It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Bay Lake house and not find Stamps and Coins, Vinyl Records or a Pooh Bear collection.
Bay Lake baby-boomers were obsessed collecting items. The trend these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Precious Moments, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating inviting 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. Grandmother may have paid $70 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 Bay Lake thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s treasured collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Bay Lake 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.
Many times I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Collection.
My answer is with great excitement! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Bay Lake 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 collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh 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 collection when traveling from Bay Lake to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Bear Items to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633