Are Vintage Toys for Kids?

I know many of us out there are still kids at heart, yet sometime around the age of twelve we lost our desire to "play." That is, the voices that pop into our heads, shoot down our arms and burst out of the toy in our hand disappear. The stories we construct fall away. The elaborate relationships between Barbie and Little Miss Makeup fade. All we are left with is the desire to display, to make pretty and to stare at. In essence, our ability to play does not last past the tweens.

But for some of us, the old pleasures of play are resurrected through the children around us. My two girls are endless story factories. They can sit for hours and dress dolls, make up intrigues and set up houses. I have often tried to sit down and join them but I can not stand it for more than five minutes. The voices are lost to me.

As a grown-up collector I often think back to the story lines I created with my toys, and the memories are so sweet I want my children to have the same experience. Years ago I decided I would let my children play with my vintage toys. I have heard many a discussion on message boards about letting kids play with collections and there are several concerns brought up from things getting lost and destroyed, to safety issues.

Letting your kids play with a vintage collection is purely up to the collector. Several factors must be considered:

1 - Is the child responsible when they play with their current toys?
2 - Is the child old enough to treat them gently?
3 - Is the child truly interested in having a good play, or are they they kind who like to dump things out, mix things up and get things messy?
4 - Does the toy contain small, breakable, or dangerous parts?

Babies eat bunnies!

My two girls have always been very gentle with my vintage toys, and so I have allowed them to play with them. Now that they are older they understand how to keep small parts from getting lost but I have a few rules.

ANGEL'S RULES FOR PLAYING WITH OLD TOYS:

1 - Stay in one contained spot at one time. I keep them in one place, away from the dog. They are not allowed to take the toy out of that place.

2 - They cannot bang the toys together, throw them on the ground or remove any clothing.

3 - No small parts for small kids.

4 - They must ask my permission before they play.

5 - They must tell me when they are done.

6 - They must put everything back exactly as they found it.

Over the years we have had few incidents. I can't really remember any toys getting broken but a few got mixed up. To combat accessory mix-ups I began to print pictures of the toys and keep them in the baggie where the toy belongs. That way when the kids are done playing they can see exactly which piece goes where (psst . . . it helps me remember too!)

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide weather your kids are trustworthy enough to treat your toys with respect. I personally have enjoyed watching my kids create new memories with old toys.

What's your collecting style?

Hi folks! Are you having a great 2011?


I made a somewhat big decision this week. I vowed not to buy any new toys until I go through my tubs of toys and properly categorize them. This may take several weeks but it will allow me to save some cash and get things settled. Instead of having toys scattered on weird surfaces all over the house, they will be in the tubs and labelled baggies I want them to be in. This should make for some sanity all around.

I don't know about you, but I find a lot of joy in meticulous collecting. I like hunting down what exact pieces went in what sets and making lists and then finding the missing parts. I love having a completed set too.

To this end, I have created a sort-of OCD process. When I get a toy I immediately figure out what's missing, if anything. I add that information to a color-coded spreadsheet and then "accrue" for the missing part and its cost. Accruing is a fancy word for figuring out the probable cost and creating a spending forecast. I learned this behavior when I worked in accounting.

For example, if I get a Rainbow Brite doll, but she's missing her dress. I might add $7-$10 for the missing dress and then add it to a saved search on eBay (in order to possibly buy it later). After doing this for every toy part I have bought or intend to buy I can see what it will cost me over time. Then the fun is trying to beat out that cost by buying smart.

But not everyone is as brain-damaged as I am. Some people just like amassing without rhyme or reason. Everything is in their memory and nothing is written down. If a piece breaks off or gets lost, they don't fuss or fret. They don't go buy another. They just stick the thing on a shelf and love it anyway.

So, what is your style? Would you be afraid to see a spending forecast, or would it be fun and helpful to know what might be in your fiscal toy future?

This spending embargo will be tough to control, but I know it will lend to a balance that will put peace in my mind. Step one is to get off eBay. That place will be the death of me!

Tomorrow I will try and post some pictures of things that came in the mail this week!

Cleaning Stuffed Animals with Water Pressure

When I find a stuffed animal from a thrift store it often has dirt and grime on it. Since I am a collector my goal is to clean it without compromising its other physical features such as stitching, plastic-painted eyes, tags (which we'd like to keep nice and bright) or the fur itself. I have tried putting it in the pillowcase in the washing machine on all settings and I am usually very disappointed about how it looks when it comes out. The fur piles, any hair mats, and the overall shape changes. The factory luster on the other parts of its body is worn off and often the tag has faded white. This seems to be the case with vintage stuffies only, as newer ones tend to hold their own in the wash cycle and not come out too damaged.

