Losing Interest In BJDs?

I lost almost all interest in the hobby for almost 5 years. I considered selling all of my dolls multiple times during that period, because I just couldn't seem to get my interest back. I tried a few times to get back into things, but nothing stuck for more than maybe a day or two.

A couple months ago, out of nowhere, my interest returned. I have no idea why.

I don't have any helpful advice for rekindling things, unfortunately. For me, when I got back into things, certain dolls maintained their appeal, but others that I previously was very fond of don't elicit any sort of reaction anymore. I find myself wondering what drew me to them in the first place.

It could be that your tastes have just changed. Maybe you can see if there is anything out there that sparks your interest? Or maybe you just need a break?

 

I have taken breaks from certain dolls, but have never completely left hobby. Closest I came was I sold all but one doll thinking if I had just one I could focus on other things. But no other hobby has made me happier so having just one didn't last long. It's perfectly fine to put them all away, or just the ones you love and sell the others. But it's something you need to really think over because replacing some dolls is harder then others.

 

I've definitely heard of other people having some negative feelings after long or difficult transactions. I think that's perfectly normal. It seems like sometimes the love for the doll will return after the negative feelings have passed, but I've also read about instances where the situation permanently ruined things.

Have you tried looking at what other people have done with this doll (or one that is similar) to see if anything inspires you?

 

I think it just happens naturally. We only have so much time and money for the different hobbies. I get periods where I don’t do anything with my dolls for months. It doesn’t really feel like I’ve gotten my first doll since 2018. 2 years passed and I didn’t do nearly much things with them lol. But I still check forum, sometimes the social media or talk to my friend who is also into them and it sparks interest that way!

 

I fell out of the BJD fandom for a year or so, but I have songs I associate with my dolls, and every time I heard one, it would make me think of them. I don't know exactly what got me to go back, other than coming back onto DoA and looking at my unboxing threads for my dolls. I resolved to get their face-ups done and make some clothes for them, and I've been active in the fandom ever since!

 

This happens to me a lot- with all my interests! I will jump from hobby to hobby, sometimes abandoning one for years only to come back to it again! I think my specific experience is due to adhd though

 

I lost interest many years back when I was a student and realized I couldn't afford the hobby. Now that I have a proper job, my interest has renewed. In my opinion, be very picky with your doll interests and only buy what you really really love and buy quality. It's your hard earned money!

 

I took an approximately 4 year-ish break after I went through a terrible time in my life personally. I sold most my dolls because I figured I was done and never coming back. don't do that. >.< Out of nowhere last year the doll urge hit me again. And then I had to track down stuff that was hard to find when I left, even harder when I returned. I regret selling several of my dolls. But I am also enjoying re-discovering the hobby, finding new dolls and rebuilding.

 

I've gone through periods where I've lost interest in my dolls, some short, some a couple years long. For me it sometimes had more to do with bouts of depression, as well as financial issues. It's an expensive hobby, so sometimes I just didn't have the money for what I wanted to do, and it made me lose interest. Plus, on top of being expensive, bjds are also very fiddly: wigs always seem to slip off easily even with silicone caps, you need to remove some body parts to change clothes, eyes need to be adjusted, etc. etc. I like to 'play' with my dolls, but the constant fixing and adjusting was just too much when I wasn't feeling well. When I got my Littlefee Cygne, I had such a difficult time putting her wig on that the fear of accidentally knocking it off again kept me from wanting to touch her for a long time. And, of course, sometimes I just got bored while waiting for a doll to arrive and my ADHD couldn't handle it, so I switched to a new obsession. The interest always comes back, often out of nowhere. Usually it's after I've left the dolls alone and out of sight for a bit before bringing them back out and holding them. It's frustrating, but it's not forever!

 

Oh goodness, I'm guessing that the majority of us go through that phase at one time or another! For some, it really is the end - they realize that it was just a passing fancy, and they will never never want to get involved again. For me, well, I've gone through periods where I did not even look at my dolls for a year or more, and then something pulls me back to DoA, I start reading posts, I'm tempted to look at websites, and the next thing I know, I'm buying dolls and clothing and even reimagining my old-timers like a madwoman.

