It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Glen Oaks house and not find Comic Books, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
Glen Oaks baby-boomers loved collecting things. The tendency today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Books or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up enticing listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Mom may have paid $80 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 a significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Glen Oaks thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s adored collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Glen Oaks kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mom really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collection.
My answer is absolutely! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Glen Oaks collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items 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 items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear Collectibles 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 received 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Glen Oaks to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633