It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Waupaca County home and not find Art, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Waupaca County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The craze today 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 Salt and Pepper Shakers, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating enticing listing descriptions, figuring out 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. Grandmother 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.
You can give it to a place like a Waupaca County Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s cherished collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Waupaca County 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 Grandma really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Many times I have been contacted 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 Waupaca County 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 donated items along with mine. I consider their collection 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or jewelry 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 Waupaca County to WI.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633