Sometimes it's best to put your resin in a closet and forget it for awhile, because absence really can make the heart grow fonder. But in the meantime, I think it's really key to not sell your dolls during an 'off period'. If two years have gone by and you still just look at them and say, "meh," then it's probably time to move on...but selling too soon can lead to a lot of regret if your interest is reignited. Nothing worse in this hobby than parting with a hard to find sculpt, and suddenly wishing that you hadn't let it go! (And yes, I do speak from experience. )

 

I think most people have times where they're really, really active with their dolls and want to do stuff with them every day and then times where they still own dolls but their interest is diverted elsewhere for awhile. And I think that's totally fine. For me, I go through periods where I'm really, really in the mood to sew and craft, and I get super excited about my dolls and make loads of stuff for them and am working on one doll project or another in almost all of my free time. But I also go through periods where all my creative impulses are directed towards painting and drawing, and during those times, my dolls basically sit on their display shelf and become just a nice decoration in my art room that I enjoy seeing when I happen to glance in that direction while cleaning a brush or something. It's all good either way, you don't have to be perpetually active with them or have them always be your main interest! I definitely agree with some of the previous posts-- if I'd gotten rid of my doll collection during previous times where I was way too absorbed with painting and drawing to feel like doing anything with them, I'd really regret it right now.

 

I think it's normal to feel a little burnt out sometimes (whether in our hobbies or work) and just need a break.

I fell out of the hobby for a couple of years, I can't even remember why. I put most of my dolls away but kept my favourites out on display. However, I just displayed them and didn't do anything else with them. Then one day, I just suddenly felt like doing something with them again, logged back onto this forum, looked around for what I missed during my absence and ended up buying new dolls!

There are some of my older dolls that I've completely lost interest in though and I really should try to sell them or give them away...

 

At the moment, I am mostly doing nothing with my dolls. Right now, I simply feel no urge to do anything with them. My new motorbike is simply more interesting, and otherwise my family is still working on the aftermaths of my mum's passing away. Tons of stuff to sort out...although I have to admit that I kept things like interesting fabrics and items which I could use for my dolls.

But I am sure as soon as I find time to breathe again, and when the bike is sitting in our garage waiting for springtime, my interest for my dolls will be rekindled again. It comes and goes. Good thing is they do not get angry or sick when I just leave them in their glass cabinet just looking cool. They still make me happy, although they are a permanent work in progress.

 

I have lost interest in collecting or adding anymore BJD for a long time now (over a decade now, maybe?). But I never lost interest in my own dolls or the grails I'll never own. I've always been a doll/toy collector, even long before I discovered BJD, I collected dolls and toys of all kinds. There was a time I stopped purchasing Barbie, for example, but I never lost interest in the ones I already owned. I never thought "I should get rid of these." I never felt the need to get rid or sell any of the toys I own just because I stopped collecting them. When I learned about BJD, I always wanted to own less than ten, it was never my intention to continue adding to my collection over time, because smaller sizes weren't available in the styles I wanted them (mature), so I didn't want a ton of giant dolls, simply because I am not a fan of the weight and space they take. I also lost interest for a while, in coming to DoA and checking what was new, for a short period of time, around two years worth maybe? I did regret that because I didn't know that DZ would discontinue my favorite sculpt from them that I already own, but modified. I could have easily purchased the head had I known, but I didn't', and now I wont ever be able to have an unmodified version, in the condition I want him in.

From then on, I decided that whether I'm actively purchasing BJD anymore or not, I will continue to check BJD related news because I don't want to miss out on something I could have easily purchased, had I been actively checking on the news. I am also doing it for most other hobbies I have, because I also regret completely loosing interest in looking for news some other hobbies, and missing out on things that now cost triple their retail price. I'm just not actively adding BJD to my collection anymore, but I still want to know that if I see something I like, I'll be able to get it and not regret not buying it when it wasn't extra rare, yellowed or just not available anymore. I never was the type of collector to lose interest in a hobby and also lose the interest in my own collection, so much so that I would just sell all -- I kind of hoard.

I believe that's what has helped me in the end, that I do tend to hoard, so even if I am completely not interested in anything to do with a hobby, I would never get rid of my collectibles. On the other hand, the biggest interest I had on BJD in the beginning was the customizability as an artist, even if I lost interest in adding more BJD to my collection, I never lost the interest to keep customizing my own collection. So, maybe that's what has kept me coming back, more than just seeing if DZ miraculously decides to re-release the sculpt I wanted to own unmodified. Probably not helpful to anyone, but I'm a weirdo. DX

 

Yes, I went through a roughly 4 year hiatus from BJDs. Most of those years were when I was in college, and had basically zero free-time. Hobbies were a non-option. It was a grueling and exhausting period of my life.

