For my thirty-fifth birthday, my parents gave me a really unique gift – a baby doll. Not just any baby doll, mind you, but my baby doll, Elizabeth. The last time I’d seen her I was still in grade school and she was disjointed, literally, and dirty. But, now she is beautiful, almost like new.

My parents had admitted Elizabeth to a doll hospital where she received a special brand of plastic surgery. I remembered playing nurse to my toys as a young girl, but I hadn’t realized that real doll hospitals existed and that real doll doctors worked there.

What a wonderful occupation for someone with a love of all things that make childhood memories so sweet!

One great thing about being a doll doctor is the fairly low cost of starting your business. Another benefit is that you can work as much or as little as necessary, depending on your time constraints and financial needs. In addition, it doesn’t require much advertising. What it does require is creativity and a love for dolls.

Making money as a doll doctor is something that can easily be done in your own home, especially for those just starting out. The first step is to decide on a specialty. Just like in a real hospital, not every doll doctor works on every patient. Some repair dolls from specific eras. Some work only on cloth or composition dolls. Other doctors perfect a certain skill such as restringing, eye replacement, dressing, or wigs.

The art of doll repair is something that you can learn as you go. Don’t feel you have to be caged in by your first chosen specialty area. Classes and programs are offered throughout the country by various museums, doll hospitals, and organizations. At Morgan Collectibles (www.joanmorgan.com) you can attend seminars to fine-tune your skills. The United Federation of Doll Clubs (www.ufdc.org) offers all kinds of educational opportunities and support.

Once you begin your business, the advertising is relatively easy. Placing an ad in the yellow pages is helpful for finding customers like my parents who had one special doll they wanted repaired. But if you can reach collectors, your business will really increase. Advertise your services at doll shows. Contact museums and join related associations and organizations. Reputation and word-of-mouth are your best bet in finding new clients and keeping them.

Many doll doctors find their passion for dolls growing the longer they work. Some end up expanding their business into showing and collecting. Once you perfect your skill you could even get paid to help others become masters of doll repair.

There is not an adult alive who doesn’t have fond memories of a favorite childhood toy. For me it was Elizabeth. Seeing her beauty restored lifted my spirits and took me back to my youth. If you have a love for dolls, consider becoming a doll doctor. Not only will you be rescuing dolls, you may just be resuscitating the spirit of its owner as well.

Helpful Resources:

www.ufdc.org/

www.joanmorgan.com/