So when I found this Birthday Bear plush at a thrift store this week I decided to try a new approach. We recently purchased a Waterpik water flosser, which shoots high-powered streams of water out of the nozzle. This water-stream cleans between your teeth better than floss, but when my husband and I were fooling around with it we discovered it can also be used to clean grit out of the faucet, shower and other small places that collect grime. It stays completely sanitary because the nozzle doesn't have to touch anything. Just aim and shoot!

Birthday Bear had a lot of dirty spots on his back. I try not to think about what caused them!

Here you can see a spot on the back of his head, and there's one (not pictured) on his tail too. A big, brown glob of gook (ew!).

I cranked the water up to 10, which would strip your gums off your bones if you tried it on your mouth, but for this purpose it was perfect! The spots washed off lickety quick and Birthday was set in the tub to dry.

This device isn't all that expensive at $50 or so, and I have noticed a great difference in my teeth since using it. I am really thrilled to have also found a safe way to spot clean my plush!

What I'm NOT going to collect . . .

If you read a lot then you might have picked up a book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Ruben. In it she test drives the wisdom of the ages to see if it makes her happy. She gives lots of advice in the form of rules such as "Be Gretchen" (that is, be yourself), and "Do what ought to be done." One bit I picked up in the book that really struck me was the advice to "give something up."

This is an interesting idea. How can giving something up make you more happy? It's simple. By giving up things you kind of love you make room for the things you really love.

With that in mind, I decided to list some things that I will not collect, even though I think they are cute and fun and I find them all the time at thrift stores.

I WILL NOT COLLECT CABBAGE PATCH DOLLS

They are cute, yet sort of creepy. Even though I have a lot of good memories of these creatures of the cabbage, I decided I do not want anything but perhaps a good outfit for my My Child Doll. As time has evolved I have begun to look at them as too close to Chucky and not close enough to cuddly.

I WILL NOT COLLECT JEM

 
Just looking at Jem zooms me back about twenty years into the past. That alone is tempting. But to be honest, while I loved the show, still love the artwork and respect the line, I find the dolls odd looking . . . even unsettling. I wish they'd do something like Bratz or Monster High with them . . . you know, ditch the androgyny and ramp up the stylistic aspect.

I WILL NOT COLLECT POUND PUPPIES

Sure they are cute. Sure they are cuddly. And yes, I do want to get my hands on the poodles (I had them as a kid) but I draw the line there! The reason? There is no end. If I were to try and collect all the random permutations of Pound Puppies I would fill my entire house with them. If there were, say, twenty different and definite styles I would collect them. But as it is . . .

I WILL NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT EVERY PONY OUT THERE

Do you know how many non-USA ponies are out there? THOUSANDS! Yes, if I even attempted to get my greedy paws on every 80's pony ever produced I would lose my sanity, my family and my marriage . . . not to mention money. I love the vintage MLP line. They are gorgeous and awesome, but for now I am not setting my heart on every single one. At least I am trying . . . very hard. Pray for me.

I WILL NOT COLLECT POLLY POCKETS

I love these too, but I only had a few and so, they gotta go off my list. I just didn't love them as much as I love other 90's toys. I find them all the time though. I guess there's always trades.

I WILL NOT COLLECT TEDDY RUXPIN

 Actually, I had quite the TR collection going before I noticed Teddy was really creepy. And I mean really horror flick freaky. You don't think so? Turn him on in the dark. You will see.

I WILL NOT COLLECT ANYTHING NEWER THAN 2000

Ahh  . . . the daily temptation that is THE TOY AISLE. And when I say tempted, I am talking salivating-on-your-pushcart tempted. There are so many cute things out there. And yes, I did grab up all the new Care Bear figures that came out in the mid-2000's but that was where I stopped. Strawberry Shortcake, Littlest Pet Shop, Polly Pockets, Disney, Moxie, Bratz, Monster High, Zoobles, Zhu-Zhu . . . I mean they are all so cute it's hard not to want to start on something that you don't have to troll the internet for. But I realized two truths: 1-The feeling of holding an old toy is what I enjoy. It is something that brings back a time of my life that was simpler. This is why I collect. 2-The toy companies may never stop producing these toy lines. We may be in 2030 and still be buying Strawberry Shortcake dolls for our great grandkids. So where do you draw the line? Plus, I like the challenge of finding old stuff.