It wasn't until a year into my job post-college, that I finally started feeling comfortable with indulging in this hobby again. I suddenly had my own free-time back and a little more expendable money, so BJDs were back on the table, lol.

 

I have, but that usually means I’m losing interest in my current dolls, not the hobby as a whole. I do get bored with my dolls after awhile, sell off most of the crew and renew it with new dolls. I don’t like anything in life to get stale, I get bored with things that never change. It’s not the hobby, it’s the dolls.

 

My interest always comes and goes like the tides and can be just as strong. lol When I hit the lows of interest in and of my hobbies, I turn my attention to something different as a change in pace and mood reset my passions or the one I was waning. After a while I always find myself coming back.

 

I think its pretty natural to have phases where you don’t find a hobby super enjoyable.

I’ve definitely had this for cosplay and drawing. Normally when a hobby starts becoming more like a chore, my interest in it cools off and I need a break. This is probably the reason I have so many unfinished art projects! ... oh and video games! ahaha. I’ve never completely put down any of my hobbies because I still enjoy them but I have put some projects on hold indefinitely.

For my BJDs, I’m pretty sure that even if I was not actively doing anything with them I would leave them up for display. I mean, I’ve had Barbies on display in my room since forever even though my Barbie phase is long gone.

 

I have ADHD so all my hobbies come and go from my sphere of interests. I will be super into something, say, calligraphy, then poof, forget it exists as a hobby. I'm sure that will happen with dolls soon i'm hoping they will come back to interest. thankfully they draw together so many skills, sewing clothes, UV/epoxy resin casting to make eyes, model painting for face-ups and body blushing, various fibre crafts to make wigs, diverse interest.

 

I think a lot of people take breaks or go through periods of reduced interest. Honestly you have to know yourself — has this happened before with other hobbies? Did you go back to them eventually?

For myself, I lost interest for 8 or 9 years, and then suddenly was back. I’ve done this with other hobbies before. As a result, I was really glad that I had just put everything in storage instead of selling it. My focus has shifted a bit but I still love the dolls I have and I enjoy the new time I’m spending in the hobby.

 

When I joined this hobby over a decade ago, I went all in and gave up all my other hobbies (sold all my stuff to buy dolls) and just focused on bjds. In the last three years, I’ve gone back to my dollhouse miniatures hobby full time and collect the occasional bjd. I do enjoy bjd’s, but find them frustrating and a challenge (finding clothes, wigs, etc). Dollhouses are relaxing and I’m much better at them than creating a bjd’s look, lol.

 

I'm definitely in the midst of this. I haven't bought a new BJD in over a year and I've considered selling most of my current collection. However, facing the arduous task of actually listing and dealing with selling them... I'm trying to appreciate them more instead.

 

I just came back after doing this for about 4-ish years. I had started to focus more heavily on other collections and hobbies, but then a grail came up and sucked me back in. And now I'm more into it than I have ever been! I'm much more engaged with faceups, sewing and photography than I ever was before. I feel like the break may have been what I needed to come back into the hobby refreshed and with a new perspective. Don't be afraid to give yourself a break; you should go where your passions take you!

 

I'm a writer, so my dolls are based off of my characters... and unfortunately, that's the problem... characters change and evolve, and when they do, their dolls change, and when I can't change them or can't afford to change them, or like the body that they're on, so I don't want to sell their body, so I can buy another one... or I can't ever figure out how to shell this ONE, or this other one doesn't like ANY of the clothes that I have... it can get a bit... frustrating. I'm not really sure how to fix the problem, and dolls that aren't specific characters, are also somewhat bothersome... so all around, I'm just screwed.

 

I have been in the hobby since 2011 and was really involved for many years. I posted frequently and even ran a YouTube channel about my dolls. I sort of drifted away from the hobby a couple of years ago, but kept my favourite doll because I couldn't bare to part with him. He was my grail for the longest time and I was lucky to find him as he was discontinued. I took a break because it all got overwhelming for me. I always kept my doll on display though and kept thinking one day I'd come back to it, and here I am.

