It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Arboles house and not find Art, Books or a Pooh collection.
Arboles baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting items. The tendency today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Art, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating 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. Grandmother may have paid $30 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Arboles thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s beloved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Arboles kids place. However, many places only accept 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.
Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Collection.
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 Arboles 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 Winnie the Pooh 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a mug 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 grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Arboles to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh 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