It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Bloomfield place and not find Precious Moments, Paper Weights or a Pooh collection.
Bloomfield baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff. The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up inviting 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. Mom 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Bloomfield Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s cherished collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Bloomfield 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 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 Bloomfield 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 collection along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the 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 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or toy 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 entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Bloomfield to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633