I realised this was the best and longest hobby I ever had and I remembered how much I enjoyed it. I think now I'm a lot older I'm able to just enjoy the hobby for what it is; doll collecting, rather than worrying about an online presence or wanting to have a 'popular' doll. I think as a teenager you kind of get sucked into that mentality. My doll tastes have changed since leaving and coming back but I just felt drawn into returning to the hobby.

It's okay to take a break and come back, and it's okay to wonder if it's the right thing for you. Passions change over time. No one will judge you for leaving for a bit and come back if you want. You have do what make you happy!

 

I'm there right now.. I was absolutely obsessed with BJDs the first few months in the hobby and ended up buying a gorgeous girl second hand which came pretty much immediately. I then ordered another tiny one, but I had to wait half a year, and once she finally arrived, I had lost all interest. I was so happy and exited as I ordered her, and now I feel as if did nothing more but waste money. It's weird how we suddenly lose interest in something we loved so much.
I really hope you find the love for BJD's once more, as I do for myself. I'll be watching this thread

 

My interest in the hobby definitely comes and goes! All of my interests seem to take turns in terms of which I'm currently fixated on. I'll be very focused on BJDs for a bit, then nendoroids, then playing Animal Crossing will take over. My interest always cycles back around to the things I truly enjoy, however, so I try not to let the periods of "meh" worry me.
Basically my advice is that If you'd rather be doing something that doesn't involve your dolls right now, do it! You'll find yourself drawn back into the hobby soon enough if you want to be, there's never a rush.

 

It comes in waves but its nice to bounce between hobbies so I never get bored!

 

I’m in the hobby for a couple years, but never really lost interest. I was just doing things by myself not talking to anyone until recently. After I entered DoA and started using instagram they way a see the hobby changed a little though.
I never seen to get tired of my other hobby as well, so maybe I’m that kind of person that sticks to it when I start something.
It’s totally understandable sobre people get tired of dolls and take a break sometimes.

 

I have gone through ebbs and tides with my interest in dolls. I got my first in 2006 and collected voraciously for 2 - 3 years, then lost interest and sold many of them. There was a time where I did not log in to DOA for years! Then my interested grew again a few years ago, then it waned again shortly after and I sold more dolls. Now my interest is piqued again!

I have always had my core of my first doll (Lishe that is in my profile pic), a Tanning Lishe, and a LittleFee Ante, all of whom I don't see myself ever selling. I have two other newer dolls from My Meadow, one of which I don't see myself selling ever (but have considered selling the other), and right now I'm actually feeling experimental and bought a MiniFee, which is a size I have never bonded well to, but I want to give it a go now that my interest is high again.

I think this kind of thing is common with all hobbies--our brains want different things at different times for different reasons. There are times where I do yarn crafts nonstop for several weeks, then don't touch them again for months. Or times I read 20 books in a month, but then don't have an interest in reading for a while. I just see it as a natural progression of our interests and needs as we live our lives and grow and change.

 

I have been in the hobby since 2004. I was extremely active for the majority of the time, but not so much the last several years. I still love dolls and absolutely hope to grow my collection again someday!

 

In 2011 I couldn’t afford a BJD and went to art school because of that to learn .I lost four pregnancies ( one was a stillborn) in the years after and totally got out of all hobbies. I was very depressed after finding out how unlikely adoption is ( there are 6.7 Million infertile women in the USA and 15 Million willing to adopt in general, with only 800 thousand adoptions per year, half of those step child adoptions the chances are very slim ). I basically did not do anything. But last year my husband revived me . He said I can buy whatever I want, even my dream doll s if only I’ll be better again. So I got back into the hobby. I even found an investor for my own bjd that I’m working on. It truly brought me back to life even after many years out of the hobby.

 

For me, it comes and goes, but I never feel like selling my dolls when I am not playing with them.
For more than a year I haven't nearly touched them but now I picked it up again, cleaning, restringing, hot gluing, de-yellowing, and gonna redo a face-up on one of my dolls. And it was my first time also restringing a doll.

 

I got my first BJD in 2009. I left the hobby slowly around when I went to college in 2011, since I couldn't bring my dolls to my dorm. Since then I've had my interest restart a little bit for a week or two over the years. Just this week, I logged back onto DoA and started browsing the off-topic forms and saw a doll that looked really interesting. This sparked my interest all over again.

