It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Bureau County residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Books or a Pooh Bear collection.
Bureau County baby-boomers loved collecting stuff. The movement these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Art, Paper Weights or Pooh Bear collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the difficulties 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, handling returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Great Aunt may have paid $70 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 Bureau County Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s well cared-for collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Bureau 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Collection.
My answer is with great excitement! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Bureau 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a mug or poster 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 collectibles when traveling from Bureau County to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
Arlington | Buda | Bureau |
Cherry | Dalzell | Depue |
Dover | Hollowayville | La Moille |
Ladd | Malden | Manlius |
Mineral | Neponset | New Bedford |
Ohio | Princeton | Seatonville |
Sheffield | Spring Valley | Tiskilwa |
Walnut | Wyanet |