It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Bunkie place and not find Hummels, Snowglobes or a Pooh Bear collection.
Bunkie baby-boomers took seriously collecting stuff. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative dies what do you do with their Precious Moments, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing 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. Grandma 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Bunkie thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s beloved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Bunkie 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 Grandma 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 emailed 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 Bunkie 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 collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the Pooh 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 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or toy 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 owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Bunkie to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633