Donating Your Grandma’s Pooh Bear Collection

It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Ottawa County place and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.

 

Ottawa County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff.  The movement these days is to be a minimalist.

 

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Art, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear collection?

Selling Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating 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 $90 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 Items

You can give it to a place like a Ottawa County Salvation Army.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s adored items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

 

You could donate any plush to a Ottawa County kids place.  However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Mom 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 Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles 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 take Winnie the Pooh 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 Ottawa County  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 collectibles 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 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 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 grouped and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Ottawa County to WI. 

 

If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

 

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com