Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

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 Blanchard place and not find Precious Moments, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.

Blanchard baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The craze these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?

Selling Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing attractive listing descriptions, locating 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 $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 a lot of time.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Items

You can give it to a place like a Blanchard Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s well cared-for collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Blanchard children’s place.  However, many places only want 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 Mother’s Pooh Bear Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear 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 Blanchard  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 items 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 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 mug or toy but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Winnie the Pooh 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 Blanchard 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 Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com