It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Hardee County home and not find Comic Books, Books or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Hardee County 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 Comic Books, Books or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the difficulties 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, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Grandmother 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.
You can give it to a place like a Hardee County Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s adored collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Hardee County kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mother 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 take Pooh Bear Collectibles.
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 Hardee County 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 collection along with mine. I consider their items 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 family members. 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or toy 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 collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Hardee County to WI.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
Bowling Green | Wauchula | Zolfo Springs |