Donating Your Mother’s Pooh Items

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Vanderbilt house and not find Precious Moments, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.

Vanderbilt baby-boomers took seriously collecting items.  The movement these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Precious Moments, Trading Cards or Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up enticing listing descriptions, figuring out 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.  Mother may have paid $50 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Collection

You can give it to a place like a Vanderbilt Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s cherished collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Vanderbilt children’s place.  However, many places only accept 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. 

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

Many times I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear Collectibles. 

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

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

When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a mug or poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.

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

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to 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

Deb@MostPooh.com