Donating Your Mom’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Wisconsin Rapids home and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.

Wisconsin Rapids baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The movement today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Precious Moments, Books or Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Winnie 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 $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 significant amount of time.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Wisconsin Rapids thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s treasured collection being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Wisconsin Rapids kids 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 Mother’s Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear 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 Wisconsin Rapids  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 collection 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 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 stuffed animal 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 collector wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Wisconsin Rapids to Wisconsin. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com