Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Watauga residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or a Pooh Bear collection.

Watauga baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff.  The inclination today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Books or Winnie the Pooh items?

Selling Pooh Bear Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating attractive listing descriptions, locating 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 $40 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 Items

You can give it to a place like a Watauga Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’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 Watauga 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 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 Grandmother’s Pooh Bear 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 Bear 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 Watauga  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 collection 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 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Items 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 Watauga to Wisconsin. 

If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com