If You Still Keep Stuffed Animals, This Is for You.
Plushies nestled on your bed? Do you have some perched on a shelf, or quietly hidden away in a drawer? You are in good company. And more importantly, you’re not weird. According to emerging psychological and behavioural science, hanging on to plush companions from your past isn’t just sentimentality—it’s a subtle signal of deeper emotional traits.
As someone who handcrafts leather stuffed animals for adult collectors (hi, I’m Lisa Lee), I’ve met hundreds of people who light up when they see a whale, bear, or monster that reminds them of a long-lost friend. I’ve long suspected these collectors weren’t just nostalgic—they were wired differently.
Turns out, research backs that up. If you still have a stuffed animal, here’s what that says about you.
1. You probably have strong solid relationships
Stuffed animals represent safety, comfort. You holding on to one shows your memories are tied to emotions—a hallmark of people who form deep, long lasting bonds. You’re a keeper in more ways than one.
Psychologists call them transitional objects. Plushies helped us self-soothe as children and still quietly support emotional regulation today. That bear on your bookshelf isn’t just cute. It’s calming your nervous system.
2. You might rank high in conscientiousness
Keeping your plushies and art toys clean, or even displayed suggests an attention to detail and emotional stewardship people want in a friend. People who protect meaningful objects often exhibit higher levels of conscientiousness, organization, and care in relationships. Green Flag!
Your whale isn’t just a keepsake—it’s a reflection of how you treat your memories. And probably people in your life as well.
3. You are comfortable with vulnerability
Adulthood and the self imposed pressure to be polished and “mature” can be isolating. Proudly display your favorite plush or tell select people you still sleep with one, it signals a rare emotional openness. That connection to your soft side pays off.
Research shows people who embrace their softer side are more likely to form authentic relationships and regulate shame and stress more effectively.
4. You appreciate tactile comfort
The touch, heavy or light weight, even the scent of a stuffed animal offers unique sensory feedback that phones, screens, or digital devices can’t. Plush lovers often lean toward tactile learning and multi sensory stimulating activities.
That quiet moment of pressing your whale to your chest? That’s body-based emotional intelligence in action. You are so good at comforting yourself!
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5. You engage in imaginative thinking
People who keep toys and plushies are often more imaginative, and more creative. According to researchers on self identity and play, continuing a relationship with toys strengthens story-based cognition and mental flexibility. Right?! Natural story tellers.
Your stuffed animal might not talk back, but your brain benefits from the continued dialogue.
6. You self-soothe with intention
A plush toy is often a personal, portable calm-down tool. People with stuffed animals tend to have strong emotional self-regulation, using tactile objects to de-escalate stress and ground themselves. The amount of people who being stuffed animals to anxiety enduring hospital appointments or medical procedures might surprise you! ( sometimes they hide in purses or pockets from judging eyes)
The science of self-soothing points to physical comfort as a non-verbal, embodied way of creating psychological safety. No meditation app required.
7. You’re emotionally resilient
Adults who still have stuffed animals often describe their toys as surviving multiple moves, life events, and loss. The plushies become quite consistent companions through transitions, helping us metabolize difficult change.
Psychologists studying attachment and resiliency note that holding onto familiar, safe-feeling objects is a form of internal resource building.
8. You’re not afraid to keep what matters
In a culture of decluttering and minimalism, stuffed animals are often the last thing to go—and for good reason. You understand the value of memory. And you don’t cave to trends if something still serves your heart.
That’s not immaturity. That’s emotional clarity.
Final Thoughts
Still have stuffed animals? Great! You’re not weird, you’re emotionally literate, creatively wired, and more in tune with yourself than others.
📩 Want to see what I make with heart, creativity, and comfort?
Be in the know for handcrafted plush companions, collector stories, and the quiet magic of keeping what makes us feel safe.