It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Payette Heights house and not find Stamps and Coins, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.
Payette Heights baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting items. The craze today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, 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, writing attractive 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 $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 Payette Heights Goodwill. 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 Payette Heights kids 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.
Over the years I have been approached 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 Payette Heights 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 collection along with mine. I consider their collectibles 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 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 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 stuffed animal or figurine 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 items when traveling from Payette Heights to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633