Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Items

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Honesdale house and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Honesdale baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff.  The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Hummels, Trading Cards or Pooh collectibles?

Selling Pooh Bear Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online.  Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing enticing listing descriptions, figuring out 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.  Mom 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 lot of time.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Honesdale Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s cherished items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Honesdale 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 Mother 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 Grandmother’s Winnie the 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 accept Pooh Collection. 

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 Honesdale  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 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 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 collection.  You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear 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 items when traveling from Honesdale to WI. 

If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Bear Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com