Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Sylvan Mounds house and not find Art, Vinyl Records or a Pooh collection.

Sylvan Mounds baby-boomers took seriously collecting things.  The tendency today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Hummels, Trading Cards or Winnie the Pooh items?

Selling Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing 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 plenty of time.

Donate Pooh Bear Items

You can give it to a place like a Sylvan Mounds thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’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 Sylvan Mounds kids place.  However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Great Aunt 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 Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Items. 

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 Sylvan Mounds  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 donation of collectibles along with mine.  I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh 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 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 plush or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Sylvan Mounds 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 Grandmother’s Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com