Donating Your Grandma’s Pooh Collectibles

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 Vancleave house and not find Hummels, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Vancleave baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things.  The inclination today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Precious Moments, Vinyl Records or Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Bear Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Items online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up enticing listing descriptions, figuring out 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 $50 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 Pooh Items

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

You could donate any plush to a Vancleave 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 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. 

Donate Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear 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 Vancleave  collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection.  Their collectibles 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a plush or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Vancleave 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 Mom’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com