How to store clothes?

Hello!

I have got a new outfit for my MDD and was wondering what's the best way to store clothes? I was thinking of putting them each in their individual plastic wrapping, but I feel like this would be an extremely long process to go through each time I change the outfit. I've seen people put all their clothes in one tub, do the clothes not stain each other being in such a confined space?

Thank you in advance!

Everytime I get a new outfit I immediately transfer it to a gallon-size slide zipper bag bc the plastic film that Volks and other doll companies drives me nuts lol.

I organise the outfit bags in either plastic drawers: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-Plastic-Wide-3-Drawer-Tower-Blush-Pink/491489619

or plastic bins: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-Plastic-28-Qt-Storage-Box-Blush-Pink-Set-of-8/386661373

 

I use the same tower sets as Riesz does for a lot of my clothing but I also use those large under bed storage bins.  Here's a pic of the bins I use in the doll room.

Ignore the judgmental kitty.  😄 

 

Off topic, @baldylox - having that many dolls (and so well organized) sounds like paradise tbh. Paradise- and possibly (organized) chaos.

On topic- SMD has a pretty convenient bagging system but I usually just fold the pieces into whatever of those bags they'll fit in. My resin dolls don't have as many outfits (yet- I am a Bad Dolly Owner maybe for not getting them more goodies lol) but I do need a consistent place to stash dolly stuff. Currently the resins' main stuff is in a plastic bag in a box, and the SMD stuff is in the SMD bags piled into the SMD box I use for travel- see a pattern, lol.

I know if I ever get into Dollfie Dreams I'll need a good way to store the numerous outfits I would inevitably get because WOW, so many sets are just GORGEOUS.

But seriously, Baldylox, I'm impressed. Did it take a long time to get a good setup?

That dedicated doll storage wall is really putting me "shoebox crammed full of plastic baggies under the couch" system to shame. But that's my system, and so far it's kept everything from getting damaged. I think the key is just keeping things from getting crumpled or pressed together too long. Folding pieces around tissue paper can really help for preventing creases and dye transfers, too.

1 hour ago, Starwaia said:

(yet- I am a Bad Dolly Owner maybe for not getting them more goodies lol)

Truthfully, I'm in the same boat you're in. I have "maybe" three mid-sized totes for all my Kiddos clothes and such. (need to get more shoes! and underwear for all of them!) I currently have nine Kiddos, with one more on the way, should get her this Monday. Honestly I should have at least three times as many totes full.... 

 

2 hours ago, Starwaia said:

Off topic, @baldylox - having that many dolls (and so well organized) sounds like paradise tbh. Paradise- and possibly (organized) chaos.

Except when he gets home to find they’ve put all his stuff on the porch in order to make room for more of their stuff. 

Thank you everybody for your advice! So do clothes only transfer dye to the vinyl the doll is made of and not other clothes? Listening to what you've all said, would it be okay to fold all the clothes neatly and put them in a storage container?

1 hour ago, Hanyuu said:

Thank you everybody for your advice! So do clothes only transfer dye to the vinyl the doll is made of and not other clothes? Listening to what you've all said, would it be okay to fold all the clothes neatly and put them in a storage container?

Well, as @Riesz said, some of us keep them in individual bags inside the containers. I keep mine in the original film they came in so I know the names of the outfits, but truthfully it is a pain to get them in and out, so maybe transferring them to Ziplock bags would be smarter.

I don’t know how likely the fabrics are to stain each other, but that’s also part of the reason I keep them in separate bags. The other reason is because I also keep the silica gel packets they come with to help prevent molding.

Maybe that’s something else for you to consider if you’re concerned about keeping them in good condition.

On 2/23/2022 at 6:03 PM, Starwaia said:

Off topic, @baldylox - having that many dolls (and so well organized) sounds like paradise tbh. Paradise- and possibly (organized) chaos.

But seriously, Baldylox, I'm impressed. Did it take a long time to get a good setup?

Thank you very much!  It is indeed controlled chaos because sometimes trying to find one specific outfit can be kind of annoying.  But I also try to keep like items in one spot aka maid uniforms.  All my maid sets are in one of those blue drawer setups and take up 3 of the 5 drawers.  😄  I also keep all Volks clothing in one container, all Volks default outfits in another, different brands in another, etc.

