Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s McPherson County residence and not find Precious Moments, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

 

McPherson County baby-boomers took seriously collecting stuff.  The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.

 

So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh items?

Selling Pooh Bear Items

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing inviting listing descriptions, locating 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 Pooh Collection

You can give it to a place like a McPherson County thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

 

You could donate any plush to a McPherson County kids place.  However, many places only accept 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. 

Donate Your Mom’s Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Items. 

 

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 McPherson 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 collectibles 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 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 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a plush or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.

 

By donating Pooh Items 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 McPherson County to Wisconsin. 

 

If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

 

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com