "not very well." The IKEA Varde unit is my friend and I always have to have another closet to stack totes of all the dollhouse stuff that I don't utilize as often or contain pieces that I simply collect. Here is a sample of some of the stuff that needs to go in the Varde unit.
I used to keep an inventory list with prices and dates indicating when items were acquired but now I just pack like items in with each other. There's a few totes full of Bodo Hennig; some with Kaleidoscope House items; some with PRD; etc., etc. Here is the sea of totes among everything else that needs to be organized. These totes hold some items that I put in the Varde, but mostly they all get stacked in the closet and shuffled through periodically.
I keep small items like decorations, art, food, figures and other accessories in rolling carts that I tuck in corners or in a closet that I've laid claim to. I also keep the mini figures that I collect in totes. Here's one cart full of the figures I use most often for this blog sans the Goose Grease peg dolls which have their own storage case.
I hope to someday hire a carpenter to build custom cabinetry that extends around the room. That way I could put houses on the top of the built-in and store miniature items in pull out drawers underneath--then everything would be in its place. Honestly, I could use that right now--that whole "everything in its place" scenario. I better return to unpacking. Sigh.

30 comments:

  1. So I always kinda figured your collection was must be big but it's HUGE! I'm pretty sure that's what heaven looks like : )

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  2. It's actually not that big. Don't laugh at me but I think it just looks large. Do I sound like a dollhouse Dirk Diggler?? And these days, the stuff looks more like Hell to me. Putting it away...well, it just sucks. Ha ha!

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  3. Nice to hear from you again! We all have missed your posts!
    Thnak you for great mini organizing tips! It isn't until recently I have bought more things than what can fit into my houses, and I also keep loads of nicks and nacks which maybe can be turned into something useful, so I'm trying to figure out a system that can work in my limited storage space.

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  4. Welcome back! Glad to hear your move went well, and thanks for sharing your storage strategies. I envy your library/dollhouse room. My dollhouses have invaded our living spaces and I really have no other place to put them. Not that this will prevent me from acquiring more houses:)

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  5. Wooow. This is impressive.

    Storage is an issue I'm constantly trying to figure out.

    also - that "party" ebay listing. Hahahahaha! I almost spit out some diet coke when the link opened.

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  6. Hi Pubdoll!
    I wish I was better organized and could give some real tips. I did forget to mention that I have a basket that I use to switch inventory out of houses for a new scene. It always looks like a mess. I pour everything in it and then take the basket to the roll out carts and Varde to file away again. And...sometimes that basket sits for weeks. Ha!

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  7. Hola Callsmall!
    I've been enjoying your blog btw.

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  8. Ha ha! Yeah Altera,

    I wish ebay had a post hall of fame (shame?) because that one is CRAZY.

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  9. Hi Mini Modern,
    Glad your move went OK with not too many breakages. Goodness you're organised with your miniatures! I have stuff in boxes, either just as they came, or with other stuff from around the same time. I sometimes forget what I have - I've been thinking I should sort them so if I want kitchen or bedroom stuff, etc, I know where to look!
    You should have seen that German roombox when it was first listed, on German ebay. It was listed as an "erotic" dolls house, but was in fact an orgy - photobucket even deleted some of the images!!! The room itself if pretty ordinary - you just get a lot of naked dolls.
    I've been meaning to thank you for listing interesting ebay auctions. Some of them I've noticed myself, but not all of them - and I've bid on some of the ones you've listed!

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  10. First thank you for showing this all, very interesting. I love the ocean drive very much. when I startet to collect in January I couldn't imagine that it is not only the challenge to get all this mini-stuff but also to find places for them. I need a carpenter too.
    Good luck for your work and play.
    Oese

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  11. Hello -- and welcome back! Hope the move went smoothly for you and the family!

    Started reading your blog about a month ago (stumbled across it by accident). Thanks to you (and the awesome pics), started resurrecting my miniature hobby. Good thing the bf has been supportive of this "habit" -- I've caught him a few times now arranging the furniture!

    I second callsmall's comment about the space issue. Running out of space (hence lucky you to have a dedicated room), but that's not stopping me for getting house #4 or 5....

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  12. Hi Rebecca,

    Re: German dollhouse--Really? That's too funny and weird.
    I'm glad you dig the ebay listings. I've been thinking about deleting that feature so I guess I'll keep it a little while longer.

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  13. Hallo and Guten Tag, Oese!

    I've been enjoying your Flickr photos. I like seeing what other hobbyists are doing.