I realized many the dolls I had didn't fit my current aesthetic and they were based on characters that I wasn't invested in anymore. Seeing a whole different type of doll let my come at the hobby with fresh eyes and realize that what I needed was to start fresh with my collection. I'm now planning to give new face-ups and characters to most of my dolls. I just needed permission to get creative instead of feeling stuck with the choices that I made as a teenager.

 

I bought my first doll in 2009 after being super interested in the hobby for a year or two prior. As soon as I got into it, I got really into it. I bought quite a number of dolls over the following years all the while keeping my other hobbies (not that many, big or expensive as BJD's so easy to combine).

For me things tended to cool down when I started going to college. Less time and money to spend on dolls. I also got into another quite expensive hobby at that time (historical reenactment). I did leave my dolls on display as I still loved them, I just didn't buy any new ones or spend as much time on them. Sometimes I would change a face-up or change their clothes but that was about it.

For the last two or so years I've considered quitting the hobby and selling all my dolls as the bond I had with them seems to have dwindled. Well, for all but one.

However, having made the decision to spend the time to sell all my dolls I've come back here to get a bit of a feeling for them again as well as get an idea of what second hand dolls and certain sculpts go for these days, I've come to realize why I loved this hobby so much once again.

I still plan to sell most of my dolls as they don't really fit my interest or style anymore, however, I might just get some other ones instead. Probably not as many or as quickly as I first did, but I've definitely rediscovered the hobby.

 

There's definitely an ebb and flow to being in a hobby for a long time. Flowers don't bloom 100% of the time, so don't expect yourself to be at peak hype and peak activity all the time.

My eldest doll is gonna be a teenager next June, so it's been a while!

Fortunately dolls aren't like acquiring pets (I'm a little stressed out by how some pet-themed youtubers get a bit animal-hoard-y because they need new exciting content...) and they don't mind being boxed up for a while if you're not in the mood.

And aesthetic preferences change. I sold a lot of the dolls from the start of my BJD journey because I've been looking for different looks and shelling different characters. The type of characters I liked in high school and early college don't appeal to me in the same way.

 

I think these feelings come naturally with any hobby, really. There are times where I'm really into stamp collecting then I don't do anything with it for years. Then something triggers it again (another cool stamp, rediscovering unfinished projects, etc). Same thing with my other hobbies that have nothing to do with BJDs. Likewise, there are times where I'm on Den of Angels at all hours for days/weeks/months at a time and then I just stop depending on what life throws at me. Same thing with my dolls. I go through periods where I pick a few to hang out with me and I craft/sew/buy something for them, play with them (dress them, do photo shoots, write stories), maybe even go on an outing with them (pre-pandemic) in a public place, but other times they just sit where I last left them gathering dust. I have a friend that goes back and forth with the hobby with anywhere from months to years inbetween of not doing anything with BJDs/DoA then getting back into it again then off again. It's very cyclic I think for us.

The whole negative association thing is so totally real. I myself for the first time haven't really bonded with a new doll and I am realizing it's because I have guilt over how much I paid for her. She's a secondhand doll and I usually am a first owner or get limited editions that are usually worth the secondhand market costs. Even though she was on my Grail list for a few years, I think it's because I saw another one go on sale for less around the same time and I felt bad about paying higher even though I technically got more with her (full set, provenance/proof that's she's legit, all accessories, default/no modding, etc). It's getting easier with time, but I have known other BJD owners sell even Grail dolls from their collection if there were any negative association with them (health problems, traumatic events, financial costs, reminder of exes, etc).

Sometimes, changing things up a bit helps. Like giving a doll a new wig, outfit, eyes, shoes, and/or face-up if you really feel a negative association with one for whatever reason. Or maybe do things with the doll that creates happy memories like watching comedies with it or hanging out/video calling loved ones with it. Over time, whether changing it's look or creating happy memories with it will create more positive associations with it. And if the negative feelings are still there, nothing wrong with stopping the hobby for a while or selling the doll. Do what's right for you, that's all that matters.

 

I have been inactive for something like... 4-5 years at this point. Other than occasionally seeing something on the marketplace I can't resist, I don't actually do much with my dolls. I have a bunch waiting for clothes. My Follshe David has been needing his wig finished for 6 years...
I have some very old orders from Dollshe coming in and I'm trying to get back into the hobby so that I can try to feel some love for them and get them some eyes/wigs/clothes.
Instead of just having them sit on a shelf for 6 years waiting.

