Determining how to display your Blythe dolls can be fun but it can also come with challenges. Each collector has their own preferences, but ultimately, the decision is yours. Every collector has a different situation in terms of space and how they prefer to display and/or store their dolls.
There are a few things Blythe collectors may wish to avoid. Some Blythe dolls’ shoes can react to the stock stands, causing a melted mess. For these releases, adding a piece of paper or changing shoes can help reduce this. Using metal stands instead of the stock plastic stands can also help reduce the odds of melting. Another option is to use doll furniture to set up a diorama. This can be fun and no dollhouse is required!
Some collectors choose to keep their dolls on stands, while others prefer their dolls to be sitting. There are different risks to consider with both – sitting your dolls can cause pressure to build on their hips and cause cracks on their bottoms, as are often seen in Kenners. Standing them up can make the larger headed dolls topple over easily. Dolls on stands may also take up more space.
As to the actual shelving options, this also varies. Some collectors use glass and wood curio cabinets, some use all glass cases or IKEA cube units (such as the Kallax), while other collectors use open shelving instead. However, open shelving can allow dust to accumulate on the dolls. Closed-in cabinets, such a bookcase with glass doors, will help to prevent dust on the dolls. There are a plethora of options that can suit each collector’s taste and style.
Sunlight can also cause some issues, which is another factor to consider in terms of doll display. Dolls closer to sunlight will become yellowed over time, which can be very upsetting to collectors, who take pains to keep their collections pristine. When setting up a display area for your dolls, it is important to consider how much sunlight the dolls will be exposed to.
Some collectors choose to store their dolls instead of having them on display. When storing Blythe dolls, it is important to keep the pullring from touching the doll’s body or other dolls stored together. The pullring and doll body can melt when left in contact. This can easily be avoided by wrapping the pullring in tissue paper.
Another tricky decision is how to store Blythe related items. The sundries, shoes, boxes, and so on, can be displayed or stored as well!
Some collectors use fabric bins from IKEA or similar types of cube storage units for clothing storage. Others prefer something more organized and use photo storage containers. Doll clothing can be put into photo albums to help make all Blythe clothing a little easier to find. Photo storage containers, such as photo storage boxes or plastic photo storage bins can also be used. These can display a few outfits and maintain the shape of the outfits.
Shoes can be stored in a variety of ways. Bead containers can provide a nice amount of storage space and many come with dividers to organize shoes. These can be used with or without a lid. Some choose to use these without a lid and turned on their side as part of a diorama. Hanging jewelry organizers can also be a great way to see every pair of shoes and keep them organized.
Additionally, some collectors use their doll clothes and shoes as part of a diorama. This can allow you to use these items not only for your dolls to wear but also as part of displays.