It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Fair Oaks Ranch place and not find Art, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.
Fair Oaks Ranch baby-boomers loved collecting items. The craze these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member dies where do you go with their Precious Moments, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up 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. Mother may have paid $100 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.
You can give it to a place like a Fair Oaks Ranch Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s well cared-for items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Fair Oaks Ranch kids 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.
Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Collectibles.
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 Fair Oaks Ranch 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Fair Oaks Ranch to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633