Donating Your Grandmother’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Rock Elm home and not find Stamps and Coins, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.

Rock Elm baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff.  The craze today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Books or Pooh Bear collection?

Selling Pooh Bear Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out 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.  Grandma 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 Pooh Items

You can give it to a place like a Rock Elm Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s beloved collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Rock Elm 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 Mother 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 Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take 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 Rock Elm  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 donated collection along with mine.  I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Winnie the 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or poster 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 owner wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Rock Elm to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com