Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Items

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s East Rochester place and not find Hummels, Books or a Pooh collection.

East Rochester baby-boomers loved collecting stuff.  The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh items?

Selling Pooh Bear Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out enticing 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.  Grandma 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Collectibles

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

You could donate any plush to a East Rochester kids 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. 

Donate Your Mother’s Pooh Bear Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Items. 

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 East Rochester  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 donation of collectibles along with mine.  I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 collection.  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 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 East Rochester to WI. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com