It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Lake Catherine house and not find Hummels, Vinyl Records or a Pooh collection.
Lake Catherine baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting things. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Precious Moments, Books or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collection 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, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Mother may have paid $30 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 Lake Catherine Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s well cared-for collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Lake Catherine children’s place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandmother 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 Bear Items.
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 Lake Catherine 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 collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 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 stuffed animal or poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh Items 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 collectibles when traveling from Lake Catherine to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633