Donating Your Mother’s Pooh Items

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Lake Station house and not find Comic Books, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Lake Station baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The movement these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative dies where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or Pooh Bear items?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out appealing 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 $80 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.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Lake Station Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s beloved collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Lake Station children’s place.  However, many places only want 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 Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Collectibles. 

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 Lake Station  collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection.  Their collection 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 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Lake Station to Wisconsin. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com