It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Sugar Bush place and not find Precious Moments, Trading Cards or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Sugar Bush baby-boomers loved collecting stuff. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Hummels, Vinyl Records or Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up inviting 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. Grandma may have paid $50 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 Sugar Bush Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s well cared-for collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Sugar Bush 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 contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collection.
My answer is with great excitement! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Sugar Bush 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 collectibles 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or toy 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 collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Sugar Bush to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633