So I encourage everyone to think about what brings them the most joy and narrow things down a bit. It really does release a bit of tension on the bones. Repeat after me, "I don't have to have everything, I don't have to have everything, I do not have to have everything!"

13 Tips for getting a good deal on toys.

I thought I would share some tips I have discovered over the years on how to get a good deal while collecting toys. Anyone who is just starting a collection might find them useful.

TIP 1

Know what you want. A lot of time and money can be wasted by buying up lots of items that you end up not really wanting later. Sit down, examine why you want to start a collection (because you want to relive memories, you want to preserve history, its fun, you want to share your old toys with your kids) and go from there. If you know what you want you will most certainly not waste money buying up sheets, dishes, books and other branded merchandise that later clutters your home.

TIP 2


Be Patient. You have an entire lifetime to collect. The temptation to max out your credit card to feed your toy obsession is fierce. You start to get this feeling that if you don't buy that super expensive piece now, you will never see it again. Remember, if there is a toy up on eBay today, chances are very good it will be there tomorrow. Even the very rare items. You have your entire lifetime to collect. Make sure you wait for a good deal.

TIP 3

 Look for lots. Buying things in bulk can save you a lot of money in the long run. Four-hundred dollars for a complete collection of Strawberry Shortcake dolls might seem like a lot. But when you look back at sold items, tally in shipping costs for each individual doll that you might have paid, plus the competition for that one last piece factor, you will have saved money in the long run. This is a pretty obvious tip, I know. But sometimes it is hard to save your money for that big lot.

TIP4

Never rack up debt to feed your toy wants. Period. You will end up selling those toys years down the road to unload the debt.  This doesn't even factor in the interest.

TIP 5

Look for mint. I learned pretty quickly that buying lots of junk lots, TLC dolls and mismatched parts not only drags me down, it ends up costing me MORE in the long run! Trust me, you will feel the same when you have an army of sticky, cancer-spotted dolls. Later you will experience a powerful urge to replace them with mint items. Then you will have bought the same item twice. So save yourself some money and time. Buy mint, buy complete--the first time, if possible.

TIP 6

Buy during market downs. Buy low, sell high. This is an old motto, yes, but I am speaking of entire lines of toys. For example, did you know that Care Bear prices have dropped over 60% over the past six years? Why? The invasion of new Care Bear products of course. On the flipside, Glo Friends have gone up quite a bit this year, with Glo Land routinely going for over $200 as opposed to the $30 it cost last year. So, if you collect in different toy lines, focus on the ones that are being given away at the moment. Do your research and watch the market carefully. Chances are the one that is expensive now will plummet at some point.

TIP 7

Keep an eye on message boards, Craigslist, and local ads. Most of you already do this but it does pay off. You can often find better deals outside of eBay.

TIP 8

Think like a non-collector. I can't tell you how many times I have seen mislabeled lots, hidden jewels among common toys and poorly priced bunches. The best deals come from people who don't collect. They can underestimate values and misspell title words and all sorts of funny stuff. Keep your eye out.

TIP 9

Thrift, garage sale, antique stores, etc. The more you go, the more you'll find.


TIP 10

Observe the rule of halves. Let's say you are looking at a lot of dolls that starts at $5. You have done your research and decided that the lot is really worth about $40. You now have a choice: freak out and bid the highest possible price because you want it so badly you might pee your pants with desire. OR--you can decide what you will pay by splitting the value in half and only bidding that much. Remember to factor shipping into the mix. Decide right then that you will only pay $20 for the lot, no matter what happens. That way you are guaranteed to get a good deal.

TIP 11

Bid on auctions at the last possible moment. If you bid three days before the auctions end, you will pay more. People will try and outbid you. See tip ten and decide what you will pay before you get that rush of bidding excitement. Beware! Emotion makes you spend more. Put that number in the box and walk away. There is another deal coming.

TIP 12


Set a budget. This probably should have been tip #2 but I am too lazy to go stick it up there :) Decide what you can reasonably spend on toys per month. Even if it's a small amount like, say $15. If you have a budget then your options narrow quite a bit. You can't go nuts buying up big lots and getting yourself into debt. Suddenly your goal will be to get as many toys as possible for as little money as possible. It will force you to get a good deal.


TIP 13

Don't focus on what you don't have. If possible, do everything in your power to appreciate the pieces you do have. If you focus on what you don't have, you will always feel dissatisfied by your collection. Dissatisfaction will lead you to spend more money than you should in order to fill that void. Let me tell you, the void cannot be filled. It's better to switch your focus off of it and onto an attitude of gratefulness.

I hope you enjoyed those tips! Happy collecting!