Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Items

It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Milwaukee house and not find Comic Books, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Milwaukee baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The tendency these days 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 Comic Books, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh collection?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating enticing 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.  Great Aunt may have paid $60 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.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Milwaukee thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’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 Milwaukee children’s place.  However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Mom 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 Mom’s Pooh Bear Items 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 take Pooh Bear 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 Milwaukee  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 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or toy 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 grouped and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Milwaukee 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 Grandma’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com