As for time to set up, I started with smaller plastic tubs when I just had 3 girls.  As more dolls arrived I had to buy more containers for clothing.  The doll room came about after I had converted my guest bedroom into a craft room for my ex-gf. After she left I added more shelves and took over.  😉 

Here's a shot of the left side of the room where there's more dolls.

 

 

 

23 hours ago, sugarbeta said:

That dedicated doll storage wall is really putting me "shoebox crammed full of plastic baggies under the couch" system to shame. But that's my system, and so far it's kept everything from getting damaged. I think the key is just keeping things from getting crumpled or pressed together too long. Folding pieces around tissue paper can really help for preventing creases and dye transfers, too.

Hey, we all have to start somewhere!  It took me a year to acquire enough clothing to fill up any kind of container but here's some shots of the first storage system I had when it was just me and Manami.   And also everything I had for her up to that time.

 

DSC03308 by Billy  Bennett, on Flickr

DSC03310 by Billy  Bennett, on Flickr

DSC03311 by Billy  Bennett, on Flickr

 

22 hours ago, BeyondTime said:

Except when he gets home to find they’ve put all his stuff on the porch in order to make room for more of their stuff. 

It's pretty amazing how strong a single DD can be and how much one can carry on her own.  So when you get a bunch of them together, they can move furniture around like it's nothing.  Imagine coming home to your bedroom furniture in the living room and vice versa.  Can't say that was too much fun to put back....  😛 

 

 

Billy

My crew tends to change clothes relatively often, so it would be too much of a hassle to keep the casual clothes that see the most use individually bagged.

Instead, I keep these in stackable plastic boxes, separated by type: tops, bottoms, seasonal, etc.

On 2/24/2022 at 10:32 AM, Hanyuu said:

So do clothes only transfer dye to the vinyl the doll is made of and not other clothes?

All the clothes that see frequent use (and therefore end up in these boxes) are very low rate stainers at worst (denim). I also try to put stuff of similar color together to further reduce the risk of dye transfer between clothes.

More active stainers (and I certainly have one that easily transfers onto other fabric - onto everything, really - thanks, MV Studio...) are kept separate anyway - usually in the bag they came in. Due to their staining nature, they won't see that much use anyway...

 

Some thematic outfits I also keep in these plastic A4 binders:

In those, larger pieces can be stored without folding them over and they can be easily kept on a shelf.

 

Finally, I have this cool rack from Tree Design, which is useful to store larger stuff that doesn't fold over too well: like jackets, coats and long dresses.

20 hours ago, Tierparkzone said:

My crew tends to change clothes relatively often, so it would be too much of a hassle to keep the casual clothes that see the most use individually bagged.

Instead, I keep these in stackable plastic boxes, separated by type: tops, bottoms, seasonal, etc.

All the clothes that see frequent use (and therefore end up in these boxes) are very low rate stainers at worst (denim). I also try to put stuff of similar color together to further reduce the risk of dye transfer between clothes.

More active stainers (and I certainly have one that easily transfers onto other fabric - onto everything, really - thanks, MV Studio...) are kept separate anyway - usually in the bag they came in. Due to their staining nature, they won't see that much use anyway...

 

Some thematic outfits I also keep in these plastic A4 binders:

In those, larger pieces can be stored without folding them over and they can be easily kept on a shelf.

 

Finally, I have this cool rack from Tree Design, which is useful to store larger stuff that doesn't fold over too well: like jackets, coats and long dresses.

Thank you (and your dolls) very much for the fleshed out response! At the moment, I am using a large cotton storage box to store all the bulky dresses I have, but I think as my dresses pile up I will have to sort them into something like those stackable plastic boxes you use. 

I only have 1 doll to account for at the moment, so all her clothes fits into a few boxes organized by theme. Most boxes contain smaller boxes within for further organization.

• School Uniforms
• Casual Clothes
• Dresses / Cute clothing
• Bottoms + Underwear
• Shoes/Socks

The boxes slip under my bed, out of sight when not in use. Mai changes her outfit almost daily, so easy access is a priority.

Edited March 13, 2022 by chef_mai