It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Paint home and not find Hummels, Books or a Pooh Bear collection.
Paint baby-boomers took seriously collecting things. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating appealing 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. Grandmother 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 a significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Paint Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s well cared-for collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Paint kids place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandma 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 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 Paint collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items 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 items 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 family members. 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 stuffie or jewelry 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 collection when traveling from Paint to WI.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633