Donating Your Grandmother’s Pooh Items

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Willow residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Books or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Willow baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The tendency today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Comic Books, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating enticing listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc. 

Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging.  Mother may have paid $90 for an item but the online going rate is only $2.79.  You need to ask yourself the question “is my time worth just a few dollars”?  Online selling can take plenty of time.

Donate Pooh Items

You can give it to a place like a Willow Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s much-loved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Willow kids place.  However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Great Aunt really took care of the plush and displayed them.  Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy. 

Donate Your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Items. 

My answer is with great excitement!  I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”. 

If I am talking to the Willow  collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection.  Their collectibles becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale.  I let them know I will showcase their donated items along with mine.  I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh Items I think it makes people feel better which I am happy for.  Letting go of “things” can be hard for a collector and owners and even sometimes for relatives.  As much as we don’t want to be labeled as “materialistic” – things we buy and collect can have sentimental attachments and it’s those feelings that we are attached to probably more than the items.  People remember where they were when they purchased an item, who they were with or even where in their life cycle they were.  They don’t want those memories to vanish with the items.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Willow to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com