It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Douglas County residence and not find Comic Books, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
Douglas County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Trading Cards or Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating attractive 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. Mom may have paid $50 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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Douglas County Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s adored items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Douglas County 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 Great Aunt 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Collectibles.
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 Douglas 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 donation of collectibles 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 relatives. 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 statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Douglas County to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
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