I'm not sure what would make me feel involved again. Though I know I miss taking photos with my partner and making stories and such.

Maybe someday that spark will come back.

I have thought of selling them many times. But every time it comes down to it I just can't bear the thought. I loved them all for such a long time. I guess I'll just keep hoping.

 

I was pretty uninterested in the hobby during the pandemic (I think because my mental health wasn't the best) but very recently I've fallen back in love with the hobby and even purchased a new doll (With plans to buy bodies for my floating heads) as my mental health improved I was able to find joy in the things I loved once again ❤️

 

That is just natural with any hobby really where you have moments of disinterest but become interested in it once again.
Me personally I started becoming interested in BJDs once more recently after I commissioned my FFXIV character into a 11cm doll. Now I want to shell him to a bjd!

 

My interest slowly returned after an almost 5 year hiatus. I'm glad I didn't sell any of my dolls, but unfortunately not all of them are with me now.
In any case, I like my old-fashioned stylized dolls even more now - my taste has not changed.
What has changed is that for some reason I didn't want to take as many photos as I used to. Just enjoy the doll being displayed and do some crafts. So the interest is back, but the details have changed.

 

I've been disinterested in my bjds lately. I think it's because, to me, my dolls are very closely tied to a place where I was happy. I haven't been able to spend much time there for three years and I've been pretty down as a result. I'm also a little short on space at the moment so most of my dolls are in storage.

It is what it is.

 

Spaces are now limited to me, so most of my dolls are packed away only few of my favorite are out. Since then I have only look and admire them, overtime forgotten they are there. Till I was down and depress, I pick up my grail doll and lost in my happy world with her. She restart my interest in BJD again. She make me happy and worry free, I can imagine life without my girls. Love them so much.

 

Well I was on bjd hiatus for many years and after the last house move I decided to do a good old konmari on my doll collections (the fashion doll, the figurines, the action figures , big childlike , the bjd etc ) . I first set up a goal of how I want my bedroom where I store all my dolls to look like I also used an app to see and visualise the concept I used RoomPlanner app for that. I then slowly put arround the shelf units and started experimenting with which dolls to be displayed etc ... as I don't have a real spare time to do this it takes time but it works step by step I started separating the dolls I'm keeping to those I'm parting with and place the dolls on the shelves dressed and pretty ... I have way to go but now most of fashion dolls like rainbow high monster high barbie have been dealt with the ones kept and the ones sold or given away , childlike big ones too so I have half the shelves decorated properly and most of the dolls that wasn't to be used got away and left valuable space behind. Next step for me are the bjd's and Ellowyne , I already have a deal to sell with layaway some of my dolls to a friend who had asked for them if those ended up to the go away list. So that's how I deal with my hiatus , a clean and tidy and properly decorated collection is one I enjoy a chaotic one not so much so my way is minimize when it becomes overwhelming and keep it pretty displayed on shelves if it's not pretty and decoative it will lose the allure for me in matter of days.

 

I was so meh with bjds 2-3 years ago I almost left the hobby, but when I started picking up my dolls to sell them, I realized how much I enjoyed them. I wound up selling almost all my dolls and only keeping the ones that sparked an interest. Then, about a month ago or so, I felt like I might as well sell my dolls and leave the hobby again because I felt nothing for them. I wound up leaving my job recently and discovered I was actually just really, really burnt out and could only think about work and feeding myself.

I think sometimes you lose interest, and sometimes you just have no space in your life anymore for things you enjoy. If it's the latter, you really, really need to figure out how you can release some stress or make some space for what you can. It's hard, especially if you're at the point where you don't really feel anything anymore, but you can get back to joy again.

 

My interest in most of my hobbies tends to come and go, so I kind of rotate through them, really. I've taken some long breaks from ~the hobby~ so to speak, but the dolls are always around and even when my strong interest wanes, I'll pick them up here and there.

 

My primary interests tend to wax and wane, but I'd never say I've fallen "out of love" with bjds or ever taken an intentional hiatus. Typically, something happens to remind me of dolls, and I'll get fervently back into the community again. Right now it's having my own income for the first time in my life, so I can make doll-related decisions without having to scrounge and save.

