Donating Your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Items

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Lake Como residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Lake Como baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff.  The craze these days 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 Art, Cookie Jars or Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Bear Items

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating inviting listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc. 

Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging.  Mom may have paid $70 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 Lake Como Salvation Army.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s cherished items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Lake Como kids 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 Grandma’s Pooh Bear 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 Winnie the Pooh 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 Lake Como  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 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 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 collection.  You can put a price tag on a mug or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Lake Como to Wisconsin. 

If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com