Donating Your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Items

It seems like the love of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Apple River house and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Paper Weights or a Pooh collection.

Apple River baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The inclination today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Precious Moments, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing inviting 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.  Mother may have paid $100 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.

Donate Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Apple River Salvation Army.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s treasured collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Apple River kids place.  However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Grandma 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 Mom’s Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Collection. 

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 Apple River  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 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 stuffed animal or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Winnie the Pooh 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 collection when traveling from Apple River to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com