It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Chef Menteur house and not find Comic Books, Books or a Pooh Bear collection.
Chef Menteur baby-boomers loved collecting things. The tendency these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Hummels, Cookie Jars or Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing 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 $40 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 Chef Menteur Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s cherished items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Chef Menteur kids 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.
Many times I have been emailed 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 Chef Menteur 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 collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a mug or statue 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 together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Chef Menteur to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633