It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Wood County place and not find Art, Vinyl Records or a Pooh collection.
Wood County baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes away where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating appealing 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 $90 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 Wood County Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s much-loved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Wood County 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 accept Winnie the Pooh Collection.
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 Wood County 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 donated collection along with mine. I consider their items 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or book 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 owner wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Wood County to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Items to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633