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  14. Uh oh, Chibipulse,

    I'm a terrible influence. I sincerely hope you can find the help you need and don't end up in the same mental ward I'm living in. Best wishes for a smooth and quick recovery--ha ha!

    Welcome to Crazy Town!
    Population: Growing...

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  15. Eh, no worries. It's an expensive habit yes, but I think alot can think of more bizarre/expensive habits. Besides, where else can I say I bought a Le Corbusier and only subject to eating ramen for a few weeks?

    Hope you keep the eBay listing -- like Rebecca, been watching a bunch of them and planning my bidding attack!

    P.S. Hope you don't mind that I added your blog (along with others) on my blog...

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  16. It is so nice to have you back. How do you find these items on eBay..or have the time to find them? Which dollhouse is this, I love it but cannot find the right Plan dollhouse.

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  17. Trying to stay organized is a bit of problem with me also. We haven't been able to actually use our garage for a car....ever! My husband doesn't seem to mind. I think he has resigned himself to the fact it is my play area. And, sure, I could use a carpenter. "Carter" from HGTV comes to mind. hee hee hee I'm so bad. Glad you are back! Melissa

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  18. Hi Mini2b!
    I usually do a quick search at lunch or while I'm cooking dinner for my family or after the "tuck-in" a.k.a bedtime routine.
    The first picture is the Ocean Drive dollhouse. The Plan Toys dollhouse that I put together is called the Green Dollhouse. I'll put pictures up after I put at least one room together.

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  19. Hi Melissa,
    I'm actually at a stage where I am throwing everything out or donating it. When you move, you realize how much extra unnecessary SHIT you have. It feels wonderful to see it packed up and taken away. I stand and wave with tears of joy. Ha ha!

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  20. Glad you have returned or are returning. I notice that your blog has influenced several miniature bloggers and others. Nearly everyone is copying you - even down to their poor attempt to have interesting post titles. Sincerely hope to see some of your ORIGINAL room designs soon.

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  21. Thanks Anonymous for your compliments.
    I do keep hearing this "copying" thing via emails from folks around the globe, but I honestly do not feel like anyone is copying me. And if someone were, it would never bother me. I think the old saying has the term or concept of "flattery" in there somewhere. The larger pool of hobbyists expressing their interest in modern miniatures is actually to my gain. More interest and more demand might actually produce more modern miniatures on the market. Anyway, I hope to set up some scenes this weekend. No guarantees though.

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  22. Oh! and my post titles are also poor attempts to be interesting.

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  23. I hope you are getting settled into your new house well! That is one GIANT collection! I don't know how you have enough room to store it all!

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  24. I like your response to the anonymous commenter who mentioned copying or whatever. Are you really that nice of a person in real life? Either way, I'm a fan.

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  25. Hello Tu!
    I'm an awful ogre in person. I live under a bridge with my dollhouse collection. I'm not as cool as the Happy Old Troll from Dora The Explorer, but I'm slightly more hip than the Gap Troll.

    :)

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  26. [laughs at the Troll comment] That was pricelss Modern MC! Thank you for giving my weekend a good start!

    Thank goodness for the Memorial Day holiday -- three days of relaxing, sleeping in, and constructing a dollhouse. Hope bf doesn't mind the sawdust, glue, and constant cursing. :P

    Hope you enjoy the weekend (and hopefully awesome weather)! Cheers!

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  27. Hi Modern MC,

    As one of your shameless copycats, I also enjoyed and appreciated your response. A very classy ogre then . . . =)

    I found this info on the Argington set:
    http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/droolicious/archive/2009/05/12/first-look-argington-miniature-set.aspx

    Can those numbers be right? *sob* The miniature set is incredible, but $1,000 (even for a limited edition of 20) is a bit too rich for my blood. Maybe it's better this way, if it were something more "reasonable", I would be fretting and obsessing still.

    Have a great memorial day weekend!

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  28. I second Altera's comment. The phrase "..Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" immediately comes to mind.

    Saw the same entry as well about the Argington set -- part of me wants to believe that the $1000 sticker price was a typo. But then again...[calculates if selling a kidney is worth paying the price]..

    But it's sooooo nice though...[sighs]

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  29. Hey Chibipulse,

    Yes, that Argington set is worth a kidney. Kidding. It is fabulous and I would love to decorate some scenes with the pieces. I'm going to try and get a lot of stuff taken care of during this holiday weekend. You enjoy it, too!

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  30. Hi Altera,
    Ha ha! The "shameless copycat" phrase is so crazy. Chuckles. Wow--I've never been called "classy" before...Smiles

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