 

As others have said, hobbies often cycle in waves for me.

I speculate that this has something to do with the fact that I'm a moody creative type and I tend to fixate on whatever has sparked my particular single-minded interest on a given week. I'll go really hard for a few months on BJDs, then get sidetracked by Blythes, then get an itch to crochet a bag or a blanket, then write fanfiction and crank out 100k words in a few weeks, then cross stitch a new piece, so on and so forth. At this point, I am comfortable saying I always cycle back to my dolls eventually, so feeling the "waning interest" doesn't stress me out so much as it lets me know I need to expend my creative energies elsewhere for a while.

I'm in a bit of an odd place with my dolls at the moment, as we are sort of between living situations and my collection is packed away accordingly. I've been spending a significant amount of time thinking about them and making plans, but I'm not in a position to actually do anything until we buy and move into our next house. Most of my various crafting supplies are also in storage, so it's not like I can distract myself with my other hobbies, either! Very frustrating all the way around.

If you find yourself losing interest, pack your dolls away for a while and see how you feel. Give it a couple of months or so, so you see them with fresh eyes when you unbox them again. It's okay to part with a hobby that no longer brings you joy, but it's also okay to put a hobby on ice for a few months or even many years before you return to it.

 

I have a handful of hobbies besides my dolls but I can't say they have felt cyclical for me, but more like a sequence of events that culminate at some point and the outcome is what decides if the thing becomes a hobby of mine or not at all (or a doll for that matter, cause in this particular hobby the sequence also applies to dolls individually for me). Let me explain better:

1. A honeymoon period, the beginning of the journey, when I am very active, get to know everything, likes/dislikes, dreams and wishlists, the overall initial hype. For dolls, the first purchases and investigation, participating as a newbie in the forum, getting to know the fellow hobbyists, and how the hobby works, etc.
   
2. A peak period, when I already know everything I wanted to know and the things start to calm down. In this phase, it's mainly learning how the hobby can coexist with 'normal life' and what do I want to do with it. In the case of dolls, getting a crew/family I like and I getting them everything they need to be enough and usually sharing them online.
3. A resting phase, and this is the tricky part but also the best part for me and that realization took me too long to discover. In this phase, two things can happen:

• If I fall out the hobby (a.k.a. loose interest) it is because it was not meant for me and it's unlikely I'll return to it, and so I will sell stuff without remorse and go on with my life. It has happened to me that I felt like I was not interested anymore but it was because the peak period hadn't yet finished and I wasn't happy with what I had home but I was pushing for it to be because of 'reasons' but when I thought of selling I would feel physically ill.
  
• If I'm still on board, I get to enjoy the hobby at my own pace, being as active as I want to be and nothing more, though it may take some trial an error. I still purchase stuff, and even dolls, on this phase, that may spark a small version of the sequence for themselves, but it won't affect my overall activity within the hobby. And I'll likely remain moderately passionate about it for eternity.

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All that said, I think I'm kind of weird cause I've gotten to be pretty happy with what I think is the lowest level of doll-activity possible (thought that was something that haunted me in the past). That means I won't handle my dolls for weeks but they'll always be on sight and on my mind because I still enter the forum and read stuff and comment, I still follow other doll owners on IG, I still write about their characters and such, but that's it.

 

My interests overall come and go, but I always have a strong love for a past interest. And honestly dolls have been my longest interest so far. I lost interest on them for like... 7 years? But I gor back to them. And honestly I think I will always come back to them.

 

a little update, it's been 4 years and I suddenly rediscovered my love for this hobby and now I'm super excied about it again! I'm so close to ordering a Doll Chateau, hopefully the excitement will still be there after the wait time and not the same situation as 4 years ago. If I do lose interest again I guess I'll just have to wait another 4 years until I love it again lolol.

As others have mentioned, I think interests in hobbies truly do come and go. And it's so fun when they're there again

 

I think it is totally normal for your interest to come and go! Especially if you've had recent life changes that take up a lot of time.

When I find myself losing interest, I try to focus on my doll-adjacent hobbies. For example, if I am really enjoying knitting, I will try knitting my girls an outfit. This way, I am still engaging with them but focusing on a different hobby that brings me joy.

I also start bringing my dolls around the house with me! Even if I am not "actively" playing with them, just having them near helps build / solidify the bond.